The Canadian Cancer Society's annual Daffodil fundraising campaign helps hope bloom through research innovation

High-impact Challenge Grants fund research projects aimed at making a meaningful difference for people affected by cancer

TORONTO, March 31, 2022 /CNW/ - Every April, the Canadian Cancer Society's (CCS) Daffodil Campaign raises essential funds to save lives and improve the quality of life for people affected by cancer, spreading hope from community to community. A key part of this effort is supporting the world-leading work of cancer researchers in Canada to transform cancer care and improve the cancer experience. This year, CCS is celebrating its recent investment of $19.7 million in 46 Challenge Grants, funding the most promising projects that are designed to solve a complex research challenge.

"Nothing in history has reduced the devastating impact of cancer more than research," says Andrea Seale, CEO, Canadian Cancer Society. "To best help the nearly half of Canadians who are expected to be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime, we must increase our support of innovative and impactful research projects that improve how we prevent, detect, treat and live with and beyond cancer. Funds raised during this year's Daffodil Campaign will support the brightest minds in cancer research."

The Challenge Grants support projects across Canada that span the cancer continuum and cross disciplines. Projects are expected to build toward a clear solution to the problem identified by each research team and culminate either in an immediate impact or in laying the foundation to solve a larger challenge in the long term. The projects were selected with the input of more than 100 scientific experts, cancer patients, survivors and caregivers, and were supported by a contribution from the Lotte & John Hecht Memorial Foundation.

Research being funded includes: a new sugar-based dye for detecting breast cancer; viruses to prevent colorectal cancer; a blood test to determine if cancer has spread; an app to help young adult cancer survivors; artificial intelligence-aided detection for oral cancer; a study of barriers and inequalities in care faced by Black women with breast cancer; glowing nanoparticles to help surgeons operate more precisely; exploring how diet impacts immunotherapy effectiveness; and more.

"These Challenge Grants would not be possible without the generosity of donors. The effects of COVID-19 on our fundraising efforts were significant and we're striving to reach our pre-pandemic research investment levels so that we can continue to bring hope to people affected by cancer. We are urgently calling on Canadians to support the Daffodil Campaign to enable us to invest in more groundbreaking research to solve cancer's greatest challenges," adds Seale.

In the year ahead, CCS plans to fund several innovative research projects that address the most significant needs of people affected by cancer – including focusing on cancers that have the lowest survival rates – with the goal of saving lives and improving outcomes quality of life.

This year's Daffodil Campaign marks the return to in-person fundraising for CCS after a two year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With more than 100 TipTap contactless payment locations across the country, in addition to point of sale donation opportunities at various nationwide businesses including Pharmasave, London Drugs, Provigo, Maxi, Jean Coutu and Brunet Drugstores, CCS is encouraging people to rally around the daffodil and help hope bloom for those affected by cancer.

For more information or to donate, visit cancer.ca/daffodil. 

About the Canadian Cancer Society 

The Canadian Cancer Society works tirelessly to save and improve lives. We fund the brightest minds in cancer research. We provide a compassionate support system for all those affected by cancer, from coast to coast and for all types of cancer. As the voice for Canadians who care about cancer, we work with governments to establish health policies to prevent cancer and better support those living with the disease. No other organization does all that we do to improve lives today, and to change the future of cancer forever. 

SOURCE Canadian Cancer Society (National Office)

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