On World Cancer Day 2024, the Cedars Cancer Foundation and the Montreal General Hospital Foundation launched our joint fundraising campaign, Together Against Cancer.  

Thanks to our generous donors, we’re halfway to our $100M fundraising goal. Every day, patients, families, and medical teams give their best against cancer. This World Cancer Day, we ask that you give the best you can to help them. Donate, spread the word, share their stories.  

A Collaborative Campaign for Greater Impact

“Both our Foundations are part of the MUHC infrastructure, and patients undergoing cancer surgery at the Montreal General Hospital (MGH-MUHC) are then followed at Cedars for their chemotherapy, radiation oncology, and supportive care services,” say Stephanie Riddell, President and CEO of the Montreal General Hospital Foundation, and Jeff J. Shamie, President and CEO of the Cedars Cancer Foundation.

Our goal is to raise $100 million to support transformative initiatives that will improve the experience, quality of life, and outcomes of cancer patients at the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC), throughout the province, and beyond.

Life-Changing Initiatives

From a pan-cancer, pan-Canadian precision oncology platform to research to prevent cancer from metastasizing, whole-person care programs, and plans for a new centre for AI in oncology – among many other initiatives – the transformative projects supported by Together Against Cancer are grouped into three campaign priorities:

World Cancer Day: United by Unique

In honour of World Cancer Day, we present some significant Together Against Cancer projects that are aligned with the day’s theme: United by Unique.

Living outside major urban centres can create unique healthcare obstacles. Where you live shouldn’t affect your chances of surviving cancer; however, Quebec cancer survival rates are lower outside Montreal. That’s why Dr. Jonathan Spicer (Thoracic Surgeon, MUHC; Medical Director, McGill Thoracic Oncology Network) and Dr. Ramy Saleh (Medical Director, Oncology Clinical Trials, RI-MUHC; Staff Medical Oncologist, MUHC) want to ensure equal access to life-saving clinical trials.

As such, Dr. Saleh co-founded and leads the Sarcoma Research Consortium of Quebec (SARC-Q), a consortium of sarcoma experts from 12 hospitals that aims to standardize sarcoma care across the province and consolidate all clinical trials at the MUHC.

Meanwhile, Dr. Spicer leads a project to provide equitable access to clinical trials to thoracic cancer patients throughout the province, regardless of where they live. “We see a huge opportunity to enable our network of referring hospitals to participate in these innovative trials and overcome postal code disparities, improving outcomes and advancing scientific discovery,” Dr. Spicer says.

Every cancer patient has unique needs and a unique story. That’s why the Cedars Whole Person Cancer Care Program, headed by Dr. Justin Sanders (Director, Division of Supportive and Palliative Care, MUHC) aims to humanize – and revolutionize – the experience of all cancer patients treated at the MUHC by placing the patient at the centre of care and responding to the unique needs of each population.

“Every cancer patient needs access to care and research that takes into account their specific life circumstances,” says Dr. Armen Aprikian, Chief of the MUHC Cancer Care Mission.