You can help British Columbian families facing cancer!
As we ring in the New Year and leap into the 2020s, let's pause and reflect on just how much progress has been made in cancer research and care over the last decade.
Solutions that were inconceivable just ten years ago are now changing outcomes for patients like 46-year-old mother of two Shannon Gall.
Shannon's story
Last fall, Shannon had a nagging back pain and thought it may have been the result of a skiing mishap. Upon returning home from an X-ray, she got a call asking her to come back immediately for a second scan.
Instead of confirming a hairline bone fracture as she had expected, Shannon was told that a mass had been discovered on her lung. Despite having never smoked, she was diagnosed with advanced Stage 4 lung cancer which had spread to her legs, ribs, pelvis, back and liver.
The prognosis was bleak.
Within a month, she was taking over 40 pills a day to manage pain and eventually lost the ability to drive her kids to school, work and perform many regular activities.
Facing dwindling treatment options, Shannon’s oncologist enrolled her in BC Cancer's Personalized Onco-Genomics (POG) Program where an individual’s DNA is analyzed to better understand the unique characteristics of their cancer.
Genomic analysis of Shannon’s tumour revealed it had a well-known mutation and there was a drug that could treat it – a drug she could take orally and that had never been used to treat lung cancer before!
She went from taking more than 40 pills a day to manage her pain to only one pill to combat her cancer.
None of this would have been possible a decade ago, and would still not be possible today if it wasn’t for the support of generous donors like you.
Just imagine the progress that can be made in the decade ahead!
We are the fundraising partner of BC Cancer. Every dollar we raise stays right here at BC Cancer to advance research and enhance care for the people of B.C.
At the BC Cancer Foundation we believe that with your help BC CAN make a difference in the lives of all British Columbians. We know that one in two people in our province will face cancer in their lifetime and we're igniting progress to break down cancer, piece by piece, in the labs and clinics.
By working with people like you, who believe that investments in science and enhancements to care can make a significant difference for British Columbians, we are confident that BC CAN change the outcome for each person facing this disease.
Learn more