The Karen Gelmon Clinical & Research Excellence Endowment Fund
The BC Cancer Foundation has established the Karen Gelmon Clinical & Research Excellence Endowment Fund to honour Dr. Gelmon’s legacy and inspire our community to join BC Cancer in transforming breast cancer care. An endowment will be established to ensure long-term, sustainable support for the following priorities:
- Training the next generation of breast cancer researchers is a critical step in accelerating the significant momentum BC Cancer’s breast team has built over the past decade. With a truly multi-disciplinary, collaborative team of experts from all scientific and medical backgrounds, breast cancer research will achieve new heights of success, to benefit women in our province and around the world. Dr. Gelmon credits her success to the many people who mentored and inspired her and wants to ensure that capable, caring, research-oriented oncologists are trained in B.C.
- Elevating world-class research by ensuring a rapid response to urgent and emerging breast cancer research opportunities to bring solutions to patients in the clinic. BC Cancer has the tools and expertise to do this research ongoing support will further enhance their ability to make novel discoveries.
- Innovating patient care in the clinic. Patients need care that is timely, tailored to their specific needs, and offers opportunities to participate in research.
By paying tribute to a leader whose ambition, determination, compassion and vision has changed the model of care and saved lives, we can enable a new generation to continue the groundbreaking work Dr. Gelmon has fueled and expand upon her legacy of excellence.
The BC Cancer Foundation has set a fundraising goal of $1 million for the endowment fund and is proud to partner with so many individuals who have benefitted from her exceptional care and commitment to excellence.
Breast cancer is relentless, but so are we. With you, we won’t stop.
Dr. Karen Gelmon is a renowned medical oncologist who has spent her career determined to improve outcomes for British Columbians facing cancer. Although focused on breast cancer, she has been involved in the development of new therapies for other cancer types, guided by the general principle that by understanding the biology of the cancer, improved therapies can be provided for patients.
Born and raised in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Dr. Gelmon was taught the value of helping people in need and engaging in the community. After travelling and completing a degree in philosophy, Dr. Gelmon received her medical degree from the University of Saskatchewan, followed by a residency in internal medicine at the University of British Columbia. She had an early interest in malignancies and did her medical oncology training at BC Cancer as well as further training in the US and UK.
Today, Dr. Gelmon remains committed to translational research and clinical trials that will lead to more effective treatments and bring hope to patients and families. She has devoted her career to helping people facing a diagnosis of cancer by providing excellent clinical care and integrating research into her practice. “I have always strived to wear a scientist’s hat with a warm human heart and smile,” says Dr. Gelmon.
In 26 years, breast cancer has struck me three times, each more invasive, the effects more jarring. Dr. Gelmon has told me over the years, ‘you do your best for people in need.’ Her best clearly is beyond the gold standard, because I’ve never had a doctor like this, placing my welfare always before her own.
Her research has ranged from investigating the factors that cause cancer to spread and clinical trials of new treatments to studying the impact of exercise during chemotherapy and supportive care for the physical and psychological toxicities patients experience.
As well as pioneering new drugs and participating in groundbreaking clinical trials, Dr. Gelmon has been involved in the collection and analysis of tumour specimens and blood from patients that allow experts to learn more about why some cancers are easily cured while others relapse.
For example, a new biobank containing samples from patients with aggressive triple negative breast cancer is starting to identify which cancers are not cured by the usual treatments of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. Finding evidence of residual disease early and understanding what is driving growth may lead to more successful treatments and possibly cures.
“Throughout my career, I have seen many improvements in cancer survival and many new therapies for breast cancer, yet there are still too many people dying of their disease,” says Dr. Gelmon. “Through research we will improve outcomes, but we must always remember that there is a person facing that cancer and they need care, along with their family and community.”
Knowing Karen has been there, I learned to listen to and trust my body and to approach each challenge with faith, not anxiety. I have had the benefit of the support, the presence and the genius of this special person. Having the most skilled practitioner in medicine as my caregiver, the most important thing; I have learned to have acceptance of my disease.
As the fundraising partner of BC Cancer and the largest charitable funder of cancer research in this province, the BC Cancer Foundation works with donors and communities to advance research and innovate care for the people of B.C. Together, BC CAN change the outcome for each person facing this disease. BC CAN break down cancer.