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Dr. Joseph Connors was an invaluable member of the BC Cancer team for nearly 40 years and boasts an extensive list of accomplishments throughout his illustrious career.

Dr. Connors received his MD from Yale University, did his Internal Medicine residency training and chief residency at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill and his Medical Oncology Fellowship at Stanford University. He accepted a position at BC Cancer in Medical Oncology in 1981 and we have been fortunate enough to keep his brilliant mind ever since.

At the beginning of his career, Dr. Connors worked closely Dr. Paul Klimo and focused on treating people with lymphoma, lymphocytic leukemia and myeloma. Through the 1980s, Dr. Connors assisted in developing new chemotherapy approaches to non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and started building a now world-renowned lymphoid cancer database that has grown to include detailed laboratory and clinical information for more than 40,000 patients.

Key Career Highlights

As the Clinical Director of BC Cancer’s Centre for Lymphoid Cancer, he has assembled a lead group of researchers and clinicians in Vancouver and a cooperating group of 40 hemato-oncologists throughout B.C. that coordinate the treatment of lymphoid cancers for the province. This collaborative model has established BC Cancer as one of the world's most preeminent lymphoid cancer research centers in the world.

In 2013, thanks to donor support, Dr. Connors launched the Personalized Treatment of Lymphoid Cancer Project which aimed to identify new modes of testing and analysis for four lymphoid cancers and make these methods part of standard clinical care. This program has been so successful that other BC Cancer researchers have joined forces with Dr. Connors’ team to create similar recruitment programs for B.C. patients with other forms of cancer.

In 2017, Dr. Connors was recognized as one of the World’s Most Influential Scientific Minds for his historical career of innovating effective new treatment options that have greatly improved outcomes for people facing lymphoma. Most recently, Dr. Connors led an international clinical trial revealing a promising new treatment combination for patients with advanced Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

Dr. Joseph M Connors Endowment Fund

There is no doubt that Dr. Connors’ tenure has left BC Cancer’s medical oncology program stronger and has helped put BC Cancer on the map as a world leader in lymphoid cancer research. Not only has he led the field in British Columbia, but he has had a significant impact on research worldwide.

The Dr. Joseph M Connors Endowment Fund for the Centre for Lymphoid Cancer was established to honour his decorated career and help support the BC Cancer’s Centre for Lymphoid Cancer for many years to come. Your gift will pay tribute to Joe's legacy and will assist in ensuring BC Cancer’s Centre for Lymphoid Cancer will continue to be on the forefront of groundbreaking discoveries.

Thank you for your donation.