Funds will support cancer care priorities at The Ottawa Hospital to help accelerate critical projects through and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.

OTTAWA, ONTARIO, CANADA, December 17, 2020 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation today announces a grant of $1 million to The Ottawa Hospital, to help accelerate critical projects in local cancer research and care and lessen the impact the COVID-19 pandemic is having on cancer patients.

This investment will support cancer care priorities at The Ottawa Hospital, helping to ensure those facing cancer have access to the best local care through the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. The grant will fund promising cancer research projects, new technologies, clinical studies and other initiatives that will benefit local cancer patients. With many people in eastern Ontario and across Canada experiencing delays in cancer diagnosis or treatment due to the pandemic, increased investment in cancer research is now more critical than ever before.

“The Ottawa Hospital and the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation have been important partners for many years, and the work our donors have enabled us to do together has impacted thousands of lives,” says Michael Maidment, President and CEO of the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation. “We are thrilled to make such a significant investment to support local cancer patients and are committed to moving these urgent projects forward to help those whose care has been affected by the pandemic. We are very fortunate to partner with a world class institution like The Ottawa Hospital to make this happen, giving cancer patients better care today and renewed hope for tomorrow.”

“Cancer really is a pressing need. We’ve seen it in how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the lives of cancer patients, and we’ll continue to see it long after the pandemic has ended,” says Dr. Rebecca Auer, Director of the Cancer Therapeutics Program at The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute. “But COVID-19 has shown us how resilient we are, how much impact we can have when we focus on what matters most and put others’ needs in front of our own. It has made us see what is possible when we focus our research together towards a common goal. This generous gift, from the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation and our local supporters, embodies this spirit. These funds will accelerate our efforts in both discovery research and clinical trials at The Ottawa Hospital so we can begin our next and final chapter against cancer. For this, our scientists, clinicians and patients are truly grateful.”

This $1 million grant was made possible thanks to the generosity of donors and supporters throughout the community, who in unprecedented times have acted with unprecedented generosity. The Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation is grateful to be able to make such a significant investment in cancer care at the end of a year that has been so challenging for cancer patients and their loved ones.

“The Ottawa Hospital is incredibly grateful to have the support of the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation and their stakeholders,” says Tim Kluke, President and CEO of The Ottawa Hospital Foundation. “It is significant investments like this that will ensure patients facing cancer have the best treatment options right here in our city. It will also allow advancements in key cancer research projects to continue to move forward in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and long afterwards, providing new hope to patients in the future.”

The Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation looks forward to continuing to support cancer patients and their families in the future by collaborating with partners like The Ottawa Hospital and The Ottawa Hospital Foundation, with the goal of helping some of the most promising cancer care initiatives become a reality for patients here in eastern Ontario.

About the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation:
The Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation is the voice for cancer survivorship in eastern Ontario, and a leader in our community in providing local residents with increased access to person-centred care through Cancer Coaching, innovative cancer research and a world-class clinical trials program. For more information, please visit www.ottawacancer.ca.

About The Ottawa Hospital:
The Ottawa Hospital is one of Canada’s top learning and research hospitals, where excellent care is inspired by research and driven by compassion. As the third-largest employer in Ottawa, our support staff, researchers, nurses, physicians, and volunteers never stop seeking solutions to the most complex health-care challenges. The multi-campus hospital, affiliated with the University of Ottawa, attracts some of the most influential scientific minds from around the world. Our focus on learning and research leads to new techniques and discoveries that are adopted globally to improve patient care.

The Ottawa Hospital is the Regional Trauma Centre for eastern Ontario and has been accredited with Exemplary Standing for health-care delivery — the highest rating from Accreditation Canada. We are also home to world-leading research programs focused on cancer therapeutics, neuroscience, regenerative medicine, chronic disease, and practice-changing research.

Backed by generous support from the community, The Ottawa Hospital is committed to providing the world-class, compassionate care we would want for our loved ones. For more information about The Ottawa Hospital, visit www.OHFoundation.ca.

Christian McCuaig
Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation
+1 613-247-1920 ext. 220
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