BC Cancer Foundation

Every spring, riders across B.C. and the Yukon hop on their motorcycles for Ride For Dad Canada, and this year their fundraising added up to something big: a $110,000 investment in prostate cancer research at BC Cancer – Kelowna.

"As someone who has faced prostate cancer myself, I know firsthand how important research is for patients and their families," says Bob Charron, Chair of the B.C. Chapter of Motorcycle Ride for Dad.

The funds will support Dr. Juanita Crook's brachytherapy research, helping doctors understand how each patient responds to treatment so care can be even more personalized. This is the kind of research your donations help drive forward, alongside community fundraisers like Ride for Dad and the Prostate Cancer Fight Foundation.

Donate to prostate cancer research in B.C. https://bccancerfoundation.com/why-give/research/prostate-cancer/

We're looking for people with lived experience of cancer who may be interested in participating in an upcoming BC Cancer Foundation campaign. The campaign will share real experiences and help show the impact that philanthropy makes possible across cancer research and care in B.C.

If you have experienced cancer and would be open to learning more, we'd love to hear from you. There is absolutely no expectation to share your experience publicly at this stage.

Learn more here:

BC Cancer foundation BC Cancer foundation

Big update on cancer care in B.C.

BC Cancer's Next Generation PET/CT scanner, installed in May 2025, is helping to scan more patients, more often — and get results back faster than ever.

Since the new scanner arrived, BC Cancer has boosted the number of scans provided each day, and is continuing to grow that capacity. At the same time, wait times for PET/CT scans have dropped dramatically compared to where they were just last winter.

More scans. Shorter waits. Better care for people across the province facing a cancer diagnosis.

This is the difference you are making through our $50 million Technology Transformation campaign. Help fund a new era of cancer care: https://bccancerfoundation.com/in-your-region/vancouver/technology-transformation/

A man living with metastatic prostate cancer told Dr. Lauren Capozzi his dream was simple: to walk his daughter down the aisle. It became more than a moment of hope. It became a plan.

As BC Cancer’s first cancer physiatrist, Dr. Capozzi helps patients not only survive cancer, but live fully through it. Her work in rehabilitation care supports patients from diagnosis through recovery — helping them stay stronger, manage pain and hold onto what matters most.

Thanks to donor support through the BC Cancer Foundation, new rehabilitation programs and supportive care teams are growing across the province. Entire teams — physiotherapists, nutrition experts, speech pathologists and more — are working together so patients feel supported in every way.

Every one of these advances in supportive care exists because of donors. You are helping BC Cancer build a system where no one goes through cancer alone.

Read more about Dr. Capozzi's work here: https://bccancerfoundation.com/news-and-media/blog/advancing-supportive-cancer-care-in-b-c/

Imagine learning that a rare mutation running in your family could be caught early enough to treat before it spreads.

That's exactly what BC Cancer and UBC researchers just made possible. They discovered a new inherited form of prostate cancer, caused by mutations in a gene called CDK12, that can cause aggressive cancer at a young age.

It's rare. But for the families who carry it, this discovery means something huge: the chance to get tested, get screened early, and catch cancer while it's still treatable.

Your donations helped fund this research. Because of your support, this discovery is moving from the research lab into real clinical care faster than most, so more families can know their risk before cancer has a chance to take hold.

Your support has given rise to breakthroughs like these: https://bccancerfoundation.com/news-and-media/blog/researchers-discover-new-form-of-hereditary-prostate-cancer/

When Brad Hill's mom, Ina was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer this year, it was a shock, especially after losing his dad to cancer in 2023.

Brad channelled that into action. He's joining the SV Flatlanders at this year's Beedie Living Cypress Challenge, presented by Glotman•Simpson Cycling, pedalling up Mount Seymour to raise money for pancreatic cancer research and care in B.C.

Because of donors like you, BC Cancer researchers have discovered that pancreatic cancer isn't one disease; it's many subtypes, a finding that's changing how it's treated. Your support has also helped fund a genetic testing program that's already identified inherited cancer genes in nearly 10% of patients tested, giving families answers and options.

This is what you make possible. Read the full story: https://bccancerfoundation.com/news-and-media/blog/pedalling-for-progress-in-pancreatic-cancer/

Heading to the beach, the trail, or just your patio this weekend? ☀️

Before you go, here's something worth knowing: 90% of skin cancers are linked to UV exposure — but skin cancer is also one of the most preventable cancers out there. A few small habits can make a big difference.

We've rounded up 5 sun safety essentials to pack this summer (spoiler: it's not just sunscreen). Read the full list here: https://bccancerfoundation.com/news-and-media/blog/5-sun-safety-essentials-to-pack-with-you-this-summer/

And thanks to donor-funded research, even advanced skin cancers are seeing real breakthroughs — immunotherapy is now proving effective against late-stage melanoma. That's the kind of progress your support drives forward.

Meet William. He's riding in Ryder Hesjedal’s Tour de Victoria on August 15, and this year he's got some extra company: his 13-year-old son, pedalling right alongside him.

William leads Team BC Cancer Vancouver Island, and every year the team grows a little bigger with staff, families and neighbours who want to do something real for the Island community.

Your donations are already at work here. They helped open the Yakimovich Pavilion in Victoria, and they're helping build the new BC Cancer Centre – Nanaimo, set to open in 2028.

"It feels amazing to ride with purpose," William says. "But if riding isn't for you, consider supporting a rider. Every gift motivates participants to go further."

Read William's full story and see how you can support the team: https://bccancerfoundation.com/news-and-media/blog/william-litchfields-commitment-to-cancer-care-on-vancouver-island/