OUR IMPACT:
2019

OUR IMPACT:
2019

A Year In Review

 2019 was a year of growth, inspiration and tenacity.

We set out to make significant research and awareness investments, grow our support programs, and further our partnerships to deliver services and research progress in the most efficient and effective way possible. We are thrilled to share the achievements we reached by being creative, thoughtful and innovative in every aspect of our work. 

Most importantly, because of your support. 

2019 was not without challenges though. In May, new statistics were released that made stark the disparity between advancements in all other cancers versus pancreatic. Virtually every other cancer is making progress that is leading to better outcomes, while meaningful progress in pancreatic cancer is on the slowest trajectory among them all.

 

%

2019 Survival Rate, an increase of only 1%

Estimated Canadians Diagnosed in 2019

%

die within 4 months of diagnosis

We know that progress in this disease has been slow to come, but that is exactly why standing together to fight pancreatic cancer is so important. Pancreatic Cancer Canada is fiercely dedicated to increasing the survival of pancreatic cancer patients. We fight for all Canadians whose lives have been touched by this disease, for all those who will one day hear the words “you have pancreatic cancer”.

We fight for you, because you deserve survival, not sympathy.

Raising the rate of survival

We have always understood that in order to beat the world’s toughest cancer – to change the outcome – we have to be nimble, efficient and laser-focused on our mission. This is the lens through which we do everything at Pancreatic Cancer Canada, from choosing research investments to leading new outreach initiatives. All that we do is informed by the needs of our community.
  • INCREASE IN RESEARCH FUNDING 15% 15%
  • INCREASE IN SUPPORT SERVICES FUNDING 25% 25%
  • INCREASE IN EDUCATION FUNDING 30% 30%
  • INCREASE IN ADVOCACY AND AWARENESS FUNDING 90% 90%

Your Priorities are Our Priorities

In 2019 we continued to listen closely to the needs of our community and the recommendations of experts in the field.  We responded by increasing our impact to fund more research, provide more specialized services to patients and their families, and use innovative methods to improve pancreatic cancer awareness and education. As a result, we made our greatest annual impact to date.
View our 2019 Audited Financial Statement
  • Research (67%) – Research is our primary funding priority because pancreatic cancer patients don’t have time to wait. In 2019, we focused on funding two new clinical trials that will change how we treat pancreatic cancer while continuing our support for ongoing research into the subtypes of this disease.
  • Patient Support Services (8%) – We grew our patient and caregiver support programming and outreach to encompass mental health, access to information and financial support, to help patients and their families though the many varied and significant challenges a pancreatic cancer diagnosis brings.
  • Health Care Professional Education (7%) – We maintained our commitment to health care professional outreach and disease education, including innovative ways to help increase their awareness with the signs and symptoms of this disease in addition to the latest treatment options.
  • Awareness and Advocacy (18%) – Often one of the greatest concerns of those who have lost someone to pancreatic cancer is lack of public awareness of the disease, so we made a significant investment in this area, which is a critical part of increasing early detection and rallying others to join the fight.

RESEARCH

Advancing what we know about pancreatic cancer and discovering new ways to treat it remained our highest priority in 2019, resulting in the funding of two new groundbreaking clinical trials in addition to maintaining our ongoing research commitments.

RESEARCH

Advancing what we know about pancreatic cancer and discovering new ways to treat it remained our highest priority in 2019, resulting in the funding of two new groundbreaking clinical trials in addition to maintaining our ongoing research commitments.
In nearly every conversation we have with a member of our community – whether they’re a patient, a caregiver or loved one of someone with this disease – there is a point where the discussion turns to the lack of treatment options available for pancreatic cancer patients. This is why funding research is our highest priority – because it’s long past time to raise the rate of pancreatic cancer survival, and that starts with treating this disease more effectively.

In order to give more options to patients in their fight against this disease, we invested preliminary funding in two innovative clinical trials, signifying the beginning of a three year commitment to the most innovative research happening in Canada.

  • NeoPancOne (currently recruiting) – a phase two clinical trial that offers chemotherapy to patients before and after surgery, first to shrink the pancreatic cancer tumour and later to kill remaining cancer cells, all while studying a potential biomarker called GATA6 that could help us better understand who will respond best to treatment.
  • PASS-01 (recruiting fall 2020/2021) – a multi-centre international clinical trial that will use cutting-edge organoid technology to provide personalized medicine (including novel therapies) to advanced pancreatic cancer patients, enabling us to get the right treatment to the right patient at the right time to improve survival and quality of life.

In addition to this new clinical trial funding, we continued our support for the groundbreaking COMPASS trial by funding the work of Dr. George Zogopolous at McGill University Health Centre, which focuses on increasing our understanding of pancreatic cancer subtypes.

Learn More

PEER SUPPORT

After a successful pilot with the support experts at Wellspring, we increased the capacity of our Peer Support program to offer more appointments to more individuals in need across the country, and collaborated to create lasting resources to support patients and caregivers.

PEER SUPPORT

After a successful pilot with the support experts at Wellspring, we increased the capacity of our Peer Support program to offer more appointments to more individuals in need across the country, and collaborated to create lasting resources to support patients and caregivers.
One of the things we often hear from patients and caregivers is how important – how life-changing – it is to have someone to talk to who understands the unique frustrations, questions and struggles of this disease. This is why we approached Wellspring in 2018 to collaborate in building a specialized support program for Canadians who have felt the effects of pancreatic cancer. Over the last year we have worked with Wellspring to increase the program capacity with more volunteers while also offering helpful videos on nutrition and caregiving easily accessed on YouTube. The result has been shorter wait times to speak to a Peer Support Volunteer, increased knowledge and confidence in decision making, and the irreplaceable comfort that comes from a compassionate person who knows exactly what members of our community are going through. 

Peer Support Appointments

PEER SUPPORT VOLUNTEERS

SHORT-TERM COUNSELLING APPOINTMENTS

SUPPORT VIDEOS PRODUCED

Learn More
Learn More

In partnership with

Corporate Partner Spotlight:

TELUS

In 2016, TELUS lost a senior vice president, Joe Goodbaum, to pancreatic cancer. Joe was known to all as a warm, personable and respected leader. Years later his impact is still felt at all levels of the company and in stores from coast to coast.

Joe’s spirit set the tone for the team at TELUS; a team who have turned tragedy into action by raising funds to help change the future for pancreatic cancer patients. Their annual campaign takes place in TELUS and Koodo stores nationwide, raising 

funds through public and employee donations, dealer contributions, and a generous match by TELUS corporately. In 2019 the campaign raised $100,000 for Pancreatic Cancer Canada, a pace-setting contribution supporting ground-breaking research at institutions across the country and increasing the visibility of this disease across Canada. We are truly grateful for this partnership, and for the time, energy and heart TELUS shows the pancreatic cancer community year over year.
Learn More

Corporate Partner Spotlight:

TELUS

In 2016, TELUS lost a senior vice president, Joe Goodbaum, to pancreatic cancer. Joe was known to all as a warm, personable and respected leader. Years later his impact is still felt at all levels of the company and in stores from coast to coast.

Joe’s spirit set the tone for the team at TELUS; a team who have turned tragedy into action by raising funds to help change the future for pancreatic cancer patients. Their annual campaign takes place in TELUS and Koodo stores nationwide, raising funds through public and employee donations, dealer contributions, and a generous match by TELUS corporately. In 2019 the campaign raised $100,000 for Pancreatic Cancer Canada, a pace-setting contribution supporting ground-breaking research at institutions across the country and increasing the visibility of this disease across Canada. We are truly grateful for this partnership, and for the time, energy and heart TELUS shows the pancreatic cancer community year over year.

Learn More

Specialized patient support

We worked together with our partners at Craig’s Cause Pancreatic Cancer Society to help more Canadians navigate the difficult reality that often follows diagnosis.

Specialized patient support

We worked together with our partners at Craig’s Cause Pancreatic Cancer Society to help more Canadians navigate the difficult reality that often follows diagnosis.

Ask A Doctor

A pancreatic cancer diagnosis can be incredibly overwhelming: there is so much to understand, and for a cancer with limited treatment options, patients need all the help they can get to prepare for this fight. That’s why we reinvested in the Ask A Doctor program, which gives patients, caregivers and their loved ones a trusted place to ask questions relating to pancreatic cancer, making them feel less alone and more confident as they navigate this disease. This program was access by Canadians across the country looking for information on new therapies, the signs and symptoms, and direction on how to get a second opinion, among many other topics that demonstrate all of the many nuances of this disease. 

Financial Assistance

The little things add up: gas to get to the hospital for chemo, an overnight stay for family after surgery, someone to help around the house when patients and caregivers aren’t able. Recognizing all the hidden expenses that come with fighting this disease, we invested in a new support granting system that enabled pancreatic cancer patients struggling with the financial burden associated with treatment to receive critical relief. Over the course of the year we were able to help those in our community demonstrating greatest need with over $10,000 in support grants to ensure patients can stay focused on what’s most important: fighting this devastating disease.

Healthcare Professional education

One of the greatest efforts we can make to increase early diagnosis – and ultimately save more lives – is to increase awareness and understanding of this disease among frontline healthcare professionals. In 2019 we found innovative ways to do just that.

Healthcare Professional education

One of the greatest efforts we can make to increase early diagnosis – and ultimately save more lives – is to increase awareness and understanding of this disease among frontline healthcare professionals. In 2019 we found innovative ways to do just that.
As the front line of pancreatic cancer diagnosis and care, it is a critical priority for us to reach out to health care professionals so that the risk factors, signs and symptoms, and available treatment options are front of mind when they see patients. We’ve learned that in order to reach more medical professionals, we need to diversify how we connect with them, which is why our 2019 strategy for engagement focused on meeting doctors in the online space.
Through the specialized online collaboration network The Rounds, we were able to reach medical professionals in more locations across Canada and increase the quality and depth of our engagement with them. Over the course of the year we hosted two pancreatic cancer focused seminars within The Rounds platform that were open to any registered medical professional. During these seminars pancreatic cancer specialists led “Ask Me Anything” style discussions about the disease, covering the latest advances in research and available treatment options for patients.

Event Spotlight:

7 Days In May

Born out of the painful loss of his mother Lorraine to this devastating disease, Gord Townley and his family have spent the last 8 years determined to honour her memory. After founding the 7 Days in May cycling event (which started as and still features a week long ride), Gord and his family remain the nucleus around which like-minded cyclists come together to raise much needed funds towards PCC’s ground-breaking research investments. 

Many of the 7 Days in May riders share Gord’s story of losing someone close, often returning year-after-year to participate. Together, they share a 

unique and inclusive camaraderie that brings people together in their collective dedication to a future with more pancreatic cancer survivors. These riders are true champions of this cause and it shows: in 2019, 7 Days in May broke their highest fundraising total to date, raising over $189,00, bringing their eight year total to over $682,000. 
Learn More

Event Spotlight:

7 Days In May

Born out of the painful loss of his mother Lorraine to this devastating disease, Gord Townley and his family have spent the last 8 years determined to honour her memory. After founding the 7 Days in May cycling event (which started as and still features a week long ride), Gord and his family remain the nucleus around which like-minded cyclists come together to raise much needed funds towards PCC’s ground-breaking research investments. 

Many of the 7 Days in May riders share Gord’s story of losing someone close, often returning year-after-year to participate. Together, they share a unique and inclusive camaraderie that brings people together in their collective dedication to a future with more pancreatic cancer survivors. These riders are true champions of this cause and it shows: in 2019, 7 Days in May broke their highest fundraising total to date, raising over $189,00, bringing their eight year total to over $682,000.

Learn More

Advocacy & Awareness

This year we increased the scope of our advocacy and awareness efforts to include leadership across Canada and on the world stage.

Advocacy & Awareness

This year we increased the scope of our advocacy and awareness efforts to include leadership across Canada and on the
world stage.
This year Pancreatic Cancer Canada joined the UICC, the cancer arm of the World Health Organization.  In doing so, we became the first and only member focused solely on improving outcomes in pancreatic cancer.  We are extremely proud to be a voice for the pancreatic cancer community around the world, advocating for early detection, better treatment options, and greater access to approved therapies for this disease. 

World Pancreatic Cancer Coalition

We continued our leadership as the foremost Canadian charity within the coalition, collaborating with pancreatic cancer organizations from around the world to advance awareness and understanding of this disease.

Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month

We worked with volunteers from coast to coast to light Canada up purple and spread awareness of this disease. Our community posted their personal stories, shared the signs and symptoms of pancreatic cancer, and supported each other on social media, increasing the overall visibility of the disease.

Together we will change
the outcome

Everything we accomplished in 2019 and everything we have planned in the coming years is possible because of our incredible community. As donors, volunteers, researchers and advocates, you play a critical role in helping us advance public understanding of this disease, fight it better and ultimately save more lives. You are our partners in this fight to raise the rate of pancreatic cancer survival and we couldn’t be more grateful to have you in our corner.

Together we will raise the rate of pancreatic cancer survival.

 

THANK YOU.

More to explore

Board of Directors
Meet our Team
Get Involved
Ways to Give
Board of Directors
Meet our Team
Get Involved
Ways to Give

connect with us daily

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

LEArn about our impact as it happens.

Join the mailing list for our regular newsletter and you’ll get all the news about what Pancreatic Cancer Canada is doing for our community as it happens.

(You can also access our archive of newsletters here.)

LEArn about our impact as it happens.

Join the mailing list for our regular newsletter and you’ll get all the news about what Pancreatic Cancer Canada is doing for our community as it happens.

(You can also access our archive of newsletters here.)