The BC Cancer Agency is part of the Provincial Health Services Authority in British Columbia, Canada. The Agency has a three-part mission:
Contents
Facilities
The BC Cancer Agency’s first cancer treatment centre (then known as the British Columbia Cancer Institute) officially opened in Vancouver on November 5, 1938.
The BC Cancer Agency operates six regional cancer centres (in Abbotsford, Kelowna, Prince George, Surrey, Vancouver and Victoria) and the BC Cancer Agency Research Centre, with departments in Vancouver and in Victoria.
Essentially all radiotherapy services in British Columbia are provided by the BC Cancer Agency, as well as a majority of chemotherapy services. The Agency works with local health authorities across the province to provide cancer clinics in areas remote from the six main cancer centres, to cover rural British Columbia and the Yukon. In addition, the BC Cancer Agency provides prostate brachytherapy services to Saskatchewan province.
Projects
In 2000, the agency partnered with the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center to create the Chinese Women's Health Project that provides culturally competent outreach programs to increase cervical cancer screening rates among this population.
Fundraising
By raising funds in the community, the BC Cancer Foundation, an independent charitable organization, provides direct support for research and enhancements to care at the BC Cancer Agency. Established in 1935, the BC Cancer Foundation is an independent charitable organization that raises and stewards resources to directly support breakthrough research and compassionate care at the BC Cancer Agency throughout the province of British Columbia. With the best cancer survival rates in Canada, the BC Cancer Agency has become a model for cancer care and control around the world. Donations to the BC Cancer Foundation directly support research at the BC Cancer Agency including support for salaries, for construction of the BC Cancer Agency’s Research Centres in Vancouver and Victoria, and for equipment. In addition to funding basic research at the BC Cancer Agency, the BC Cancer Foundation also provides funds for clinical research, prevention and enhancements to patient care. In 2009, the BC Cancer Foundation provided the BC Cancer Agency with nearly $33 million.
Events
The BC Cancer Foundation is the beneficiary of major fundraising events including: The Weekend to End Women's Cancers, a two-day, 60-kilometre walk through Vancouver streets in support of breast cancer research and enhancements to care at the BC Cancer Agency raised over $19 million to date. The 2010 BC Cancer Foundation’s The Underwear Affair, a 10-kilometre run/5-kilometre walk through Vancouver raised $552,000 to support prevention and early detection at the BC Cancer Agency of the seven below-the-belt cancers. BC Cancer Foundation’s 2007 Tour of Courage featured special guest appearances by cancer survivor and cycling legend, Lance Armstrong and raised over $1.8 million for blood cancer research. BC Cancer Foundation’s 2010 Ride to Conquer Cancer raised over $9.2 million for cancer research at the BC Cancer Agency, making it the most successful fundraising event in the Foundation’s history.
The Foundation has offices in five of the BC Cancer's Agency's treatment centres: Abbotsford, Fraser Valley, Southern Interior, Victoria (Vancouver Island) and Vancouver.