Who's Who on the Breast Cancer Scene: Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation

By CBCF-Atlantic Chapter

Last Updated: May 6, 2006
Articles & News : Articles : Who's Who on the Breast Cancer Scene

Email this article

Printer friendly page

Founded in 1986, the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation (CBCF) is the largest national volunteer-based organization in Canada dedicated exclusively to breast cancer.

CBCF works collaboratively to fund, support and advocate for relevant and innovative breast cancer research; meaningful education and awareness programs; early diagnosis and effective treatment and a positive quality of life for those living with breast cancer.

CBCF has five equal business units across the country: BC/Yukon, Prairies/NWT, Ontario, Atlantic and a national office. Each business unit is governed by a board of directors.

The CBCF-Atlantic Chapter office opened in Halifax in 1997. The Board of Directors is a group of volunteers from across Atlantic Canada who bring a wealth of talent and leadership to the Chapter. The Board of Directors meet bi-monthly to outline the policies and strategic direction of the Chapter. 

Since its inception, the CBCF-Atlantic Chapter has awarded over $11 million for Research and Community Health projects at both the Atlantic and National level.

In 2005, the CBCF-Atlantic Chapter Board of Directors made a pace-setting gift of $1.65 million to the QEII Health Sciences Centre Foundation to endow The Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation-Atlantic Chapter Endowed Chair in Breast Cancer Research. The Endowed Chair will focus on metastatic breast cancer. CIBC is also contributing $350,000 to this partnership. An Endowed Chair in Breast Cancer Research ensures a leading specialist has time specifically allocated to pursue advanced breast cancer research and program development, which in turn, attracts young professionals to join them in their quest.

“The CBCF-Atlantic Chapter is indebted to the generosity of Atlantic Canadians for their support of our many fundraising initiatives,” says Nancy Margeson, executive

The Research and Community Health granting programs provide financial support to researchers and community groups across Atlantic Canada for projects that encourage breast health including exploration of ways to prevent the disease, ways to detect the disease in its earliest stages, and treatment for the disease.

Each grant program has specific application forms, guidelines and criteria to help applicants understand what is required and how their application will be evaluated. Proposals are reviewed by impartial panels of volunteers recruited for their expertise in specific areas related to submitted applications. This ensures grant decisions are made by people who understand the proposed work. The review panels make recommendations to the Board of Directors for funding approval. The Granting committees operate at arm’s length from the Board of Directors. http://www.cbcf.org/atlantic/html/grants/howtoapply.html

The CBCF-Atlantic Chapter funds research projects once per year. Applicants may apply to the Research Grants Program for up to two years of funding at a maximum of $60,000 per year. An example of the innovative research that is being conducted here in Atlantic Canada is the work of Dalhousie University Researcher, Dr. Tim Lee. Dr. Lee is studying an alternative treatment for breast cancer which would use the immune system to fight the cancer rather than having the patient undergo chemotherapy treatments.

Community Health Grants are awarded twice annually with application deadlines in May and November. The CBCF-Atlantic Chapter is the only Chapter of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation to partner with the provincial Departments of Health and hospital foundations to fund capital equipment. The CBCF-Atlantic Chapter has awarded Community Health Grants for projects such as breast cancer retreats, provincial information kits provided at the time of diagnosis, lymphedema programs, biopsy devices, state-of-the-art digital imaging equipment, dragon boats, and projects studying sexuality after breast cancer.

Through the Community Health Grant Program, the CBCF-Atlantic Chapter is working in partnership with many organizations to make great things happen! For example, from April 4, 2000 to March 31, 2006, the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation awarded $409,646.48 to Breast Cancer Action Nova Scotia for their BCANS and ABCN websites, redesign and printing of the Breast Cancer Online: In Our Own Words series, and for the establishment of Breast Cancer Network Nova Scotia.

Nationally, the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation is an active partner of the Canadian Breast Cancer Research Alliance (CBCRA). CBCRA is a unique coalition of seven public, private and non-profit organizations funding breast cancer research in Canada. This partnership is an important example of organizations working together to accelerate research efforts in the fight against breast cancer. In 2002, CBCF nationally made a commitment to contribute $14 million over 5 years to CBCRA.

How is CBCF funded?
CBCF is funded completely through public donations and fundraising events.

The Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation’s signature event is the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation CIBC Run for the Cure. The Run is the largest single-day, volunteer-led fundraising event in Canada dedicated exclusively to breast cancer. Over 10,000 volunteers across Canada are actively engaged in planning, organizing, fundraising, and promoting the Run. In 2005, this event raised over $2.8 million in Atlantic Canada.

Funds are also raised through individual giving, corporate programs, special events, product sales and third party events held year-round.

The CBCF-Atlantic Chapter continually seeks to minimize administrative costs through efficiencies, in-kind support and maximize funds direct to charitable purposes. The “Good Works Index” (GWI) is the percentage of dollars a charity spends on its programs in relation to the total dollars the charity spends in a year. Charity watchdogs say a GWI of at least 60% is the minimal acceptable amount for an organization. CBCF-Atlantic Chapter’s GWI is currently at 78%.

The Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation-Atlantic Chapter
5251 Duke Street Suite 417
Halifax, NS  B3J 1P3
www.cbcf.org/atlantic 

Have comments about this article? We'd love to hear from you. Please email us at abcn@abcn.ca!