The Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation launches a BILLION DOLLAR CHALLENGE to create the new gold standard for Cancer Care

Largest healthcare initiative of its kind in Canada launched to conquer cancer in our lifetime

TORONTO, April 12, 2012 /PRNewswire/ - Amidst the skirl of the pipes and a glistening 400-ounce bar of solid gold symbolizing a new gold standard in cancer care, The Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation today announced its new 'BELIEVE IT!' campaign -- a BILLION DOLLAR CHALLENGE to accelerate Personalized Cancer Medicine at The Princess Margaret.

"We live in the Golden Age of cancer research," said Dr. Benjamin Neel, Director of The Campbell Family Institute for Cancer Research at The Princess Margaret. "Recent advances in genetics, including the ability to decode cancer genes, are leading us towards a more customized approach. Our goal is to bring full genetic molecular profiling to all new patients in order to truly deliver Personalized Cancer Treatment."

Personalized Cancer Medicine focuses on using a patient's genetic information to more precisely diagnose their cancer and determine its prognosis, and then to select the treatment most likely to be of specific benefit to the individual.

"We're creating our own distinct model of Personalized Cancer Medicine at The Princess Margaret," stated Dr. Robert Bell, President and CEO of University Health Network. "It encompasses four key themes: Detect, Diagnose, Target and Support." The Princess Margaret's model of Personalized Cancer Medicine will help detect cancers earlier, diagnose cancers more precisely, provide targeted treatment and better support patients and their families through their cancer journey. "The Princess Margaret Cancer Program will unify around the creation and delivery of Personalized Cancer Medicine to provide the new gold standard of cancer care," added Dr. Bell.

Today is Day One of the Billion Dollar Challenge, a five-year initiative to help revolutionize cancer care in Canada and around the world by creating a new gold standard of Personalized Cancer Medicine at The Princess Margaret. Changing the paradigm of cancer care requires a major investment, and in order to meet the Billion Dollar Challenge, The Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation will reach out to its donor community to raise $500 million while researchers will be challenged to secure the remaining $500 million through grants.

The funding will allow The Princess Margaret to recruit, train and retain highly-skilled physicians, scientists and staff who have the expertise to lead critical projects and clinical studies in order to improve the standard of care for patients. It will help build multi-disciplinary teams that include engineers, bio-informatics specialists and medicinal chemists in order to speed new technologies and discoveries to help patients sooner. The Billion Dollar Challenge will also allow for further development of award-winning psychosocial, survivorship and palliative care programs to assist patients and their families in managing pain, disease symptoms and the side-effects of treatments.

"Every patient is unique; every patient's cancer is different, so it follows that Personalized Cancer Medicine will produce the best results," said Dr. Mary Gospodarowicz, Medical Director of the Cancer Program at The Princess Margaret. "But it's not just at The Princess Margaret - it's people working collaboratively across Canada and the world that will conquer cancer in our lifetime."

"I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for personalized cancer medicine," stated Robert Kidd, a PMH patient and one of the event's speakers. "Radiation was too risky, surgery couldn't help me and chemotherapy wasn't working.  I was part of a clinical trial that absolutely saved my life."

"As one of the top 5 cancer research centres in the world, The Princess Margaret has the responsibility to lead the way in improving the standard of care for patients in the province, across Canada and around the world," said Paul Alofs, President and CEO of The Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation. "That's why The Foundation has taken on such a lofty, ambitious goal. Can we conquer cancer in our lifetime? Believe it!"

For more information or to donate to Personalized Cancer Medicine, visit www.ibelieveit.ca

About Princess Margaret Hospital
Princess Margaret Hospital and its research arm, the Ontario Cancer Institute, have achieved an international reputation as global leaders in the fight against cancer and delivering personalized cancer medicine. Princess Margaret Hospital, one of the top 5 cancer research centres in the world, is a member of the University Health Network, which also includes Toronto General Hospital, Toronto Western Hospital and Toronto Rehabilitation Institute. All are research hospitals affiliated with the University of Toronto. More information about UHN can be found at www.uhn.ca.

About The Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation
The Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation at University Health Network raises funds for personalized cancer medicine at Princess Margaret Hospital and its research arm, the Ontario Cancer Institute, which now includes The Campbell Family Cancer Research Institute and The Campbell Family Breast Cancer Research Institute. More information about The Foundation can be found at www.pmhf.ca.

SOURCE Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation

Video with caption: "Video: PSA with father and daughter. Focuses on the power of Personalized Cancer Medicine at the Princess Margaret". Video available at: http://stream1.newswire.ca/cgi-bin/playback.cgi?file=20120412_C4844_VIDEO_EN_12198.mp4&posterurl=http://photos.newswire.ca/images/20120412_C4844_PHOTO_EN_12198.jpg&clientName=Princess%20Margaret%20Hospital%20Foundation&caption=Video%3A%20%20PSA%20with%20father%20and%20daughter%2E%20Focuses%20on%20the%20power%20of%20Personalized%20Cancer%20Medicine%20at%20the%20Princess%20Margaret&title=Focuses%20on%20the%20power%20of%20Personalized%20Cancer%20Medicine%20at%20the%20Princess%20Margaret&headline=The%20Princess%20Margaret%20Hospital%20Foundation%20launches%20a%20BILLION%20DOLLAR%20CHALLENGE%20to%20create%20the%20new%20gold%20standard%20for%20Cancer%20Care

Video with caption: "Video: PSA with woman. Focuses on the power of Personalized Cancer Medicine at the Princess Margaret". Video available at: http://stream1.newswire.ca/cgi-bin/playback.cgi?file=20120412_C4844_VIDEO_EN_12199.mp4&posterurl=http://photos.newswire.ca/images/20120412_C4844_PHOTO_EN_12199.jpg&clientName=Princess%20Margaret%20Hospital%20Foundation&caption=Video%3A%20PSA%20with%20woman%2E%20Focuses%20on%20the%20power%20of%20Personalized%20Cancer%20Medicine%20at%20the%20Princess%20Margaret&title=Focuses%20on%20the%20power%20of%20Personalized%20Cancer%20Medicine%20at%20the%20Princess%20Margaret&headline=The%20Princess%20Margaret%20Hospital%20Foundation%20launches%20a%20BILLION%20DOLLAR%20CHALLENGE%20to%20create%20the%20new%20gold%20standard%20for%20Cancer%20Care

Video with caption: "Video: PSA with husband and wife. Focuses on the power of Personalized Cancer Medicine at the Princess Margaret". Video available at: http://stream1.newswire.ca/cgi-bin/playback.cgi?file=20120412_C4844_VIDEO_EN_12200.mp4&posterurl=http://photos.newswire.ca/images/20120412_C4844_PHOTO_EN_12200.jpg&clientName=Princess%20Margaret%20Hospital%20Foundation&caption=Video%3A%20PSA%20with%20husband%20and%20wife%2E%20Focuses%20on%20the%20power%20of%20Personalized%20Cancer%20Medicine%20at%20the%20Princess%20Margaret&title=Focuses%20on%20the%20power%20of%20Personalized%20Cancer%20Medicine%20at%20the%20Princess%20Margaret&headline=The%20Princess%20Margaret%20Hospital%20Foundation%20launches%20a%20BILLION%20DOLLAR%20CHALLENGE%20to%20create%20the%20new%20gold%20standard%20for%20Cancer%20Care

PDF with caption: "This backgrounder contains further information about Personalized Cancer Medicine at the Princess Margaret". PDF available at: http://stream1.newswire.ca/media/2012/04/12/20120412_C4844_DOC_EN_12201.pdf