I’m writing today with some exciting news. The Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) and Prostate Cancer Canada (PCC) have finalized our amalgamation. We begin this decade taking another bold step to transform the cancer sector in Canada.
What I want you to know is that Canadians facing prostate cancer will continue to have access to trusted information and education materials and will now benefit from CCS’s nationwide support system.
We are bringing together the strengths of two organizations that share many common goals: preventing cancer, funding life saving cancer research and ensuring no one faces cancer alone. We will be able to increase our impact on families facing prostate cancer, expanding awareness and activity around critical issues like early detection, treating advanced forms of the disease and increasing survivor support. And by coming together, we are making donations go further by reducing duplication in administrative and fundraising costs.
We applaud the important work that PCC has done to increase awareness of PSA testing to help find prostate cancer early. CCS is committed to continuing these efforts. We believe Canadian families should have access to consistent information from trusted sources on how to detect prostate cancer early – and that starts with talking to your doctor about the PSA test.
PCC’s excellent work in addressing prostate cancer in Canada will continue as part of CCS. And to accomplish this, your valuable expertise, experience and passion for the cause is still needed as much as ever before.
While we are still in the early stages of bringing our organizations together, I want to provide you with as much information as I can. Below are some answers to questions you may have. If you have any other questions, please don’t hesitate to connect with me.
I am looking forward to all that’s to come in 2020, including welcoming you, PCC’s dedicated community, to the CCS family. Thank you for everything you have done to save and improve the lives of those facing prostate cancer. Together, we are a force-for-life in the face of cancer.
Sincerely,
Andrea Seale
Chief Executive Officer
Canadian Cancer Society
Additional Information
What does this mean for PCC’s work?
PCC and its supporters have made a real difference since its founding 25 years ago: in that time, the death rate for prostate cancer has dropped by half, more Canadians are talking about prostate cancer than ever before and people affected by the disease have more support. Those are tremendous achievements that have changed and saved lives. As part of CCS, the prostate cancer research projects, educational initiatives and work to influence policies to improve patient outcomes will continue.
Can I still donate to the prostate cancer cause under the CCS umbrella?
Yes, CCS is committed to investing in the prostate cancer cause and ensuring a donor’s dollars are directed to the particular area requested by them, including to prostate cancer research and programs.
What does this mean for PCC’s staff and volunteers?
PCC’s staff and volunteers are an important part of our community and we value and need their expertise.
I’m pleased to share that Dr. Stuart Edmonds, PCC’s Vice President of Research, Health Promotion and Survivorship, is now the new Executive Vice President of Mission at CCS. Stuart helped implement the country’s largest national program in prostate cancer survivorship, expanded and initiated various health education initiatives, acted as a strong advocate for people facing prostate cancer and their families, and ensured PCC invested in life-saving research. I’m thrilled to welcome him and the rest of PCC’s staff to the CCS team to continue and expand on this work.
PCC’s former President and CEO, Peter Coleridge, is committed to working together throughout this transition to support both teams in continuing critical work in the prostate cancer space.
Has a merger like this taken place before and was it successful?
The unprecedented merger of CCS and the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation several years ago set us on a path to increase efficiencies and seek new partnerships. The remarkable 28% year-over-year reduction in fundraising expenses we achieved as a result of that consolidation allowed us to direct more to helping people facing cancer.
This partnership with PCC will continue this momentum, while supporting progress in prostate cancer – the most commonly diagnosed cancer in Canadian men.
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