Prostate Cancer Canada and the Canadian Cancer Society agree to amalgamate

Prostate Cancer Canada and the Canadian Cancer Society agree to amalgamate Toronto. December 12, 2019 – Prostate Cancer Canada and the Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) are excited to announce their intention to embark upon a strategic amalgamation that will strengthen and support cancer research, education and the needs of Canadians and their families dealing with the disease. As part of the agreement, Prostate Cancer Canada’s activities and initiatives will remain an important part of the Canadian Cancer Society. “For 25 years, Prostate Cancer Canada has been the leading national charity investing in world class research, increasing awareness about the disease and supporting Canadians and their families dealing with the most common form of cancer among men,” said Peter Coleridge, President and CEO of Prostate Cancer Canada. “We have helped reduce the death rate from the disease by 50%, and with 1 in 9 Canadian men developing prostate cancer in their lifetime, this amalgamation will help ensure that our impact on patient outcomes will not only continue but also increase.” CCS has successfully merged its operations once before, with the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation (CBCF) in early 2017. The first merger of its kind between two large non-profit health charities, that amalgamation helped the newly merged entity achieve an unprecedented turnaround, including a 28% year-over-year reduction in fundraising expenses, increasing funding directed towards core mission-related activities and maximizing the impact of donor dollars. “We have enormous respect for Prostate Cancer Canada and we’re excited to join forces,” said Andrea Seale, Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Cancer Society. “A combined organization will allow us to increase impact – funding life-saving research and making life better for people with cancer, their caregivers and families. As we eliminate duplication and share best practices, more donor dollars will go to this important mission. Donors ask us why there is so much duplication among cancer causes – instead of competing, we’re joining together to redefine the cancer charity sector in Canada.” Andrea Seale will lead the amalgamated organization. Peter Coleridge is committed to overseeing a smooth transition through the amalgamation, which requires federal government review and approval. It is anticipated that the process will be finalized in early 2020.  About Prostate Cancer Canada Prostate Cancer Canada is the leading national charity addressing prostate cancer needs across the country. We strive to save lives by improving prevention, detection and treatment of prostate cancer, and to enhance the quality of life for all Canadians affected by the disease through collaboration, driving world-class research and translating knowledge into better outcomes. To donate or learn more, visit prostatecancer.ca.  About the Canadian Cancer Society The Canadian Cancer Society is the only national charity that supports Canadians living with all cancers across the country. Last year alone CCS spent $40.4 million on cancer research and has invested $25.4 million on prostate cancer research over the last decade. When you want to know more about cancer, visit our website www.cancer.ca or call our toll-free, bilingual Cancer Information Service at 1-888-939-3333. For further information:  Yaz Maziar, Senior Director, Marketing and Communications Prostate Cancer Canada, 416-441-2131, yaz.maziar@prostatecancer.ca Jessica Abdilla, Communications Coordinator,  Canadian Cancer Society, 416-323-7030, Jessica.Abdilla@cancer.ca https://www.prostatecancer.ca/Spotlight/Prostate-Cancer-Canada-and-the-Canadian-Cancer-Soc ********************************************************* Another cancer organization disappears Prostate Cancer Canada and the Canadian Cancer Society agree to amalgamate

On December 12, 2019, Prostate Cancer Canada and the Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) announced that they are amalgamating, much as the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation (CBCF) merged with CCS in early 2017. Not long before that Willow Breast & Hereditary Cancer Support merged with the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. While the Canadian Cancer Society has promised to prioritize the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation and now Prostate Cancer Canada’s initiatives and activities, it is not clear to patients, caregivers and survivors that breast cancer is prioritized in services, funding support to local breast cancer organizations, or research. Indeed, what is visible on the Canadian Cancer Society’s website are fundraising events like the CIBC Run for the Cure, which was the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation’s signature fundraising event.  Additional information on fundraising events for breast cancer can be found at https://www.cancer.ca/en/get-involved/support-us/breast-cancer-futures-fund/breast-cancer-corporate-partners/?region=on. However, Prostate Cancer Canada and the Canadian Cancer Society state that they are excited to embark upon a strategic amalgamation that will strengthen and support cancer research, education and the needs of Canadians and their families dealing with the disease.

Peter Coleridge, President and CEO of Prostate Cancer Canada Andrea Seale, Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Cancer Society

“For 25 years, Prostate Cancer Canada has been the leading national charity investing in world class research, increasing awareness about the disease and supporting Canadians and their families dealing with the most common form of cancer among men,” said Peter Coleridge, President and CEO of Prostate Cancer Canada. “We have helped reduce the death rate from the disease by 50%, and with 1 in 9 Canadian men developing prostate cancer in their lifetime, this amalgamation will help ensure that our impact on patient outcomes will not only continue but also increase.” “We have enormous respect for Prostate Cancer Canada and we’re excited to join forces,” said Andrea Seale, Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Cancer Society. “A combined organization will allow us to increase impact – funding life-saving research and making life better for people with cancer, their caregivers and families. As we eliminate duplication and share best practices, more donor dollars will go to this important mission. Donors ask us why there is so much duplication among cancer causes – instead of competing, we’re joining together to redefine the cancer charity sector in Canada.” Andrea Seale will lead the amalgamated organization. Peter Coleridge is committed to overseeing a smooth transition through the amalgamation, which requires federal government review and approval. It is anticipated that the process will be finalized in early 2020.

The merger of large organizations can have detrimental effects on the ability of local groups and events which support cancer patients, caregivers and survivors. As an example, check out the article entitled Breast cancer survivors uncertain of funding for retreat weekend at the following link: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/breast-cancer-retreat-funding-cut-1.4997227

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PCFBC FALL 2019 NEWSLETTER

What have we been up to? Summer was a busy and exciting time for us here at the Foundation! We've just wrapped up three major events: the Ride to Live, the Father's Day Walk/Run, and our Support Group Conference, 20/20 and Beyond. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to stay up to date on upcoming events and other important information!  ‌  ‌  ‌ 20/20 and Beyond From September 6th to 8th, we hosted the 20/20 and Beyond Support Group Conference covering topics from the latest research and exercise, to incontinence, sexual health, and how to get new members out to support groups. It was a huge success and it was wonderful to see people from across Canada, Washington State, and even Ireland in attendance. A big thank you to everyone who attended and volunteered. Lifetime Achievement Award At the Support Group Conference, Ted Butterfield was posthumously awarded the Prostate Cancer BC Lifetime Achievement Award. His wife of 55 years, Fay, and children, Leigh, Cheryl, and David, attended the banquet to receive this award on his behalf. Ted served as the Chair of PCFBC, the leader of the North Vancouver Support Group, and was also the past chair of the BC Support Group Council. He was a very important part of our Foundation and he will be truly missed. 2019 Grants This year we were fortunate to have the opportunity to award a total of $120,000 amongst five recipients, Dr. Shreyas Lingadahalli, Dr. Alexander Smith, Jane Foo, Victor Barrios, and Dr. John Oliffe, to support them in their prostate cancer research efforts. We look forward to seeing their results! Ride to Live We had a great turn out for our 10th Anniversary Westcoast Motorcycle Ride to Live, held on May 26th, with hundreds of riders participating. In 2019, we launched our new Rode and Raised program and we even closed down the highway for our riders! We are now in the planning stages of our 2020 Ride and we're actively looking for motivated people to join our committee to help brainstorm ideas and come together to put on another successful event! Please contact Amanda if you're interested in being part of the team. Father's Day Walk/Run The Annual Father's Day Walk/Run was held on June 16th in Burnaby, Chilliwack, and Kamloops and we're proud to announce that $250,152 was raised! It was a beautiful fun-filled day and as always, it was wonderful to see so many happy families coming together to support a great cause. Pubs for Prostate Pubs for Prostate is just around the corner! We have some great pubs on board this year across the province including Darby’s Pub in Vancouver, Firefighters Pub in Burnaby, Sasquatch Inn at Harrison, the Jolly Coachman in Pitt Meadows, and Sporty Bar and Grill in Port Hardy. Enjoy a fun night out all while supporting PC research and awareness. Check out www.pubsforprostate.ca for more details! And if you happen to know of a pub that might like to participate, please contact Amanda at amanda@prostatecancerbc.ca  Support Group Speakers The Cranbrook Support Group meeting on Wednesday, October 16th will be featuring guest speaker, Janyce Bampton, the Executive Director of Cranbrook Kimberley Hospice Society. She will be speaking on the work that Hospice does for advanced patients and those who can benefit from end of life care. Dr. Richard Wassersug will be presenting on The Language of Cancer and Why It Matters for Prostate Cancer Patients at the Richmond Support Group meeting on November 14th.  Two guest speakers will be featured at the North Shore meeting on October 23rd. Monita Sundar, Manager of the Prostate Cancer Supportive Care (PCSC) program, will be giving an update and Monica Hu, Counsellor with the PCSC program, will be speaking on PC counselling. For more information on support groups and upcoming events and meetings, please visit www.prostatecancerbcsupportgroups.ca Have you checked out the If I Were Tom website yet? It's a fantastic and unique tool for men who have been newly diagnosed with prostate cancer to help them do their research on their diagnosis and build a plan for moving forward. The website is easy to navigate and includes videos and lots of tips and resources to help guide you on your journey. Do you know someone who is newly diagnosed? Request a FREE Reef Knot Kit comprised of the latest books, pamphlets, and information on prostate cancer from our website. Did you know that we have two walking clubs led by two of our wonderful support group chairs? The Chilliwack Blue Walkers Walking Club meets every Wednesday at 9:00 am at Rotary Trail on the Vedder River at the Peach Road parking lot. In extreme weather, they meet at the Cottonwood Mall. Please contact Dale Erikson at deerikson@shaw.ca for more details and to join their walking club email list. The Richmond Blue Walkers meet every Tuesday and Thursday from 9:00 am to 11:00 am for a lovely walk along the river dykes and parks for 5-10 kms. In adverse weather, they meet at the Richmond Shopping Centre. For more information, please contact Daniel Leung at dleung2000@gmail.com Butts in a Boat Dragon Boat Team Congrats to the Butts in a Boat dragon boat team on another successful year! It has been proven that physical activity is associated with better survival rates for men with prostate cancer. The 2019 dragon boat season is just wrapping up, but if you're a prostate cancer survivor looking for a full and active lifestyle, and you're interested in more information, or thinking about joining the team next year, feel free to contact Vince Schiralli at vince@schiralli.com. They have no age restrictions and no previous experience is required! <