IT TAKES A SOCIETY

The Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) works tirelessly to save lives, improve lives and drive collective action against cancer. Together with patients, volunteers, donors and communities across the country, we raise funds to invest in transformative cancer research, we provide a caring support system for everyone affected by cancer and we advocate to governments to create a healthier future for all. It takes a society to take on cancer – and the Canadian Cancer Society is leading the way.

Our impact reaches communities from coast to coast. As a national organization, we are able to work more efficiently, stretch donor dollars further and deliver meaningful change – offering trusted information and support to individuals and families in Calgary and across Canada when they need it most.

Here are a few highlights from 2025/26 which were made possible by the extraordinary generosity of our donors and volunteers:

• Invested $3.4 million to support 13 cancer research projects in Calgary – innovating world-first treatments. Advanced 55 cutting-edge clinical trials in Alberta through the Canadian Cancer Trials Group (CCTG).
• Collaboration with 1,062 elected officials and policymakers led to 67 CCS‑championed policy wins nationwide. Our efforts to reduce the financial burden of cancer care led governments across Canada to begin adopting measures lowering out-of-pocket costs and improved access to care for those impacted by cancer – including in Alberta where job-protected leave was successfully extended from 16 to 27 weeks.
• 1,200 people in Alberta received trusted information and compassionate support through our Cancer Information Helpline, which is available by phone, email and chat.
• 715 people experiencing cancer and their caregivers in Alberta received a ride to their appointments through the CCS Wheels of Hope program, for a total of 16,011 one-way trips!
• 179 wigs and breast accessories were provided at no cost to people across Alberta, restoring confidence and a sense of self during a deeply challenging time.

Our goals for the next 5 years

Important progress has been made in cancer care and research, but there is still more work to be done. Shaped by the experiences of thousands of patients, caregivers, experts, supporters and partner organizations, our 2026-2031 strategic plan is both ambitious and hopeful. It reflects our aspiration to be Canada’s most impactful cancer charity by saving more lives, improving more lives and driving collective action against cancer.

Our strategic plan includes 3 unifying goals:

• Increase cancer survival: The earlier we catch cancer, the more likely that treatment will be successful. We are focused on driving change by funding more research and clinical trials, improving faster access to cancer detection and treatment, and increasing participation in screening and early detection programs.
• Stop cancer before it starts: The most powerful way to save lives is by preventing cancer before it begins. We are prioritizing discoveries and clinical trials in cancer prevention, advocating for policy change to reduce cancer risk and building public awareness so people can make informed choices to protect their health.
• Improve the lives of people affected by cancer: We are improving lives by prioritizing equitable access to affordable cancer support, providing credible cancer information to the public and funding quality of life research to better understand the survivorship experience.

Alongside these goals are bold commitments to doubling the percentage of Canadians enrolled in clinical trials and reducing lung cancer mortality by 30% by 2035.

Watch our strategic plan video

Pedro’s story

Pedro Guerra-Zúñiga lives a very active lifestyle. A rock climber of 28 years, he often spends his weekends outdoors hiking, mountaineering, ice climbing and cross-country skiing. Although he has lived a healthy and athletic life, with a family history of cancer, Pedro always had the disease on his radar and expected to get it in his 60s.

When he began experiencing constant excruciating pain at the age of 46, Pedro went to the emergency room where he was diagnosed with stage 3 non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. “The diagnosis was severe enough that they told me I couldn’t leave the hospital because if I left, I wasn’t coming back.”

For Pedro, having reliable information was critical in making informed decisions throughout his cancer experience. In his search for information, he came across the Canadian Cancer Society’s website cancer.ca, where he found support to navigate his cancer diagnosis. Pedro shares that “through cancer.ca, you can learn about other people’s cancer experiences, what they’re feeling and what they’re struggling with. This helped me not feel abandoned and alone in this experience, not to be the only one rowing on the boat.”

After he completed chemotherapy, Pedro began to look for ways to give back to support people facing a cancer diagnosis. In 2023, he arranged ‘Fudge Cancer,’ a birthday fundraiser in support of the Canadian Cancer Society. He made travel mugs with his fundraising event logo and shared fudge chocolate, raising $1,300. Since then, Pedro has made fundraising for CCS on his birthday an annual tradition.

Today, Pedro is in remission and there are no signs of recurrence. He hopes that other Canadians know the impact they can have through fundraising and advocating for better resources for people who are diagnosed with cancer and their families.

Progressing cancer research for families in Calgary

Due largely to research, 64% of people diagnosed with cancer in Canada today are expected to survive 5 years or more, compared to only 25% in the 1940s. Here are some of the amazing breakthroughs happening right here in Alberta:

• Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in Canada. A CCS-funded, groundbreaking clinical trial has proven that physical activity can improve survival for colon cancer. The trial, led by Dr Kerry Courneya at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, and Dr Christopher Booth at Queen’s University in Ontario, shows that a structured exercise program can reduce rates of recurrence, mortality and developing a new primary cancer for people with colon cancer. The 17-year-long international study involved 889 people across 55 hospitals in 6 countries. Watch our award-winning documentary.
• Young people facing cancer often experience unique, life-changing challenges. With funding from a CCS/Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CCS/CIHR) Cancer Survivorship Team Grant, and with support from the Alberta Cancer Foundation (ACF), Dr May Lynn Quan and her team at the University of Calgary are developing an online application to support young people living with and beyond breast cancer. The app is designed to help these young people build resiliency and coping skills through an educational curriculum and peer support opportunities, with an aim to improve their quality of life.
• Some children with blood cancer don’t respond well to standard treatments like chemotherapy because of underlying genetic factors. With funding from a CCS Challenge Grant, Dr Hasan Uludag and his team at the University of Alberta are working to discover alternative treatment options for these children by developing an innovative therapy that delivers treatment directly to the faulty genes driving these cancers. By using tiny, highly targeted particles, this approach aims to fight the disease more precisely while reducing harmful side effects. The result could be safer, more effective treatments – and renewed hope for children and families everywhere.

Working towards a brighter future

At CCS, we set ourselves apart from other cancer charities by taking a comprehensive and carefully targeted approach against cancer.

• Fueling discovery: We are one of Canada’s largest charitable funders of cancer research, supporting breakthrough studies across cancer types.
• Empowering prevention and early detection: We help people across Canada understand how to lower their cancer risk and recognize when screening can find cancer earlier, when it’s most treatable.
• Supporting life beyond diagnosis: Our nationwide support services help people with cancer and their loved ones navigate the emotional and practical challenges of cancer, fostering connection, wellness and resilience.
• Providing trusted information: We are a reliable source of cancer information for all Canadians, offering support by phone in more than 200 languages.
• Driving lasting change: We advocate to governments to shape health policies that save lives, improve care and make living with cancer easier.

Together, these efforts ensure that we’re advancing progress at every stage of the cancer experience.

Together we can take action against cancer

Since CCS was founded in 1938, we’ve been a national leader in advancing progress against cancer. Everything we do is made possible by the generosity of our donors and the dedication of our volunteers. This support allows us to fund life‑saving research, help people reduce their cancer risk, provide trusted information and compassionate services, and advocate for meaningful change.

Today, about 2 in 5 people in Canada are expected to be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime. That’s why your support matters now more than ever.

There are many ways you can help make a difference, including:

• Become a monthly donor to provide steady, reliable funding that reduces administrative costs and directs more of your generosity toward research, programs and services.
• Give a gift in honour or in memory of a loved one or purchase a Gift for the Cure to celebrate life and create lasting impact.
• Leave a legacy gift to make a powerful, enduring contribution to advancing cancer research and care, while potentially reducing or eliminating taxes on your estate.
• Become a Leadership Giving donor and make a transformative impact through significant, long-term investment. Leadership donors help drive breakthroughs in research, expand vital support services and accelerate progress across the entire cancer continuum.
• Take part in our signature events, including Relay For Life and the CIBC Run for the Cure, which unite communities nationwide in support of our life‑saving work. Find your local run here.
• Start your own fundraiser by turning your passion or idea into action – whether it’s a community gathering, workplace initiative or personal challenge – to support our mission in a meaningful, personal way.
• Join one of our social media challenges to raise awareness, inspire others and help fund life‑saving work, amplifying your impact with every post, share and story.
• Volunteer with us to make a difference in your community, build meaningful connections, share your skills and be part of a passionate team.

We know that nothing big gets solved by one person or one organization. To take on something as big as cancer, it takes all of us working together. Thanks to the support of committed partners, the Canadian Cancer Society is proudly leading the way to a future without cancer. We hope you will join us.

For more information please contact: Hilary Sirman, Director, Leadership Giving (Prairies): [email protected] | phone: 587-436-2419