OUR 2023 CAUSE: ATLANTIC CANADA’S FIRST CAR-T THERAPY LAB
In 2023, our BMO Ride community will fully fund Atlantic Canada’s first-ever CAR-T therapy lab at the QEII Health Sciences Centre; a state-of-the-art space dedicated to genetically modifying a patient’s own immune cells (t-cells) to fight against their cancer with unparalleled personalization and accuracy.
This revolutionary and lifesaving immunotherapy is a final lifeline and potential cure for certain blood cancer patients who’ve tried all other treatment options.
This year, the name of every 2023 BMO Ride participant will be proudly featured within a larger-than-life wall mural in the QEII Cancer Centre, celebrating the QEII’s new CAR-T therapy lab and the extraordinary impact they’ve made possible.
HOW CAR-T CELL THERAPY WORKS.
CAR-T cell therapy is an immunotherapy or ‘living drug’ that harnesses a patient’s own immune system to detect and destroy the cancer within their body for the rest of their lives; with at least half of all eligible patients being cured.
In Canada, it’s currently available for the treatment of patients living with non- Hodgkin’s lymphoma, who have not responded to any other treatment options.
The patient’s t-cells are collected from their blood and genetically changed within a lab to become CAR-T cells. These cancer-fighting cells are then multiplied and reinfused into the patient’s body to attack the cancer like never before.
As the region’s first and only CAR-T therapy lab – and one of four in Canada – this will mark the first time that patients’ immune cells can be modified to target their cancer, right here at home.
The current method involves shipping these cells to the United States to be genetically engineered and then shipped back to the QEII, resulting in significant delays and wait times for Atlantic Canadian patients. For these patients, their prognosis is terminal without this treatment – meaning every day matters and that our BMO Ride community will truly save lives.
YOUR IMPACT. LIFE-SAVING BENEFITS.
By supporting Atlantic Canada’s first CAR-T therapy lab, benefits our BMO Ride community will make possible include:
- offering the most personalized and effective treatment option for certain blood cancer patients who otherwise would not survive;
- ensuring faster treatment times for patients by unlocking the ability to modify and produce CAR-T cells in Atlantic Canada for the first time;
- minimizing disruption to families’ lives as the timeframe between collecting a patient’s t-cells and reinfusing them within the patient to fight their cancer is slashed in half, thanks to locally-produced cells;
- more accurate and effective treatment by funding the latest technology available;
- increasing patient access to more clinical trials;
- impacting cancer patients in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, PEI and Newfoundland and Labrador;
- positioning Atlantic Canada’s largest and most specialized cancer centre as a national and global leader in CAR-T therapy and production;
- recruiting and retaining world-leading cancer care experts and much, much more.
Creating Atlantic Canada’s first CAR-T therapy lab is a $2.1-million project that will be entirely funded by our BMO Ride community. This ground-breaking, made-in-Nova-Scotia treatment option would not be a reality without our riders, donors, community partners and more. Be a part of the movement and help bring this life-saving treatment option to the finish line!
$7.9 MILLON NET RAISED (AND COUNTING!) FOR CANCER CARE IN ATLANTIC CANADA SINCE 2015.
Hosted by the QEII Foundation, BMO Ride for Cancer is laser-focused on funding the best, most personalized treatment options for cancer patients and their families at the QEII Health Sciences Centre.
It’s all part of our mission to continue to build a QEII centre of excellence in cancer care, equipping our healthcare teams with the most advanced equipment and technology available to help conquer this devastating disease.
Since 2015, our BMO Ride for Cancer community has played a critical role in helping to fund many cancer care initiatives across the QEII. Here are some highlights:
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