BETTER, FASTER, STRONGER CANCER TREATMENT: PRECISION ONCOLOGY FOR QEII PATIENTS
OUR 2025 CAUSE
Nova Scotia has the highest cancer rates in all of Canada. 1 in 3 patients will not survive. To help combat these alarming stats, our BMO Ride for Cancer community will equip our QEII experts with the precision oncology tools they need to deliver some of the country’s most leading-edge cancer care available to help save lives.
What if…
- we could detect the earliest signs or traces that cancer has returned;
- we could spare patients from unnecessary treatments, like chemotherapy, if their genetics show their cancer is gone or that it won’t respond;
- we could identify the patients who are most likely to benefit from a stem cell transplant faster, accelerating this life-saving treatment for those in need; and
- what if the QEII became one of few Canadian cancer centres offering these treatment methods to a large patient population?
We can and we will…
Funds raised by our 2025 BMO Ride for Cancer community will help make these bold aspirations a reality — ultimately enabling more targeted therapies, fewer side effects, and earlier detection of cancer recurrence for patients. With every kilometre you ride and every dollar you raise or donate, you’re bringing us closer to a future where precision oncology changes and saves the lives of Nova Scotians. Ultimately striving to give patients here at home more birthdays, more time with family, and more precious moments.
LASER FOCUS
About Minimal Residual Disease Monitoring
Minimal residual disease (MRD) monitoring is a special test used on a patient’s bone marrow or blood samples to detect any tiny traces of cancer that might remain after treatment, particularly in blood cancers. It helps care teams understand if there are still any cancer cells hiding in the body, track how the disease might be progressing, and quickly identify patients who may benefit from a stem cell transplant. MRD monitoring is an important tool for predicting whether certain blood cancers, like leukemia, might come back, and helps oncologists make more personalized decisions about the best targeted treatments and new therapies available for patients.
About Comprehensive Genomic Profiling
Comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) takes cancer care to the next level by analyzing a tumour’s genetic makeup with unprecedented detail. CGP analyzes hundreds of genes at once — far beyond the QEII’s current capabilities — to uncover the specific mutations driving cancer growth. This powerful tool will help care teams better characterize a patient’s tumour, providing valuable information to better guide and personalize treatment.
For patients, CGP means more than just hope — it means targeted treatment options that are more effective and less toxic. By understanding the unique genetic fingerprint of each tumour, oncologists can select therapies that have the highest likelihood to succeed — potentially sparing patients from unnecessary treatments and improving their overall quality of life during their care journey.
$13 MILLION 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 cancer-fighting equipment, technology and spaces at the QEII Cancer Centre.
It’s all part of our mission to continue to build a QEII centre of excellence in cancer care — impacting nearly every patient who receives care at Atlantic Canada’s largest and most specialized cancer treatment hospital.
Discover the lifesaving impact of we’ve made possible since 2015 in our 10-Year-Impact Report:
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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