Why Your Support Matters
Lung cancer is the deadliest cancer in Canada — but it doesn’t get the attention or funding it deserves. Despite its staggering impact, it receives just a fraction of cancer donations.
Together, we can change that.
The Reality of Lung Cancer in Canada
- Lung cancer is the #1 cause of cancer death worldwide.
- In Canada, it kills more people each year than breast, prostate, and colorectal cancers — combined.
- 1 in 4 lung cancer patients are never smokers. It can affect anyone — and rates are rising among people under 50.
- Causes include genetics, radon, asbestos, air pollution, and other environmental exposures.
- Yet, only 0.1% of cancer donations go toward lung cancer. (Source: Canadian Cancer Society)
Your Donations Save Lives
Lung cancer treatment is being transformed by precision diagnostics and targeted therapies — and your support makes this possible.
At Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, one of Ontario’s leading lung cancer diagnostic centres, your donations help:
- Fund biomarker testing to match patients with treatments that are more effective and less toxic.
- Advance liquid biopsy, a non-invasive blood test that can detect cancer early and guide follow-up care.
- Train the next generation of oncologists, radiation specialists, and pathologists from across Canada and beyond.
- Maintain essential testing equipment that ensures patients get timely, accurate diagnoses.
Your Support at Work
2024
- Replaced aging genetic testing equipment to reduce delays in treatment.
- Supported international trainees specializing in lung cancer.
- Funded a clinical trial using liquid biopsy in early-stage lung cancer patients. Early results may be presented at ASCO 2025.
2023
- Funded research into liquid biopsy, enabling earlier, safer diagnosis and faster treatment decisions.
2022
- Helped acquire equipment for Rapid Onsite Cytology Evaluation (ROSE) — a faster way to determine if a biopsy is positive for cancer, reducing patient wait times.
2021
- Enabled the purchase of an Ion Chef — an automated tool that increased the speed and capacity of lung cancer biomarker testing, expanding Sunnybrook’s reach across Ontario.
A Global Leader in Lung Cancer Care
Sunnybrook is internationally recognized and currently ranked #24 among the world’s best hospitals. But it relies on donor support to close funding gaps, invest in cutting-edge tools, and train tomorrow’s specialists.
Let’s Keep Crushing It. Together.
Your donation brings hope to people living with lung cancer. It fuels real progress — in labs, clinics, and patient lives.
Every dollar makes a difference.