2017 Annual Report

32 | 2017 Report to Our Donors It began with two donation envelopes, totaling $5.18, from a young girl, Elle, whose grandfather had been treated at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre. Her heartfelt gift, on April 12, 2012, launched our BILLION DOLLAR CHALLENGE, the largest single fundraising campaign in the history of Canadian healthcare to support the creation and delivery of Personalized Cancer Medicine. On January 11, 2017 we made a huge announcement. The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation along with Princess Margaret Cancer Centre had successfully achieved the BILLION DOLLAR CHALLENGE, ahead of schedule. “We are pleased to announce $532 million has been secured in philanthropic support and $520 million has been secured in research grants by Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, for a total of $1,052,000,000,” said Glenn Ives, Chairman, Board of Directors of The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation. Those funds, have allowed the Cancer Centre to expand and streamline biobanks, establish the cancer genomics program, accelerate the epigenetics program, as well as amplify the Cancer Clinical Research Unit (CCRU) and expand our research enterprise to the Princess Margaret Cancer Research Tower. The success of our BILLION DOLLAR CHALLENGE would not have been possible without the support of our donors, participants, granting agencies, event and lottery participants, volunteers, program partners, sponsors and staff. Because of you, we are now in the early days of delivering on our promise of Personalized Cancer Medicine. With your continued support, we will Conquer Cancer In Our Lifetime. BILLION DOLLAR CHALLENGE BILLION DOLLAR CHALLENGE