$30-million gift from Calgary family lifts OWN.CANCER campaign to historic heights
PRESS RELEASE / FOR IMMEDIATE DISTRIBUTION: Monday, November 18, 2024
$30-million gift from Calgary family lifts OWN.CANCER campaign to historic heights
Cancer care forever changed in southern Alberta after fundraising campaign wraps with nearly $300 million in donations
CALGARY, AB – A $30 million donation has brought the OWN.CANCER campaign to a triumphant close. A monumental gift from Calgary philanthropists Stan and Marge Owerko lifts the total raised to $298 million, marking one of the largest philanthropic fundraising efforts in Alberta’s history.
Launched in 2021, the OWN.CANCER campaign, a partnership between the Alberta Cancer Foundation (ACF), Alberta Health Services, and the University of Calgary, aimed to elevate the new Arthur J.E. Child Comprehensive Cancer Centre (Arthur Child) into one of the world’s leading centres for cancer care. The $30 million gift from the Owerko family, which will also benefit pediatric cancer patients, will support three critical programs within the Arthur Child: immunotherapy research, radiation therapy, and clinical trials.
In addition to supporting the acquisition of two state-of-the-art MR Linac technology machines that will provide advanced radiation therapy at the Arthur Child – letting doctors target tumours in real time and monitor their response to radiation with unprecedented precision – a significant portion of the gift is establishing the Stan & Marge Owerko Biomanufacturing Facility for Immunotherapy at the Riddell Centre for Cancer Immunotherapy, which will allow discoveries in the Centre to be translated quickly and cost effectively into clinical grade treatments for both children and adults. The remaining portion of the donation will support the Owerko Family Centre for Clinical Trials at the Arthur Child while also expanding the pediatric cancer clinical trials program at the Alberta Children’s Hospital.
“Cancer is a frightening disease and a diagnosis at any age is a crushing blow to the whole family” say Stan and Marge Owerko. “The Arthur Child is poised to change lives by bringing together the very best researchers, clinicians and practices in cancer care to help patients and families during one of the most difficult times of their lives. It’s an honour to support their extraordinary work and our hope is that the discoveries made at this inspiring centre will benefit all cancer patients – not only here in Alberta – but around the world.”
The Owerkos – and all of the donors to the OWN.CANCER campaign – have demonstrated an incredible commitment to making the Arthur Child a beacon of hope for all cancer patients today and for generations to come,” says Dr. Don Morris, Department Head of Oncology and the Facility Medical Director at the Arthur J.E. Child Comprehensive Cancer Centre. “By supporting these three critical areas, this gift will enable us to lead lifesaving, made-in-Alberta treatments for cancer patients and dramatically improve the care we provide to them. It is a remarkable day for our province.”
More than 17,000 Albertans contributed to the historic fundraising achievement of the OWN.CANCER campaign.
“Cancer touches all of us, and we knew from the start the only way this vision would be realized is if the community stepped up as part of the solution,” says Heather Culbert, cancer survivor and co-chair of the OWN.CANCER campaign. “I’m so proud of the outpouring of support we’ve seen from Albertans, including this incredible gift from the Owerkos which closes out our campaign. This generosity will transform the future of cancer care in our province for generations to come.”
Cancer now impacts one out of every two Albertans over the course of their lifetime. Through the campaign, the Arthur Child will change the future for Albertans facing cancer by becoming a global leader in immunotherapy and precision oncology, driving more effective, personalized cancer treatments. It will also bring more life-saving clinical trials to Albertans and give cancer patients access to some of the most advanced and precise cancer treatment technology in the world.
“The Arthur Child is a visionary facility. But, most importantly, it will help to put cancers into remission and extend people’s lives,” says John Osler, cancer survivor and OWN.CANCER co-chair. “This campaign has not only raised significant funds, but it has also inspired hope and fostered a sense of community around this devastating disease. Thank you to everyone who contributed to this historic achievement. Together, we have proven we can achieve the remarkable.”
About OWN.CANCER
The OWN.CANCER campaign raised $298 million in support of improved research, treatment and care at Calgary’s new world-class Arthur J.E. Child Comprehensive Cancer Centre. This gamechanging initiative was backed by three trusted community institutions: Alberta Health Services, Canada’s first and largest fully integrated provincial health system; the University of Calgary, a globally recognized leader in medical research and home to tomorrow’s health-care professionals; and the Alberta Cancer Foundation, the official fundraising partner for all 17 cancer care centres across the province. The Arthur Child opened its doors in October 2024 as one of the largest comprehensive cancer centres in North America.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Ross Neitz
ACF Media Relations Advisor
780.297.8354
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