UCalgary, Alberta Cancer Foundation and Alberta Health Services announce $250M OWN.CANCER campaign

Construction on Canada’s largest, most ambitious and comprehensive stand-alone cancer centre is well underway. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform treatment, research and patient care for this deadly disease. A new fundraising campaign launched today to help achieve the ambitious goals for the Calgary Cancer Centre so we can ‘OWN.CANCER’.

The $250-million OWN.CANCER campaign partners the University of Calgary, the Alberta Cancer Foundation (ACF) and Alberta Health Services (AHS) to purchase cutting-edge equipment, fund revolutionary research and provide life-affirming supports for patients and their families that will help the Calgary Cancer Centre achieve its full potential.

“The work we support can’t just be groundbreaking. It has to change lives. When you combine world-class talent, government funding and philanthropic support from the community we can achieve the very best things. Together we can OWN.CANCER," says Dr. Chris Eagle, Alberta Cancer Foundation, chair of the board of trustees.

This 1.3-million square foot centre builds capacity to treat cancer patients and will more than double the space for clinical trials that is currently available in Calgary. It will also contain 110,000 square feet of dedicated research space. The anticipated opening date is fall 2023.

Located next to the University of Calgary’s Foothills Campus and the Foothills Medical Centre, the cancer centre will offer an integrated approach to cancer care that can take full advantage of the university’s transdisciplinary approach to research. It is envisioned as a learning health system where we will learn from every patient, and build on that knowledge to improve treatment and care for each one that follows. 

“The University of Calgary is proud to partner with the Cancer Centre, deepening our already close relationship with the health care system and the community. Today, we are calling on the broader community to engage in this important campaign to help bring our innovations and discoveries to bear on prevention, treatment and care of cancer patients. Working together, we can break down barriers to ensure we have more cancer survivors than ever before,”  says Dr. Ed McCauley, president and vice-chancellor, University of Calgary.

More than 200,000 Albertans are living with cancer and one in two Albertans face a cancer diagnosis in their lifetime. The cancer centre is designed to be a world-class facility and international leader that brings hope to cancer patients and their families through transformative change in the way care and treatment are provided.

“The Calgary Cancer Centre is so much more than bricks and mortar. It’s an opportunity to expand our capacity to care for Albertans battling cancer, meet the growing demand for life- saving cancer treatments and champion research. This state-of-the-art Cancer Centre will be home for our staff, physicians and researchers who are working hard to improve the lives of Albertans with cancer,” says Dr. Verna Yiu, president and CEO, Alberta Health Services.

"More importantly, it will be a place for patients and their families to find comfort and care during what we know is an incredibly scary time. We couldn’t be more grateful for our philanthropic partners and their donors who are supporting this work."

UCalgary, ACF and AHS are grateful to campaign committee volunteers and co-chairs — Heather Culbert, Deborah Yedlin and John Osler — for their commitment to help raise the $250 million to realize the vision of the cancer centre. Together, they have dedicated countless hours not only to the Calgary Cancer Centre Campaign, but to the community at large, through their professional, volunteer and philanthropic experience. 

To be part of the transformative change in the way cancer is prevented, detected and treated —  and to learn more about the campaign and the people behind it — join us at owncancer.ca.