In 1980, Terry Fox started a marathon against cancer. Forty-five years later, the Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network (MOHCCN) continues his vision, uniting the country to accelerate precision medicine for cancer. This International Women’s Day, we celebrate five women who are helping us FINISH IT. 

Dr. Nadine Caron 

Dr. Nadine Caron made history as Canada’s female general surgeon of First Nations descent and the first female First Nations student to graduate from the University of British Columbia’s medical school. She is the co-director of the UBC Centre for Excellence in Indigenous Health, a professor at the University of British Columbia and was recently inducted into the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame in recognition of her outstanding leadership in Indigenous health and surgical practice. 

As a member of the MOHCCN’s Network Council and co-chair of the Canadian Spectrum Working Group, Dr. Caron and colleagues will ensure the Network’s data reflects Canada’s diverse population.   

“Forty-three years ago, when Terry said he wanted all Canadians to be a part of his Marathon of Hope, he really meant all Canadians – new Canadians, rural Canadians, urban Canadians, Indigenous peoples and other minority and racialized groups. If we want to create cancer solutions that are applicable to all these groups, we need cancer research to include them,” writes Dr. Caron in an article originally published in the Globe and Mail. 

The goal is to create Canada’s most complete cancer case resource, made up of clinical and genomic data from 15,000 patients from diverse demographic, ethnic and cultural backgrounds treated in centres across the country. This resource will allow researchers to determine why certain patients respond to certain treatments so that, eventually, they can match every new cancer patient to the best treatment possible based on their personal genomic and clinical realities. 

Read the full story to learn how Dr. Nadine Caron and the Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network are making cancer research more representative. 

Dr. Jennifer Chan 

Dr. Jennifer Chan is the director of the Arnie Charbonneau Cancer Institute and an associate professor at the University of Calgary. She is a leading force in precision oncology and the MOHCCN, joining the Network as co-lead of the Prairie Cancer Consortium, a member of the Steering Committee, various working groups and as a project leader contributing genomic data to the Network.  

At the launch of our ‘Finish It’ platform on World Cancer Day, Dr. Chan spoke about the promise of precision medicine, and how the Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network is making personalized care a reality for patients across Canada. 

“We built the Network to accelerate precision medicine and to save and improve the lives of cancer patients across Canada. It carries a mandate to unite Canada’s top cancer scientists and our very best research institutions into a single national, collaborative, precision oncology powerhouse,” says Dr. Chan. “Let’s be clear. This isn’t a vision for the future. This is happening right now.” 

Visit Terry Fox Foundation’s website to watch the event. 

Yuan Lew 

Yuan Lew was diagnosed with Stage IV lung cancer in 2022. As a never-smoker, Asian, female, under 50 with no family history, her doctors suspected that her cancer likely had genetic mutations commonly associated with never-smokers. After genetic testing confirmed mutations in the EGFR gene, her physicians created a personalized treatment plan – a one-pill-a-day regimen that was tailored to her cancer and that allowed her to delay riskier procedures such as chemotherapy and radiation. Thanks to precision medicine, she was given hope. 

Now, Yuan advocates for personalized cancer care as a member of the MOHCCN’s Patient Working Group – a group of more than 30 cancer patients, survivors and caregivers across Canada whose voices are embedded into all the Network’s activities. Through her story, she aims to inspire others to join the fight against cancer and contribute to the advancement of precision medicine for all.  

“The personalized approach to my treatment, tailored to address the specific genetic mutations and size and location of my tumours, has been life-changing. Precision medicine has transformed my prognosis from extremely poor to hopeful, allowing me to envision a future where I may live with Stage IV EGFR+ cancer as a chronic condition,” says Lew. “Moving forward, I share hope. I envision a future where every cancer patient has access to personalized treatment options, leading to more effective and less toxic treatments. Personalized cancer care empowers us to make decisions on how to best treat our cancers based on our genetic mutations, clinical profiles and personal preferences. It is no longer about surviving for the sake of surviving. It is about LIVING our best lives with cancer.” 

Read or watch Yuan Lew share her story on the Network’s website. 

Dr. Nicole Beauchemin 

Dr. Nicole Beauchemin is a 23-year cancer survivor, a retired cancer researcher and emerita professor at McGill University and a member of the Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Institute.  

As a member of the MOHCCN’s Steering Committee and co-chair of the Patient Working Group, she played a crucial role in facilitating the groundbreaking Patient Voices in Research Initiative. This patient-directed research program is believed to be the first of its kind in Canada to be fully conceived, designed and adjudicated by cancer patients for cancer patients. 

“We are extremely excited about this innovative funding program created and designed by the incredible members of our Patient Working Group and about the science it is supporting,” says Dr. Beauchemin. “The patients did a spectacular job to ensure that the projects align with our goal of accelerating precision medicine for cancer patients, while still addressing real-world gaps in cancer care that they have experienced themselves.” 

Learn more about the Patient Voices in Research Initiative on the Network’s website. 

Dr. Robin Urquhart 

Dr. Robin Urquhart’s personal connection to cancer, along with her upbringing in rural Newfoundland, have shaped her career dedicated to ensuring patients across Canada have access to the latest advancements in cancer care. 

Today, as co-lead of the Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network’s Atlantic Cancer Consortium and member of its Steering Committee, a subject-matter expert in several MOHCCN-funded projects and working groups and associate professor at Dalhousie University – among many other roles in the cancer research community – Dr. Urquhart works tirelessly to improve access to cancer care, particularly for individuals in rural and underserved communities.  

Much like Terry, she understands this is something that can’t be achieved alone. 

“In many ways, I see the Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network as the realization of Terry’s vision when he started in St. John’s, Newfoundland, 45 years ago … In an unprecedented effort, the Network has united cancer researchers and clinicians across the country with a common purpose: to ensure patients, regardless of where they live or their circumstances, have access to precision diagnostics and therapies that offer the best chance at living a long, quality life with and beyond cancer,” says Dr. Urquhart. “I believe this Network, fuelled by collaboration, commitment and a common purpose, will transform our ability to understand cancer and reduce the cancer burden in Canada.” 

Read more about Dr. Urquhart’s story and her contributions to transforming cancer care in Canada in the MOHCCN’s Researcher Profile series. 

About FINISH IT 

On World Cancer Day, the Terry Fox Research Institute and Terry Fox Foundation launched FINISH IT – a rallying cry for all of us to come together again and finish the work Terry started. His iconic Marathon of Hope ignited a movement, and now, with groundbreaking cancer research and the unwavering support of Canadians everywhere, we have the power to transform cancer care as we know it.  

Through the Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network, Canada’s top minds in cancer research and care are collaborating like never before to make precision oncology a reality. This means better treatments, improved survival rates and hope for patients and families across Canada. And it would not be possible without the support of the incredible patients, researchers, oncologists, administrators and donors that make up our Network. 

In 1980, Terry started a marathon against cancer. Now, it’s up to all of us to help FINISH IT. 

Watch our new FINISH IT film and be inspired: terryfox.org