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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Advance-Times, 1984-03-26, Page 34Ontario Foundation is pioneer in use of cobalt Toronto — The Ontario Cancer Treatment and Research, Foundation is celebrating its 41st anniversary this year. The foundation administers cancer treatment and research in the province through its regional treatment centres and promotes the education of cancer specialists. The foundation is also a world pioneer in the use of cobalt radiotherapy in the treatment of cancer as well as the developer of cancer clinics which combine research, treatment, diagnosis and training in one unit. The foundation was formed by an Act of the Ontario 'Legislature in 1943 to form the province's rudimentary cancer clinics and hospital cancer wards into a network of highly specialized clinics. In 1946, it organized a public fund raising drive which collected nearly a million dollars for use in the establishment of a pilot cancer clinic in Kingston. From that clinic, which was a model in experimental medical organization of such a unit, other clinics were formed in Hamilton, London, Ottawa, Windsor and, in 1980, Toronto with the building of the Toronto -Bayview Clinic at the Sunnybrook Medical Centre. Also formed under the foundation's wing was the Ontario Cancer Institute in Toronto, a major research and treatment centre, and its associated hospital, the . Princess Margaret Hospital on Jarvis Street in Toronto. The foundation's London Clinic was the first centre in the world to obtain a commercial Cobalt 60 Beata Therapy Unit, the basic workhorse of cancer radiotherapy, and the first patient in the world to receive radiotherapy with this unit was treated in the London clinic. The foundation has funded a number of research projects over its 40 year history which have become landmarks in cancer research. Those. research projects include the development of tissue culture later used by Dr. Jonas Salk in the development of his polio vaccine; work that led to the establishment of chemotherapy as a method of cancer treatment, work to manage Hodgkins Disease, one of the forms of cancer now thought to be curable and research using the Canadian -invented electron microscope. Foundation clinics and the Princess Margaret Hospital now treat about 15,000 new cancer patients a year. Terry Fox funds... • from page 4 3) SPECIAL CANCER RESEARCH FUND—The Special Cancer Research Fund grants will aid Canadian medical schools by prodding_ $150,000-eas three years. The grants are designed to meet the needs of each medical school and may be used for the acquisition of research equipment, updating of facilities, and the development of new programs of cancer study. 4) AWARDS FOR CANCER RESEARCH SCIENTISTS—Under the Terry Fox Cancer Research Scientist award program, commitments have been made to pay the salaries of two scientists for a period of up to five years. These awards were designed to facilitate the efforts of top-flight cancer research scientists by allowing them to devote themselves full time to cancer research. 5) INCENTIVE FOR MEDICAL STUDENTS --The Cancer Research Clerkship Award was developed with the objective of exposing first year medical and dental students to research programs through summer employment. 6) SHARED KNOWLEDGE -Four awards have been made under the Terry Fox Cancer Research Exchange Program which was designed to allow top cancer investigators, receiving grant support from the National Cancer Institute of Canada, to travel to cancer -research centres abroad to study new techniques developed by the world's leading scientists. HOPE Page 5 rn, Finally, the National Breast Screening Study conducted by the Institute's epidemiology unit at the University of Toronto has been aided by a $3 million grant from the Marathon of Hope Research Program. An additional $7.6 million has been allocated for programs already ; being funded by the National Cancer Institute, all of which have met the criteria of excellence and innovation to be eligible for a "Marathon of Hope" grant. Anne Sanderson (left), Vice -President for the Southwestern District of the Canadian Cancer Society, admires Wendy Tremeer's handiwork. Wendy, who is secretary for the Huron Unit, made this table cloth and donated the wool for an afghan which was made by her aunt Marion McLean. Both will be raffled off to raise money for a loan cupboard. The cupboard will contain supplies for cancer out-patients in the county. (Photo by Joanne Buchanan) Riffle to be held to raise money for loan cupboard The Huron County Unit of the Canadian Cancer Society is trying to establish a loan cupboard containing supplies for out- patients in the county. Some of these supplies would include air mattresses and sheep skins to be used by patients in their homes. At present, whenever doctors or cancer patients in the county request supplies, the Unit must send to the district office in London for them. Money is needed to buy supplies for the cupboard in Huron County and a raffle will be held as the first project to raise this money. Tickets will be sold on an afghan and This information is brought to you with the kind co-operation of the following: -CLEREA/U AUTO WRECKERS Exclusive• Fabrics Wit lcoverings Furn itu re • A rt & Accents SHOW ROOM 1.8 Albert Street. Clinton 482 3871 1 Clinton Community Credit Union CLINTON FLEMING FEED MILL LTD. 601RWIN ST. CLINTON 482-3438 table cloth. The table cloth was made by Wendy Tremeer, secretary of the Unit who is in charge of the raffle. She also donated the wool for the afghan which was made by Marion,MacLean. Elaine Blair printed the tickets for the raffle. The tickets are on sale at 50 cents each or three for $1 from members of the Goderich, Clinton and Seaforth Branches. In Goderich, call 524-7436 for tickets. They are also available at the Unit office in Clinton (call 482-7832) and will be on sale at the fashion show in Exeter on May 2. The draw will be made during the show. Alberta's death rate is lower Researchers remain . puzzled why Alberta's cancer death rate is less than half the national average, says the director of Tom Baker Cancer Centre in Calgary. While national figures show that one in five Canadians will die of cancer, the rate in Alberta is one in seven, Dr. Martin Jerry said Wednesday. "We're a little lower than the average," Jerry said. "We don't know the reason." There now are 40,000 Albertans undergoing treatment for cancer, he said. The number of cancer cases for each 100,000 people in the population increased to 350 in 1981 from 240 in 1962.