Empowering Caregivers: A Heartfelt Appreciation to Rexall Care Network
A huge thank you to Rexall Care Network for their generous donation to our Caregivers Program.
We see firsthand that, like patients, caregivers need emotional support and connection from a dedicated community that understands the hardships that come with a bladder cancer diagnosis. We’re here to help every step of the way.
Our free Caregivers Program includes educational webinars on topics about caring for a loved one with bladder cancer, a new Caregivers Guidebook, and our Caregivers Support Group.
For more information on these resources or to join the support group, please visit our website.
We’re here to help.
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Winners is doubling the love this Valentine's Day
Thank you for sharing the love with our community! As we celebrate the season of love, consider making a meaningful impact by supporting Bladder Cancer Canada.
Winners is doubling the love by matching all donations received February 14 to the end the month by up to a maximum of $2000.
Your generous donation will make a difference in the lives of individuals navigating the challenges of this journey. Every contribution counts.
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Be Prepared for Tax Season
Tax season is nearly upon us. As a friendly reminder, if you did not receive a tax receipt for your 2023 donation, please contact us at:
Thank you for your support!
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Seeking Bladder Cancer Patients for Various Studies
Our American partners at BCAN are looking for input from Canadian patients. If you have been diagnosed with muscle-invasive bladder cancer, you are invited to take part in a patient study.
The purpose of this study, titled, Understanding Patient Perspectives in the management of their MIBC, is to help doctors better understand the experience of patients who have been diagnosed with muscle-invasive bladder cancer.
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If you would be interested in learning more about this or other studies and/ or want to share your story with other bladder cancer patients, please click HERE.
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Provide Insights on the Effects of Bladder Cancer in New Survey
Both bladder cancer patients and caregivers are invited to take part in a study on how bladder cancer affects you.
Your participation will provide crucial information that can enhance our understanding of treatment from diagnosis and quality of life during and after treatment. Participants will be compensated $CA 30.00 for survey completion. The survey should take about 15 minutes to complete.
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For NMIBC patients: Currently or previously treated for NMIBC, diagnosed at least one year ago, not in a clinical trial.
For MIBC patients: Diagnosed within the last two years, had bladder surgery or refused/ ineligible within one year of diagnosis, not in a clinical trial.
The survey should take about 15 minutes to complete, and your input will truly make a difference. If you're interested in taking part, please email the study coordinator and indicate whether you are a patient with Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer (NMIBC) or Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer (MIBC) or caregiver.
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Financial Help and Resources for Bladder Cancer Patients
As inflation rates rise, the demand for financial assistance in our community is increasing. We're receiving more requests for help with essentials such as drug coverage, provincial aid for low-income individuals, disability tax credits, and more. In response to these needs, we're launching a Financial Help and Resources Series.
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With tax season here, our initial focus is on providing information about the Medical Tax Credit. You can view a blog written by Glen Mund, CPA & BCC volunteer here.
Stay tuned as we introduce additional support options for Canadians throughout 2024 and 2025.
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Walk/Run for Bladder Cancer Awareness Month in Memory of Roger Bertrand
This month we are spotlighting Samantha Palmer's fundraiser for her grandfather Roger Bertrand.
In August 2023, Roger was diagnosed with bladder cancer. Samantha has chosen Bladder Cancer Canada as her charity of choice.
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In her words, "Before his diagnosis I never really thought much about bladder cancer because it had never really personally affected me and my life. Now I'd like to take my knowledge and spread awareness in hopes that it can help another family. In hopes that it can provide support for others who are diagnosed" |
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Let's Get Ready to Lace 'Em Up!
Thanks to your support and participation in the 2023 Canada Walks for Bladder Cancer, we had over 800 participants who took part in 17 walks across Canada.
Register for the 2024 Walk and Win a $400 Amazon Gift Card*
Join Canada Walks for Bladder Cancer on September 21 & 22, 2024. Register and raise $150 between now and May 1st to be entered to win a $400 Amazon gift card.
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Register today by visiting www.bccwalk.ca to help create a world where bladder cancer is just a memory. |
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New Walk Website and 2023 Walk Gallery Launched! |
The Walk website is now live! Dive into a world of all things Walk and explore the many ways you can participate come September 21-22, 2024.
The new webpage boasts all the information you need: from an FAQs page that answers all your questions, to an Impact tab where you can see how previous support has made a lasting difference.
The 2023 Walk Gallery is also up, so be sure to check out the incredible photos captured during last year's Walk.
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Visit the site, take a walk down memory lane and be sure to register, and stand the chance to win incredible prizes! Together, we can continue to make a difference. |
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Immune reprogramming and response to BCG therapy in patients with bladder cancer |
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Recurrence rates for patients with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) are high (often > 50%), and long follow-up is needed to avoid progression to life threatening muscle invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). NMIBC is responsive to immunotherapy with Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) administered directly into the bladder, reducing not only recurrence rates but also preventing progression to MIBC. However, while BCG is the gold standard therapy for high risk NMIBC and recommended for intermediate-risk disease, response rates vary widely and predicting an individual's response is error prone based on clinical and pathological parameters. When patients with high risk NMIBC do not respond to BCG, treatment options are limited, and the window of curability is narrow. Thus, there is a clear need to find biomarkers that can accurately predict response.
It was recently demonstrated that trained immunity (TI) acquired by peripheral blood monocytes, following induction BCG therapy, is associated with recurrence-free survival in patients with NMIBC. Therefore, we propose that TI serves as an important biomarker of response to BCG in bladder cancer. Importantly, TI may also function as a therapeutic target, as we have mechanistic evidence linking BCG-induced TI to improved anti-tumour responses. TI is a new paradigm that describes the process by which innate immune cells acquire long-lasting memory in response to inflammatory stimuli such as BCG. It occurs via metabolic and epigenetic reprogramming (i.e. methylation and acetylation of histones associated with pro-inflammatory genes) of innate immune cells, including monocytes, macrophages, dendritic cells, neutrophils, and NK cells. TI is acquired upon stimulation of pattern recognition receptors with microbial ligands called pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs), or with damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), with the end result being enhanced non-specific inflammatory responses (release of pro-inflammatory cytokines) upon secondary challenge.
Mouse studies have shown that, compared with intradermal or subcutaneous administration, BCG administered intravenously resulted in higher levels of TI. Furthermore, our recent mouse studies revealed that intravenous BCG leads to stronger anti-tumour immune responses than intravesical administration. These results support the concept that systemic immune responses are important for the therapeutic benefit of BCG.
Citation Forthcoming: This is a study grant proposal from 2023 for a project led by Dr. Jean-François Paré and Dr. Charles H. Graham from Queen's University, with collaboration from Dr. D. Robert Siemens from Queen's University
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Understanding UTUC: A Comprehensive Overview
Tuesday, March 19th, 2024 - 7PM EST
Join us for a webinar dedicated to the complexities of Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma (UTUC). Dr. Nathan Wong will explain what UTUC is, how it's diagnosed, the available treatments, and the latest research.
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Save the Date: Toronto Bladder Cancer Education Event
Mark your calendars for our exclusive Bladder Cancer Education Event happening in-person on Monday, April 15th, from 6-9pm ET. This event promises to be an enlightening experience, packed with valuable insights and expert knowledge to empower you and your loved ones.
Stay on the lookout for the full details and registration link, which will be available in March!
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For upcoming events, webinars, support group meetings and more, visit our Events Page
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Welcome to:
Cassandra Cunanan, Shirin Nourollahi, Amanda Qaqish, Tim Murphy & Babcy Koruthu
Are you looking to join our volunteer team?
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We are in need of women with an ileal conduit to join our volunteer team Peer Support Volunteers.
Help provide comfort over the phone to other women facing a radical cystectomy.
For more information, contact Theresa.
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Please join us on social media where we share updates and photos from our bladder cancer community. These social media sites are a great resource for patients, survivors, and caregivers. |
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Copyright © 2024 Bladder Cancer Canada. All rights reserved.
You are receiving this email because you have registered on our website or expressed an interest in receiving more information about bladder cancer or Bladder Cancer Canada.
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