Most recently, our recruitment drive in the Victoria region attracted 2,296 new participants who visited our assessment centre or completed at-home questionnaires. We have lots more planned for the New Year… so stay tuned!

More than 1,100 participants visited the BC Generations Project’s Coquitlam assessment centre between August 16 and September 20, easily surpassing its recruitment goal.

The BC Generations Project is part of Canada’s largest-ever health research study. The BC Cancer Agency, an agency of the Provincial Health Services Authority, launched the project in 2009 to explore how genetics, environment, lifestyle, and behaviour contribute to our risk of developing cancer, as well as other chronic conditions such as diabetes and heart disease. Any British Columbia resident aged 35 to 69 is eligible to join the project.

The Coquitlam centre saw participants from across the region; most came from Coquitlam, Burnaby, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, New Westminster, and Maple Ridge.

Burnaby resident Ann Roberts received her invitation to join the study by mail and didn’t hesitate to sign up. “It’s an easy thing to do, and it’s a nice thought that this information might one day help someone else,” she notes.

“Everywhere we go, we are struck by people’s support and their enthusiasm to participate,” confirms Marilyn Borugian, PhD, Director, BC Generations Project, BC Cancer Agency. “So many people have been touched by cancer—I think the prospect of one day being able to actually help prevent cancer and other chronic diseases is very motivating for people.”

She continues, “I can’t thank residents enough for their overwhelming support of this important study. In addition to the 1,116 who visited the clinic in person, our recruitment drive prompted another 300 people in the area to join the study by requesting a questionnaire to complete at home. We exceeded our goal of recruiting 1,000 people.”

While the Coquitlam centre is now closed, it’s not too late for residents to take part in this landmark study. Contact the BC Generations Project to request a study package.by calling 604-675-8221or visiting www.bcgenerationsproject.ca.

Funded primarily through the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer, the BC Generations Project is a participating study of the Canadian Partnership for Tomorrow Project, which consists of a further four regional studies across Canada. It aims to collect health information, along with blood and urine samples, of up to 40,000 British Columbians and 300,000 Canadians overall. To date, the BC Generations Project has recruited more than 14,000 participants.

The BC Generations Project’s Coquitlam assessment centre was made possible with additional funding from the BC Cancer Foundation.

Opening day festivities included Principal Investigator Dr. John Spinelli, Coquitlam-Burke Mountain MLA Douglas Horne, Project Director Dr. Marilyn Borugian, Burnaby-Lougheed MLA Harry Bloy, Coquitlam-Maillardville MLA Diane Thorne, BC Cancer Foundation CEO Doug Nelson, Port Moody-Coquitlam MLA Iain Black and study participant Paul McDonald.

We are booking appointments for these optional assessments – including bone density, blood pressure and body mass index measurements – through mid-September only.  Don’t miss out!  We have appointments available Mondays thru Saturdays, including evening appointments until 7:30 pm on some days.  For an appointment, call 604-675-8221 or sign up at  Join BC Generations Project. 

So far, almost 500 participants have booked appointments at the Burquitlam centre – located at 526 Clarke Road, Coquitlam.  We are hoping to sign up more than 1,000 new participants at this location.

We are thrilled with the coverage.  This story is a great way for people to learn about the project – be sure to tell your friends, too – help us grow our participant numbers!

I chose to take part in the BC Generations project to show my appreciation for the professional and compassionate care I received throughout my cancer journey and also with the hope that by my contribution to research someone else might be spared the trauma of this disease.

I wouldn’t want anyone else have to go through surgery and treatments if a simple test or visit to the doctor can prevent it.

In the last few years, have you made any changes to your lifestyle in the interest of cancer prevention?

Not really, except that I constantly battle my tendency to be overweight. I’ve had to make major changes in food choices because of the damaging effects of treatments (chemo and radiation).  I am much more sensitive to subtle changes in my body – this prompts me to be more proactive in seeing my doctor.

Would you recommend participation in the BC Generations Project to others?  If so, why?

Yes, I certainly would. As a survivor I feel it is close to a duty to my fellow human beings to help them be aware of the disease but also of any possible alternatives to getting it. I chose the message of testing and, hopefully, preventing colorectal cancer as a topic for one of my Toastmasters presentations. I was delighted to learn that two of our members made appointments with their doctors and were tested.

What do you feel you got out of participating in the project?

A renewed sense of appreciation for the excellent care and compassionate support I received from medical staff, doctors and support staff.

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Do you have a story to tell? We’d love to feature you on our blog. Please leave a comment below and we’ll be in touch!

To participate in the BC Generations Project, please sign up today.
For more information, please check out our FAQs page.

Our Prince George numbers surpassed even the success of our January clinic in Kelowna, where we signed up a total of 967 participants!  One notable participant was the Mayor of Prince George, Dan Rogers.  A special thank you to the Prince George United Steelworkers and Solutions Staffing for generously providing the office space in their building, to the BC Cancer Foundation for their generous funding support, and to the wonderful local nurses who put in long hours and helped manage the centre.

Mayor Dan Rogers and Sylvie Perreault, BC Generations Project Nurse

http://www.energeticcity.ca/fortstjohn/news/06/07/11/residents-required-major-cancer-research-project

Residents of Northern B.C. are being invited to participate in a major cancer prevention study.

The B.C. Cancer Agency’s B.C. Generations Project will be providing the opportunity for residents, age 35 to 69, to contribute to a study which could possibly benefit the future health of British Columbians.

The project is part of the largest health study of its kind in Canada and will explore how a variety of factors, including genetics, environment, lifestyle and behaviour contribute to our risk of developing cancer. The project will also explore other chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.

John Spinelli, a distinguished scientist for B.C. Cancer Agency and the B.C. Generations Project chief investigator, says all information gathered by participants will be completely anonymous and everything obtained through the study will contribute to future cancer studies.

The study is aiming to collect health information, along with blood and urine samples of 40,000 residents of the province.

Spinelli says “The B.C. Generations Project provides every Northern resident with the opportunity to take an active role in helping researchers better understand the lifestyle and genetic factors linked to cancer and chronic disease. This study is significant for the future health of our community.”

Residents can participate through a mail-in survey, or people living close to the Prince George assessment clinic, can drop by in person from June 7 to July 9. The temporary clinic is located at 1777 third Ave, Suite 300.

For more information on the study or how to get involved, please contact 604-675-8221, or call toll free 1-877-675-8221. Information can also be gained via email at bcgenerationsproject@bccrc.ca or by visiting their official website.

These complimentary 30-minute appointments are an optional part of the study, and many participants find them both interesting and informative, and enjoy being able to take their measurements home with them.  Bring your spouse along!   Call 1-877-675-8221 to book an appointment in Prince George or Vancouver(on West 10^th Ave).

Project participant LaDonna Fehr (at left) gets her blood pressure measured by June Song, research project assistant with BC Generation Project. LaDonna is the Director of Clinical Operations - Systemic Therapy for the new BC Cancer Agency Centre for the North currently under construction in Prince George.

Prince George, B.C. –   Prince George is now home to a BC Cancer Agency’s BC Generations Project clinic. It opened its doors this morning and is open to anyone aged 35 – 69 who would like to take part in this study.

This is the largest cancer prevention study in Canadian History and will look at how factors such as genetics, environment, lifestyle and behaviour contrtibute to the risk of developing cancer, diabetes and heart disease.

BC Generations Project principal investigator John Spinelli says every participant’s anonymous information will contribute to cancer studies for decades to come.   ”You have the opportunity to reduce the occurrence of cancer and chronic diseases in the future. All that’s required is that you are between 35 and 69 years old and live in B.C.,” he says. “It’s a huge opportunity for our generation to do something for future generations.”

The study aims to collect health information, along with blood and urine samples, of 40,000 British Columbians, as part of a national study called the Canadian Partnership for Tomorrow Project that is recruiting 300,000 Canadians from five provinces.

“Most everyone has been impacted by cancer, whether themselves, their family, or a friend,” says LaDonna Fehr, director of clinical operations-systemic therapy, BC Cancer Agency’s Centre for the North, and Prince George resident.

“Working with cancer patients over the years, I have watched as they and their family members anguish with feelings of powerlessness in the face of a cancer diagnosis. The BC Generations Project assessment clinic provides every Prince George resident with the opportunity to take an active role in helping researchers better understand the lifestyle and genetic factors linked to cancer and chronic disease. This study is significant for the future health of our community. I encourage you to learn more about how you can take part while the assessment clinic is in town.”

Northerners can participate in the study through a mail-in survey, or, for residents living in or close to Prince George, the assessment clinic will run from June 7 to July 9. The temporary clinic is located at 1777 Third Ave, Suite 300.

You can find more information on the project by visiting bcgenerationsproject@bccrc.ca or www.bcgenerationsproject.ca

The BC Generations Project is part of the largest health study of its kind in Canada, exploring how genetics, environment, lifestyle and behaviour contribute to our risk of developing cancer, as well as other chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.

BC Cancer Agency’s distinguished scientist and BC Generations Project principal investigator John Spinelli explains that every participant’s anonymous information will contribute to cancer studies for decades to come.

“You have the opportunity to reduce the occurrence of cancer and chronic diseases in the future. All that’s required is that you are between 35 and 69 years old and live in B.C.,” he says. “It’s a huge opportunity for our generation to do something for future generations.”

The study aims to collect health information, along with blood and urine samples, of 40,000 British Columbians, as part of a national study called the Canadian Partnership for Tomorrow Project that is recruiting 300,000 Canadians from five provinces.

“Most everyone has been impacted by cancer, whether themselves, their family, or a friend,” says LaDonna Fehr, director of clinical operations-systemic therapy, BC Cancer Agency’s Centre for the North, and first study participant at the Prince George clinic.

“Working with cancer patients over the years, I have watched as they and their family members anguish with feelings of powerlessness in the face of a cancer diagnosis. The BC Generations Project provides every Northern resident with the opportunity to take an active role in helping researchers better understand the lifestyle and genetic factors linked to cancer and chronic disease. This study is significant for the future health of our community. I encourage you to learn more about how you can take part while the assessment clinic is in town.”

Northerners can participate in the study through a mail-in survey, or, for residents living in or close to Prince George an assessment clinic will run from June 7 to July 9. This temporary clinic is being generously funded through the BC Cancer Foundation and is located at 1777 Third Ave, Suite 300, in Prince George.

For more information about the study and how to get involved, please contact:

604-675-8221
Toll Free 1-877-675-8221
bcgenerationsproject@bccrc.ca
www.bcgenerationsproject.ca
© 2011 Dawson Creek Daily News