Annual General Meeting 2019

Emceed by the President and CEO, Jeff Shamie, the AGM was an opportunity to report on the foundation’s financial performance and accomplishments, including many successful signature and third-party fundraising events, major gifts, new governance mechanisms and support for clinical care, research and education. Board Chair, Tony Aksa, underscored that “the bigger and stronger we are, the more we listen and get ahead of the curve, the better our chances of making a collective impact”.

A special recognition of the OPAL Project was presented during the evening through the Prix d’Excellence. The Cedars Cancer Foundation is privileged to have known Laurie, co-lead of the OPAL project, and are grateful to have the means to honour her legacy through the Laurie J. Hendren Opal Fund at Cedars. “We’re especially proud of our involvement, along with other foundations, of Opal, a patient portal co-founded by Dr. Tarek Hijal and Dr. John Kildea, as well as the late Professor Laurie Hendren. I encourage you to learn more about this innovative application by reading our impact report online”, said Tony Aksa.

This year, the Awards of Merit and Recognition for Outstanding Leadership Dedication in Oncology at the MUHC was presented to Anne Nercessian, Assistant Nurse Manager. In Dr. Michael Thirlwell’s words, “Anne is much respected by her nursing peers and has been a mentor to many of the nurses who have work in the Cedars Cancer Center”.

Judy Martin, founder of ‘The Bell’ Fund, presented the Cedars Cancer Foundation Volunteer of the Year Awards to two Cedars ambassadors who have been patients at the Cedars Cancer Centre and have, since then, established their own funds and events to help cancer patients. Rob Callard, Chair of Cedars Ride for Hope and Gratitude joined the right team in 2017 when he partnered with Cedars Cancer Foundation to show his appreciation for Dr. Laneuville and Cedars Cancer Centre”. Dominique Dagenais Joly-Smith has launched the Dagenais Joly-Smith Fund and Cedars Run for Ovarian Cancer to raise awareness and help diagnose Ovarian and Endometrial Cancer in its early stages. Proceeds are directed toward Dr. Lucy Gilbert’s DOvEE Project at the Cedars Cancer Foundation.

The Cedars Cancer Foundation is determined to grow bigger and stronger year over year. To that end, our teams of professionals and volunteers work tirelessly to raise the funds required to support exceptional patient care, research, education, and support services for cancer patients.