Hamilton researchers awarded more than $600,000 by the Canadian Cancer Society

HAMILTON - Three researchers in Hamilton will be awarded more than $600,000 in research funding, the Canadian Cancer Society announced today.

These outstanding local researchers will receive funding for four promising new research projects, including three important quality-of-life studies involving childhood cancer, and a study of cancer-killing viruses.

"These high-quality and innovative new projects represent tremendous hope for making cancer history," says Catherine Lundy, manager of the Society's Hamilton community office. "In the last six years, the Canadian Cancer Society has invested more than $4 million in cancer research taking place in this community and we are grateful for the generosity of our donors and volunteers who make this research possible."

Hamilton researchers receiving new funding from the Canadian Cancer Society includes:

- Dr Brian Lichty

Dr Lichty will receive $403,000 over three years to investigate what happens in the immune system after a virus is introduced that kills cancer cells. He is exploring the possibility that the virus may activate the immune system to join the fight - similar to how a vaccine works - and potentially prevent a recurrence of the cancer.

With dramatic improvement in the survival rates of children with cancer, researchers are increasingly turning their attention towards improving the quality of life of children with cancer both during and after treatment. The Society is announcing new research in this area.

- Dr Ronald Barr

Dr Ronald Barr will receive $47,423 to look at data from children treated for acute lymphoblastic leukemia to see how their survival and quality of life were affected and whether any differences could be accorded to the children's age at treatment or which one of four different treatments each child received.

- Dr Anne Klassen

Dr Klassen will receive $162,000 to support two research studies. In the first grant, Dr Klassen will be researching the family impact of caring for a child with cancer, in particular the experience on the growing number of single parent families. This research will provide much needed information on how to support single parents as they care for their children at home. Through her second grant Dr. Klassen will begin to lay the groundwork for eventual studies on the quality of life, by developing a model of quality of life indicators for children living with cancer.

The grants to Hamilton researchers were selected after a rigorous national application and review process and are among 71 new grants across the country announced by the Canadian Cancer Society today.