As we celebrate more than 40 years of the Cedars Cancer Institute, in more ways than one, I have been privileged to be involved in this great and humane organization right from its inception. Cedars originated from the pledge made by Mr. Joseph Chamandy, at the sad passing of his young son from cancer, to do everything in his power to prevent such a tragedy from happening to other families. His conferring with Dr. Edward Tabah, our beloved ‘Doc’, led to the birth of the Harley Chamandy Research Fund. And the rest, as they say, is history.
For the past 40 years, the magnificent efforts of the successive Cedars Presidents and their hardworking board members, have honoured the legacy of this historic event by raising over 23 million dollars to benefit cancer patients at the Royal Victoria and now the MUHC.
Numerous diagnostic and therapeutic equipments and much-needed renovations of both outpatient and inpatient treatment areas have been provided. The CanSupport program under the leadership of Mrs. Gwen Nacos and the team of volunteers continues to meet the psycho-social needs of the cancer patients and their families. Furthermore, the need for more detailed information has been provided by the timely CanSupport Lecture Series.
The training of present and future oncologists has been made possible by the establishment of the newly re-named Henry R. Shibata Cedars Scholarship Fund. The annual Vivian Saykaly Visiting Professor of Medical Oncology and the Edward J. Tabah Visiting Professor of Surgical Oncology have enabled us to invite world-renowned oncologists to share their expertise with us.
All this has been realized through the tremendous fund-raising efforts of the members of the Cedars Cancer Institute and their friends.
Looking forward, the recent establishment at the MUHC of the Cancer Care Mission and the unified Department of Oncology has led to a better coordinated multidisciplinary Oncology team. A Cancer Care Mission Committee under Dr. Armin Aprikian has been formed to make concrete plans to consolidate Oncology at one site prior to the move to the Glen Yards. Cedars Cancer Institute is represented on this committee and will continue to play a pivotal role in this new endeavor and continue to work towards the creation of a Comprehensive Cancer Centre that will be second to none.
The sentiment that ‘it is better to light one small candle than to curse the darkness’ has always been espoused by Cedars and must be re-iterated at this unfortunate time of delays and hardships for our patients.
At this important milestone in the history of the unique Cedars Cancer Institute, on behalf of the Medical Advisory Committee and the entire professional oncology staff of the MUHC, I wish to express our feelings of heartfelt gratitude. Thank you one and all for a job well-done!
Henry R Shibata MD MSc FACS FRCSC
