B.C. Cancer Foundation receives anonymous $18 million donation

The B.C. Cancer Foundation has received a donation of$18.346 million from an anonymous donor, the second largest donation in the history of the agency.

The money was channelled through the Aqueduct Foundation, a national public entity which facilitates large charitable donations.

"Today marks an important moment in cancer research and care in Canada with one of the largest donations ever made to bring new treatment solutions to patients," saidSarah Roth, president andCEO of theB.C.Cancer Foundation.

Funds will be directed toward a "world leading molecular imaging and therapeutics program at B.C. Cancer spanning research and development of cutting-edgeradiopharmaceuticalsthrough clinical trials," according to a statement.

Emerging research has shown that radiocative particles have the ability to target metastatic cancers directly, leaving the healthy tissue surrounding tumours unaffected.

The first treatment trial will focus on men with incurable, metastatic prostate cancer.

In 2012, the B.C. Cancer Foundation received a charitable donation of $21.4 million from the Jambor-McCarthylegacy estate.

Cancer rates in the province are expected to grow 40 per cent in the next decade due to a growing and aging population.