April 10, 2025, ONTARIO — A yearlong campaign from the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research (OICR) is celebrating the profound difference cancer research is making in the lives of Ontarians.
Cancer Research Changed My Life showcases the people behind research discoveries, bringing their personal stories to life through videos and first-person testimonials.
As the province’s cancer research institute, OICR brings together a community of scientists, cancer patients, clinicians and everyday Ontarians to solve cancer together. With Cancer Research Changed My Life, OICR is shining a spotlight on that community and what it has achieved.
“Cancer research is about more than just hope. It is about using scientific insights to make a tangible difference in people’s lives every day.” says Dr. Christine Williams, Acting President of OICR. “The stories featured in this campaign are a testament to the impact of research and its potential to transform the future of cancer.”
Cancer Research Changed My Life has featured several powerful stories to date, including:
- “Without cancer research, I would not have a life to be talking about right now.” — Carla
See Carla’s full story
- “Cancer research gave my father an extra year of life, and the memories we made that year will live with my family forever.” — Ambuj
See Ambuj’s full story
- “To see a drug that I helped discover have a real impact on patients facing this dreadful disease is the thrill of a lifetime.” — David
See David’s full story
The campaign will continue for the rest of 2025, with new stories published throughout the year. OICR is encouraging people to join in the campaign on social media by sharing their own stories about cancer research using the hashtag #ChangedMyLife
This year also marks OICR’s 20th anniversary.
“Decades of research have led to significant advances in our understanding of how cancer develops and evolves, and therefore how we can prevent, diagnose and treat patients,” says Dr. Lincoln Stein, Acting Scientific Director of OICR. “With support from the Ontario government and our partners across the province, we’ll continue our work help cancer research change even more lives in the future.”
“Ontario-made research is saving lives every day,” says Nolan Quinn, Minister of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security. “Our government is proud to support the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research with over half a billion dollars in funding since 2018 so that they can continue changing the future of cancer treatment in our province today, and into the future.”
To see more about how cancer research is changing lives, visit changedmylife.oicr.on.ca and follow OICR on Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Bluesky.
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OICR is funded by the Government of Ontario. As the province’s cancer research institute, we take on the biggest challenges in cancer research and deliver real-world solutions to find cancer earlier and treat it more effectively. We are committed to helping people living with cancer, as well as future generations, live longer and healthier lives. For more information visit http://www.oicr.on.ca.
The views expressed are those of OICR and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Province of Ontario.