Introducing The GTx Program At The Princess Margaret Cancer Centre

Fighting cancer.

We master challenges. We take on problems.
We handle difficulties.
But cancer?
It is a full-on fight.

Join Dr Jonathan Irish—the Kevin and Sandra Sullivan Chair in Surgical Oncology at The Princess Margaret, University of Toronto—as he candidly explains how the Guided Therapeutics (GTx) program helps surgeons adeptly target and kill cancerous cells, while salvaging the normal surrounding cells. GTx markedly improves patient survival and enhances quality of life.

The Fight To End Cancer raises funds year-round for The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation, directly contributing to the GTx Program.

The development of the technology occurs in the GTx-Lab in MaRS (formerly Medical and Related Sciences) and involves a collaborative team of engineers, physicists, surgeons, and radiologists. Translational clinical trial research to evaluate safety, efficacy and accuracy of the systems are carried out in the Translational Image Guided Operating Rooms (TROGORs). Clinical applications include head and neck surgery, lateral and anterior skull base surgery, lung surgery, prostate surgery, GI surgery, and neurosurgery including spinal surgery.

The Fight To End Cancer has one main mission: to end cancer in our lifetime.

Raising funds for The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation at University Health Network (UHN) is a major component of our work, but initiating conversation and taking action are just as important. Our motto is simple: defeat is not an option.

Our Annual Boxing Gala is the “Main Event” celebration of our fundraising efforts. Ten fighters with no previous boxing experience take on the years-long challenge of training and fundraising to end cancer. It takes a whole community to win this fight. Let’s support these fighters and help to end cancer.

Where are the funds raised going? The Princess Margaret Cancer Centre

The Princess Margaret Cancer Centre sees over 1000 patients every day. That is over 1000 lives affected every day. Princess Margaret delivers diagnostic, treatment, and follow-up care to close to 200,000 patients and their families every year. There are 12 site groups and 26 specialty clinics, clinical space, inpatient beds, linear accelerators, a state-of-the-art Magnetic Resonance-guided Radiation Therapy (MRgRT) suite, and two Leksell Gamma Knife Perfexion units, making it one of the largest comprehensive cancer treatment facilities in the world, and the largest radiation treatment centre in Canada.

And all that breakthrough research, exemplary care, and innovations cost money.

The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation is Canada’s largest and leading cancer charity, dedicated to raising funds for the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, one of the world’s top five cancer research centres known for its game-changing scientific achievements and exceptional patient treatment and care. More information about the Foundation can be found at www.thepmcf.ca

The Fight To End Cancer (FTEC) has raised nearly $3 million—and counting—for PMCF. FTEC is proud to support the lifesaving research at The Princess Margaret and the innovators there, such as Dr Jonathan Irish.

Dr Jonathan Crawford Irish

Dr Jonathan Crawford Irish is the Kevin and Sandra Sullivan Chair in Surgical Oncology at The Princess Margaret, and the Professor of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and Head of the Division of Head and Neck Oncology and Reconstructive Surgery at the University of Toronto. Dr Irish leads a multidisciplinary program in Guided Therapeutics at UHN and is currently leading the Guided Therapeutics Core, and is the Director of Clinical Faculty for the TECHNA Institute at UHN. In this capacity, he leads a multidisciplinary team of surgeons, engineers, physicists, and nanoparticle biochemists in the development of novel nanomedicine-based contrast agents, which, in combination with near real-time navigation and tracking systems, can create innovative solutions for minimal-access surgical approaches in cancer therapy.

Dr Irish is a force of power and does incredible work for both cancer research and treatment through the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre.

Dr Irish on his work and the contributions from the FTEC

“The Guided Therapeutics program [helps us to] completely remove a cancer and yet preserve the normal surrounding tissue—improve the quality of life.

“The fact of the matter is that cancer research is really how we move the needle in cancer survival…. The needle is not moved by one Eureka event of discovery, but by many events, small discoveries, built one on another, like building blocks, such that now we have made real impact…of moving that needle of survival for cancer patients.

“That needle movement didn’t happen accidentally. It happened because of investment in research enabled by philanthropic events, philanthropic support…. The Fight to End Cancer is such a great event…. Thank you to the sponsors…that have really engaged and re-engaged in the Fight to End Cancer…their sponsorship will move our needle and continue to move our needle at the Princess Margaret forward for the survival of our patients.”

FTEC Gala & Corporate Events

Established in 2011, our gala event features white-collar men and women stepping into the ring for the first time. The gala includes an elegant gourmet dinner, various entertainers, and an evening of Olympic-style boxing. This unique experience has quickly become one of Toronto’s most anticipated events.

Our corporate event, Friday Night Fights To End Cancer, showcases amateur athletes in intense competition. Both events provide an authentic display of Olympic-style boxing, the result of rigorous training and dedicated fundraising efforts. So far, we have raised nearly $3 million for cancer research, with all proceeds benefiting the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation.

The fight represents months of hard work, dedication, and fundraising to support cancer research. Brave men and women battle in the ring, all while continuing to raise funds and hope for The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation. This year, we aim to reach $3 million in donations, with 100% of all proceeds going to the foundation.

Join us in the fight! Let’s end cancer in our lifetime.

Kingsway Boxing Club

Kingsway Boxing Club was founded by Jennifer Huggins and Virgil Barrow. Over the years they have grown from a 14×14 boxing studio to encompass two locations including a full boxing gym facility with an Olympic-sized ring. The sport of boxing is represented through recreational community programs and amateur competitive programs. In their generosity to give back to the community, Jennifer and Virgil introduced the very first FTEC to raise funds to empower experts like Dr Irish in order to battle cancer. Watch Documentary

DEFEAT IS NOT AN OPTION!

Public Relations Team, Fight To End Cancer
info@fighttoendcancer.com

Donations to our Fight Team can be made at: fighttoendcancer.com.
Photos available upon request.

Interview Opportunities:
Interview Opportunities are available in studio, on site, and via phone or email with:

• Jennifer Huggins (Executive Director and Founder, Fight To End Cancer)
• Virgil Barrow (Fight Team Head Coach, Kingsway Boxing Club)
• FTEC Fight Team members (contacts available upon request)
• Presenting Partners:
  • Landscape Plus Ltd. (Since 2015)
  • Grafton Apparel Ltd. (Since 2014)

About The Fight To End Cancer

The Fight To End Cancer (FTEC) is a year-round initiative driven by ambassadors, sponsors, and volunteers worldwide. Since our inception in 2012, we have donated nearly $3 million to the cause. Funds raised by FTEC go directly to the GTX Program at The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation. Each year, we honour the hard work and dedication of our FTEC family through alternating events: a black-tie charity boxing gala and our newest initiative, The Friday Night Fights ‘To End Cancer’. Our mission is to raise funds for cancer research year-round with the support of the local community and business owners. Together, we will end cancer in our lifetime. Learn More About The Fight To End Cancer.