Residents of Cochrane are being asked to participate in a study that could track their health status for more than 50 years in an attempt to eliminate cancer.
The Tomorrow Project was developed by Alberta Health Services and is calling on 50,000 Albertans ages 35 to 69 for the study by mid 2012.
Principal investigator with the project Paula Robson said it’s an opportunity to beat the “devastating disease” for good.
“While we can develop and treat cancers, we need to learn an awful lot about how to prevent them so people can not hear, ‘sorry, you have cancer,’” said Robson.
According to Robson, one in two Albertans will develop a cancer in their lifetime and one in four will die from it.
“With the statistics… everybody knows someone who has developed this disease,” she said.
Currently, 15,000 Albertans have joined the project, but Robson said more women are participating and she encourages men to enrol.
“If we are going to learn what causes men’s cancer as well, we hope they consider signing up,” said Robson, whose father had prostate cancer.
Cochrane is one of 13 communities the project will travel to over the course of August and September.
The town’s mayor Truper McBride was present at an information session for the project, Aug. 24, and said he fully supports the idea.
“I’m really happy that Cochrane is participating in it,” he said. “We always talk about being people of vision and this falls into that category.”
McBride’s grandmother died of lung cancer 10 years ago and one of his closest friends is currently dying of the disease.
“It’s in everybody’s life,” said McBride, 34. “Think of your children and future grandchildren who will benefit from the study that’s done.”
The Project has also received a celebrity endorsement from Calgary philanthropist and businessman W. Brett Wilson, a prostate cancer survivor.
“The toughest fight of my life was not in the boardroom or on TV, it was with cancer,” said Wilson in a promotional video for The Tomorrow Project. “I beat prostate cancer and I’m happy to be alive and well. To me, this isn’t about our lives — yours and mine — it’s about saving the lives of generations to come.”
Those who choose to enrol will be asked questions about their health, lifestyle and to provide physical measurements as well as small amounts of blood, urine or saliva. Appointments must be made and take about one hour.
For more information, visit www.in4tomorrow.ca
