BC Generations project reaches out

Thanks to the generous support of the BC Cancer Foundation, the BC Generations Project has been “popping up” across British Columbia to recruit participants for the largest cancer prevention study ever conducted in BC.

So far, the Project has operated six pop-up assessment centres, in Kelowna, Prince George, Coquitlam, Victoria, Abbotsford and the North Shore. Each assessment centre has run for four to seven weeks, drawing hundreds of participants from each region. “We’ve been so encouraged by the overwhelming support these communities have shown us,” says Dr. John Spinelli, Principal Investigator for the BC Generations Project and a distinguished scientist at the BC Cancer Agency. “People really appreciate the convenience of joining the Project in their own home town.”

To date, more than 7,500 people have joined the Project by visiting one of its six pop-up assessment centres, and another 1,000 have used the at home option to sign up while an assessment centre was in their region. “We’re so proud to see BC Cancer Foundation donor support at work,” said Doug Nelson, CEO of the BC Cancer Foundation.

WHY IS BC SO HEALTHY?

Is it our West Coast lifestyle? Is it our pristine environment? Or maybe it’s in our genes. It may even be a combination of all three. Researchers still don’t fully know why, but British Columbians are generally healthier than people in other Canadian provinces and territories.

Overall, people in BC have a lower risk of heart disease than the national average. A lower percentage of our citizens have diabetes, and Vancouver has the lowest rate of overweight and obese individuals in the country. But we’re not leading the pack in every health indicator. We eat fewer fruits and vegetables than Ottawa residents and we’re more stressed out than people living in Charlottetown.

Discovering how the combination of genetics, lifestyle and environment contributes to health and disease is the massive task of health researchers across Canada. As a member of the BC Generations Project, you’re contributing to this important research goal. Thank you!

Have you ever wondered what happens to the thousands of blood samples we collect for the BC Generations Project?
Our new video will show you the whole process – from needle poke to freezer farm! Visit bcgen-2017-10.dev/videos to watch.