The BC Cancer Agency is sending out a big thank you this week to acknowledge local residents who have enthusiastically offered 40 minutes of their time to help prevent cancer for future generations.

More than 1,100 participants visited the BC Generations Project’s Coquitlam assessment centre between August 16 and September 20, easily surpassing its recruitment goal.

The BC Generations Project is part of Canada’s largest-ever health research study. The BC Cancer Agency, an agency of the Provincial Health Services Authority, launched the project in 2009 to explore how genetics, environment, lifestyle, and behaviour contribute to our risk of developing cancer, as well as other chronic conditions such as diabetes and heart disease. Any British Columbia resident aged 35 to 69 is eligible to join the project.

The Coquitlam centre saw participants from across the region; most came from Coquitlam, Burnaby, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, New Westminster, and Maple Ridge.

Burnaby resident Ann Roberts received her invitation to join the study by mail and didn’t hesitate to sign up. “It’s an easy thing to do, and it’s a nice thought that this information might one day help someone else,” she notes.

“Everywhere we go, we are struck by people’s support and their enthusiasm to participate,” confirms Marilyn Borugian, PhD, Director, BC Generations Project, BC Cancer Agency. “So many people have been touched by cancer—I think the prospect of one day being able to actually help prevent cancer and other chronic diseases is very motivating for people.”

She continues, “I can’t thank residents enough for their overwhelming support of this important study. In addition to the 1,116 who visited the clinic in person, our recruitment drive prompted another 300 people in the area to join the study by requesting a questionnaire to complete at home. We exceeded our goal of recruiting 1,000 people.”

While the Coquitlam centre is now closed, it’s not too late for residents to take part in this landmark study. Contact the BC Generations Project to request a study package.by calling 604-675-8221or visiting bcgen-2017-10.dev.

Funded primarily through the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer, the BC Generations Project is a participating study of the Canadian Partnership for Tomorrow Project, which consists of a further four regional studies across Canada. It aims to collect health information, along with blood and urine samples, of up to 40,000 British Columbians and 300,000 Canadians overall. To date, the BC Generations Project has recruited more than 14,000 participants.

The BC Generations Project’s Coquitlam assessment centre was made possible with additional funding from the BC Cancer Foundation.