The Impact of the Défi Canderel at the GCI: Investing in the future

As the year draws to a close, members of the Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Institute (GCI) are reflecting on the meaningful impact of donor support on advancements in cancer research. Canderel is a pillar of the GCI’s donor community, leading fundraising efforts through the annual Défi Canderel and providing studentships to support trainees.

The Défi Canderel was established by Montreal businessman Jonathan Wener with the goal of supporting pioneering, curiosity driven research. This is effectively achieved through providing unrestricted funding to the GCI and the Montreal Cancer Institute, giving these institutes the flexibility to explore unforeseen opportunities and attract top talent. Unrestricted giving allows experts to allocate resources where they will have the most effective impact, unencumbered by the specificity that traditional funding sources often require.

Investing in young cancer researchers yieldsa high return on investment. The Canderel studentships invest in students at the beginning of their graduate careers and allow them to leverage this recognition into future research and funding returns. Recipients of theses scholarships often secure major funding from national and provincial scholarship competitions in the following years, turning the investment from Canderel into further research funding.

These awards also provide crucial support for international students who are often ineligible to receive scholarships from Canadian governmental funding agencies. By enabling the GCI to better support exceptional students from around the world, Canderel funding helps the GCI attract and retain top talent in the field. Learn more about trainees supported by Canderel studentships and the broad reach and impact of this funding.

The support of the Défi exemplifies the profound impact philanthropy can have on advancing cancer research and training future scientific leaders. By providing flexible funding and investing in young researchers, this funding enables the GCI to seize new opportunities, foster innovation, and attract top talent from around the globe. The Défi Canderel’s commitment plays a critical role in the GCI’s mission to understand and treat cancer.