By Anne Craig, Communications Officer

The 7 Days in May fundraising event has returned to Queen’s University after raising $31,000 last year. All of the funds raised by the seven-day bike ride are donated to the NCIC Clinical Trials Group (NCIC CTG) at Queen’s University for its pancreatic cancer research.

Gord Townley (l) presents a 7 Days in May jersey to Chris O'Callaghan, NCIC Senior Investigator.

“The 7 Days in May fundraising ride is a wonderful tribute and we are very grateful to the 7 Days in May Foundation for raising awareness about pancreatic cancer and for the PA.6 trial in particular,” says incoming NCIC CTG Director Janet Dancey. “Their support of the NCIC CTG enables us to conduct research that we hope will ultimately help to improve the lives of patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.”

Gord Townley founded the 7 Days in May Foundation in memory of his mother Lorraine Townley. After being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in December 2009, Ms. Townley became an advocate for others by participating in clinical trials before dying in November 2011.

“People don't know much about pancreatic cancer, but it has brutal survival statistics - below 5 per cent - and the statistics have not improved in 40 years,” says Mr. Townley. “7 Days in May is dedicated to finding a cure for this deadly disease and we partner with the NCIC CTG to help them find a way to improve the survival odds for those patients who are eligible for surgery.”

“I am so very grateful for the effort of 7 Days in May to support research into this deadly tumour,” says interim NCIC CTG Director Elizabeth Eisenhauer. “Much is yet to be done to improve the outcome of pancreatic cancer and it is heartening to have a dedicated volunteer organization such as 7 Days in May make this a priority.”

Jim Biagi, Chris O'Callaghan and NCIC incoming director Janet Dancey discuss the ride.

NCIC CTG is an academic clinical trials cooperative oncology group that conducts phase I-III trials testing anti-cancer and supportive therapies across Canada and internationally. It is one of the national programs and networks of the Canadian Cancer Society Research Institute CCSRI, and is supported by the Canadian Cancer Society. The NCIC CTG’s Central Operations and Statistics Office is located at Queen’s University.