Pat Jacobsen
Chair and Interim CEO, BC Cancer Foundation
The BC Cancer Foundation is the fundraising arm of the BC Cancer Agency. It received its first donation, of $50, in 1935.
What was 2008 “The Year Of”?
Heightened Interest in Targeting Donations. There is no doubt that in 2008 more and more donors were interested in investing in specific areas of cancer research – either a tumour group or a part of the province where they wanted their dollars to stay.
What keeps you up at night?
Making sure that we have the CEO that can lead the foundation to that next level.
If you could wave a magic wand, what would appear – or disappear – on Jan. 1?
I’d make cancer disappear. I’d make my job disappear.
What’s your top goal for 2009?
Funding research that has the greatest impact on people’s lives. Focusing on cancers that affect the most people – lung, breast and colon – or those cancers that respond best to research.
In your world, what needs to happen to make 2009 a success?
We need to continue to raise significant funds in this province. If we’ve been raising $20 million a year, we should double it to $40 million.
