Most discussions about stem cells focus on their promise and potential—about what could happen. And rightly so. There’s still so much to accomplish. But it’s also important for us to take an honest look at where we’ve been and then look at what impact stem cell science can have.

A Canadian Legacy 

Stem cells represent one of the most significant developments in modern medical science  They were discovered by Canadians researchers Drs. James Till & Ernest McCulloch in Toronto just over 50 years ago.

Their work was not only recognized with a Lasker Award—often considered the North American equivalent of the Nobel Prize—but their discovery caught the attention of generations of Canadians scientists who have taken it further.

Today, Canada’s researchers are globally recognized leaders. In a review published in Nature Immunology in 2002, almost half of the 35 most significant stem cell papers published in the last half of the 20^th century were authored by Canadians. It doesn’t matter if you’re talking about neural stem cells, retinal stem cells, skin stem cells, cancer stem cells or others, you’re going to be talking about Canadians. We’re also internationally respected for our expertise in the ethical, legal and social issues that arise from stem cell science.

Transforming Health—Transforming Health Care

The potential of stem cell science to help those who are living with disease and other serious medical conditions is clear. With stories such as those of Jennifer Molson, we know what’s possible and we can see some early successes.

When we think about the impact of stem cells on our health care system, the potential is no less important. For example, there are about 1,500 spinal cord injuries in Canada every year. The direct costs of treatment are approximately $500,000 per case. If stem cell science can help to repair spinal nerve cells, we could potentially save as about  $800 million. Treat diabetes: $3.5 billion. Heart disease: $1 billion. Strokes: $700 million. Include Parkinson’s, hemophilia A, MS and macular degeneration, and we could reduce health care costs by as much as $8.5 billion annually.

There’s also the economic impact of new infrastructure and support industries as stem cell therapies begin to reach patients. In fact, even in 2005, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services estimated that the regenerative medicine market would grow to as much as $500 billion globally.

Canada is better positioned than most to continue to lead in this field. We were the pioneers of stem cell research and we continue to be globally recognized leaders. We have the opportunity to transform our health care system and create new opportunities in the economy. And at the centre of all of this is the health of those we love. The lives that can be transformed as new therapies reach the clinic.

Canada has shown true leadership in stem cell science. The original discovery was made here and the pioneering work of James Till and Ernest McCulloch’s established the foundation for generations of scientists who continue to show their leadership.

New Leaders Are Supporting the Stem Cell Cause

Today, as scientists make new discoveries and we move closer to the clinical application of stem cell science, new leaders are joining the cause. Philanthropists, celebrities, and business leaders are committing to support stem cell science and ensuring that Canada builds on its legacy of leadership in stem cell science.

Their leadership is raising awareness of the cause. They are lending their expertise, making financial commitments, and sharing the promise of stem cell science with others. Their contributions are critical in providing guidance to the Foundation as we build broad-based support among Canadians.

A Distinguished Business and Community Leader

As the work of the Foundation grows, our Board of Directors has grown as well. Today, we are pleased to introduce one of the newest members of the Board, Mr. Stephen Snyder.

Mr. Snyder is a distinguished business and community leader. He has led the growth and development of a number of major Canadian businesses as President & CEO including TransAlta Corporation, Camco Inc., Noma Industries Ltd., and GE Canada. He is also a Director of Intact Financial Corporation and a past Director of CIBC, Canadian Hunter and Zenon Environmental.

His commitment to the community is no less impressive. Mr. Snyder has been asked to Chair a number of prestigious charitable and non-profit organizations including:

• The Calgary Stampede Foundation Campaign
• The Alberta Secretariat to End Homelessness
• The Canada-Alberta ecoEnergy Carbon Capture & Storage Task Force
• The Conference Board of Canada
• The Calgary Zoological Society and the Zoo’s “Destination Africa” capital campaign
• The Canadian Electrical Association
• The United Way of Calgary and Area

Mr. Snyder’s contributions have been widely recognized. In 2005, he was awarded the Alberta Centennial Medal in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the province. In 2008, he received the Honorary Associate Award from The Conference Board of Canada, and in 2009 he was awarded the Chamber of Commerce Sherrold Moore Award of Excellence.

We are honoured that Mr. Snyder has chosen to dedicate his time and his passion to the Canadian Stem Cell Foundation. His leadership complements the commitments made by our other distinguished Board Members to reinforce Canada’s continued leadership in the field of stem cell science.

This fall, the Ontario chapter of the World Presidents’ Organization (WPO) invited the Canadian Stem Cell Foundation to lead their members in discussion about the power and promise of stem cell science.
 

Canada’s Business Leaders Want to Know More About Stem Cells

The mission of the WPO, whose members lead multi-million-dollar companies, is a simple one: better leaders through education and idea exchange. Clearly, Canada’s leaders want to know more about stem cell science:  the event, held at the Corus Entertainment offices in Toronto, “sold out” almost immediately after it was announced. The more than 120 business leaders and their guests who took more than a half-day out of their busy schedules to attend came away with a deeper understanding of stem cell science, Canada’s strength in the field, and what the future may hold.
 

A Unique Conversation

Dr. Alan Bernstein (Chair of the Canadian Stem Cell Foundation Board) led the conversation and, with the help of six panelists, walked the WPO participants through the promise, the politics, and the opportunities of stem cell science.

The Promise

Dr. Mick Bhatia, Director of the Stem Cell and Cancer Research Institute at McMaster University provided an overview of the current state of the research and how it is being applied in clinics today.

Deborah Sissmore shared her experiences of being diagnosed with diabetes as a child and losing her sight as a result of complications. Ms. Sissmore was one of the first patients to successfully receive an islet cell transplant (also called the Edmonton Protocol) to treat her condition.

The Politics

Prof. Tim Caulfield, Research Director of the Health Law and Science Policy Group at the University of Alberta, walked the participants through the social, ethical, legal and public policy issues that have emerged around stem cells — everything from the use of embryonic stem cells and cloning to stem cell tourism and stem cell fraud.

The Honourable Anne McLellan (former Deputy Prime Minister, Minster of Public Safety, and Federal Minister of Health) shared her perspectives on the political environment and issues that arose as Canada developed the first international framework for stem cell research.

The Opportunities

WPO members also heard about the opportunities and challenges of commercializing stem cell research. Greg Bonfiglio (Chair of the Centre for Commercialization of Regenerative Medicine in Toronto) helped frame the technical, financial and intellectual property challenges, putting stem cell technology and therapeutics in context with other technology sectors.

Dr. Allen Eaves (Founder & CEO of STEMCELL Technologies) shared his experiences in building STEMCELL Technologies into one of Canada’s most successful biotechnology companies. Dr. Eaves also offered his thoughts on what will be required to help build other strong Canadian companies in the field of stem cell science.

This Was Just The Beginning

Throughout the discussion WPO members asked questions and shared their thoughts about stem cell science, Canada’s strength in the field, the impact it’s having today, and what the future holds. And the event didn’t end there.

Many WPO members participated in tours of stem cell laboratories. Cheryl McEwen, whose husband Rob is a WPO member, welcomed members to the McEwen Centre for Regenerative Medicine and Dr. Gordon Keller, one of Canada’s leading researchers, gave a tour of the facilities, outlining the progress that the Centre has made.

Members also visited Dr. Bhatia’s lab at McMaster’s Stem Cell and Cancer Research Institute. He and his team gave the WPO behind-the-scenes access to the work that is underway in the labs today.

We would like to thank the WPO members and guests, as well as the panelists, for their commitment and their focused and engaged discussion. In particular, we would like to offer special thanks for the leadership of WPO members Fred Jacques who chaired the event and Robb Chase who is the WPO education chair. A key role of the Foundation is to help Canadians understand stem cell science. We deeply appreciated the opportunity to provide the World Presidents’ Organization with a trusted, reliable, and grounded view of the power and promise of stem cell science.

As we’ve collectively celebrated the discovery of stem cells over the last year, we’ve witnessed some incredible moments. Moments that demonstrate how quickly the leadership and support for stem cell science are growing.

A Renewed Awareness

In March, we held the Renew the World Gala in Toronto, where stem cells were first discovered. The Gala marked the 50^th anniversary of the discovery of stem cells by Drs. Till & McCulloch, and introduced 500 influential Canadians to this extraordinarily important field.

Heather Hiscox of CBC News: Morning hosting the Renew the World Gala
Click on the image to see the CBC coverage.

Canadian Leadership

Like all progress, the Gala succeeded because of the dedication and commitment of individuals and organizations with passion for a cause. 20 major companies demonstrated their support and were joined by 50 leading stem cell scientists who spent the evening sharing their experiences, their breakthroughs, and their aspirations for the future.

The Gala also marked the official launch of the Canadian Stem Cell Foundation. This was supported by our Board of Directors that continues to grow. We are pleased to welcome Mr. Peter MacKinnon to the Board after his recent retirement as President and Vice Chancellor of the University of Saskatchewan. Three more preeminent scientists also joined the distinguished stem cell pioneers on our Science Leadership Council.

Inspiring Commitment

This year, we initiated our first major gifts leadership campaign. And we have already  recruited 10 prominent Canadian business leaders and philanthropists as Founding Members of the Till & McCulloch Leadership Circle and as part of that secured our first $1,000,000 donation as a multi-year gift.

The Future is Emerging Now

We’re continuing to build on the inspiring year we have experienced so far. Awareness of the importance of stem cell science is growing. Canadian leadership is growing. Support for stem cell science is growing.

An important step we are taking is growing our team. We have begun looking for a Director of Development, and we will be adding a Program and Communications Officer later this year. These are important additions to the Foundation, particularly as we look to the future when we will be:

• Increasing our impact with new programs and outreach initiatives
• Expanding our Board of Directors
• Securing the support of prominent Canadians in the Leadership Circle campaign
• Further establishing our offices in Ottawa and Toronto
• Building our leadership in Western Canada
• Extending our presence in Quebec and Atlantic Canada
• Developing our long-term strategic plan

The inspiring progress that has been achieved in the last year is the result of a shared sense of purpose. Canada’s leadership in stem cell science is globally respected, and we’re proud of that. But more importantly, we can see that continued advances hold the potential to rid the world of heartbreaking disease.

In the year ahead, we ask you to lend your support and commitment. Together we are laying the groundwork for the next 50 years.