Southern Interior residents are invited to participate in the largest cancer prevention study in Canadian history.
The B.C. Generations Project stopped in Kelowna Wednesday morning to encourage local residents between the ages of 35 to 69 to sign up.
The project was launched in 2009 by the B.C. Cancer Agency to explore how genetics, environment, lifestyle and behaviour contribute to the risk of developing cancer, as well as other chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.
It will run for 30 years.
It aims to collect health information, along with blood and urine samples of 40,000 British Columbians by 2012; all information will be anonymous.
The project is part of a nationwide study that will include 300,000 Canadians from five provinces.
“The BC Generations Project is a significant undertaking,” said Wynne Powell, Provincial Health Services Authority Chair. “It will result in a massive collection of high quality, highly-secure data that can be used in cancer research studies for decades. And because many of the risk factors for cancer are also risk factors for other diseases, the project will also benefit approved health research in many other areas.”
The B.C. Generations Project clinic is located in the Westbank Valley Medical Lab at 2427 Main Street.
It will be open from January 6 to February 5.
For more information about the study and how to get involved, call 604-675-8221, toll free at 1-877-675-8221 or visit www.bcgenerationsproject.ca
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