Although the announcement had been planned for some time, an additional $3 million donation to support the fight against cancer is even more poignant given that Archie Verspeeten’s son Ron died of cancer on Wednesday morning.
The second $3 million gift from Archie and his late wife Irene Verspeeten brings the couple’s total donations in support of the Archie and Irene Verspeeten Clinical Genome Center at the London Health Sciences Center (LHSC) to $6 million.
This donation gives patients access to advanced genetic testing, clinical trials and studies that allow them to explore additional treatment options that would otherwise not be available to patients with genetically complex diseases.
“The Verspeeten Clinical Genome Center at the London Health Sciences Center has already had a profound impact on the lives of patients at the LHSc and on patient care across Ontario, the reality is the best is yet to come,” said John MacFarlane, President and CEO of London Health Sciences Foundation.
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“As research breakthroughs are discovered and new treatment options explored, the Verspeeten Clinical Genome Center has the opportunity to completely redefine the standard of care and how patients are treated.”
“Archie and Irene’s vision and passion to find a cure for cancer is a driving force to make everything possible through the center.”
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“A first of its kind in Canada” – LHSC announced the Clinical Genome Center
Archie’s late wife, Irene, and his two sons, Alan and now Ron, all died of cancer, which was the original focus of the Verspeeten Clinical Genome Center in collaboration with the Baker Center for Pancreatic Cancer.
“As I was nearly two years ago, I am still honored today that we can support a life-changing program like the Verspeeten Clinical Genome Center,” said Archie Verspeeten. “My wife Irene and I know firsthand the costs that a cancer diagnosis can cause. I do not wish for any family to endure such pain or patient to endure such suffering.”
With this latest donation, LHSC officials say they will be able to further expand the genetic profiling offered to include other known biomarkers, as well as expand laboratory infrastructure and epigenomic testing capabilities.
Archie and Irene Verspeeten’s Clinical Genome Center, which opened in October 2020, is the first of its kind in Canada, enabling physicians to more accurately diagnose patients based on their genes, predict the progression of their disease, and provide new and highly targeted treatment options.
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“Donor funding has allowed us to recruit a highly skilled team of researchers and scientists to drive innovation,” said Dr. Bekim Sadikovic. “With the network we have created and the work already completed in advanced data analysis, we have become a leading epigenomic testing company. We are truly on the cusp of something remarkable that will completely redefine the way we treat patients.”
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