WICC Canada - 30 Years | 30 Stories

In 1996, two insurance industry employees, Mabel Sansom and Linda Matthews, had the idea to mobilize the insurance industry to fight back against breast cancer. The Women in Insurance Cancer Crusade (WICC) was born, and a movement began. They invited a group of individuals from the industry to join forces to help find a cure for breast cancer and provide support, education and breast cancer awareness to the insurance industry. What started as a dinner for 200 has grown into a national organization of provincial chapters that has raised over $23.5 million and united the Canadian insurance industry from coast to coast!

Celebrating three decades of bringing Canada’s insurance community together to positively change the future of cancer.

For 30 years, the Women in Insurance Cancer Crusade (WICC) has united Canada’s insurance community around one shared purpose: making a meaningful difference in the lives of Canadians affected by cancer.

What began in 1996 as a grassroots initiative has grown into one of Canada’s most impactful industry-led charitable organizations. Today, thanks to the dedication of our volunteers, National Sponsors, donors and industry partners, WICC has raised more than $23.5 million nationally, including more than $12.8 million through WICC Ontario³ in support of the Canadian Cancer Society.

But our greatest achievement isn’t measured in dollars alone.

It’s measured in the volunteers who have dedicated countless hours to our mission.

The sponsors who have stood beside us year after year.

The industry partners who continue to champion our cause.

And the lives touched through every act of generosity.

Together, these contributions have helped fund world-class cancer research, compassionate support services and education that continue to improve the lives of Canadians from coast to coast.Cancer remains the leading cause of death in Canada, with an estimated 254,800 Canadians expected to be diagnosed this year¹. Approximately 2 in 5 Canadians will face a cancer diagnosis during their lifetime². While we celebrate everything we’ve accomplished together, we also recognize that our work is far from over.

WICC 30 Celebrations launch!

WICC launched its 30th anniversary celebrations at the 29th WICC ON Gala in April 2026, recognizing three decades uniting the insurance industry with the Canadian Cancer Society.

“The continued support of WICC Ontario and the insurance community plays an important role in helping the Canadian Cancer Society fund life-saving research and provide critical support services to Canadians affected by cancer,” said Mathew Capoccia, Senior Manager – Corporate Partnerships, of the Canadian Cancer Society.

“We are incredibly thankful for this longstanding partnership and the meaningful impact it continues to make.”

Canadian Underwriter, one of our biggest supporters, arranged for their Editor, David Gambrill, while attending the gala, to host video interviews with selected attendees. CU will publish story & video content on their site here: CU Community Support – WICC

WICC Co-Chairs Amanda Martin, Garth Pepper and Past Co-Chair, Marilyn Horrick just recently recorded with Pete and Curt from The Insurance Podcast www.theinsurancepodcast.com, an exclusive WICC-themed podcast as part of our 30th Anniversary celebrations.

Stay tuned for the above exciting content!

30 Stories for 30 Years

As part of our 30th anniversary celebration, we’re proud to launch 30 Stories for 30 Years – a year-long storytelling campaign recognizing the volunteers, sponsors, researchers, survivors and community leaders whose passion, generosity and resilience have shaped WICC over the past three decades.

Our series begins with an exclusive Canadian Underwriter interview featuring renowned surgical oncologist and WICC funding beneficiary, Dr. Stanley Liu, alongside a cancer patient. Together, they explore the remarkable progress being made in cancer research, the importance of prevention and early detection, the realities of the patient journey, and the hope created through innovation, compassionate care and community support. Stay tuned for link to interview here.

Their conversation is a powerful reminder that behind every breakthrough in research, every support program and every story of hope are people who have chosen to make a difference. It reflects the very heart of WICC’s mission – and what can be achieved when Canada’s insurance community comes together in support of a common cause.

Whether you’ve supported WICC for years or are discovering our organization for the first time, we invite you to explore our anniversary stories, learn about the impact we’re making together and discover how you can help write the next chapter.

Thanks to the generosity of the Insurance Community, in 2025 WICC Ontario donated to FOUR Cancer Research Grants in recognition of WICC’s 30th Anniversary. 2026 funding recipients to be announced next year.

We are delighted to be able to support Dr. Stanley Liu, Dr. Xiaolong Yang, Dr. Ivan Kosik and Dr. Alibhai Shabbir. See details of the incredible work being funded by WICC Ontario below:

2025 Research Grants Funded By WICC

DR. XIAOLONG YANG | Breast Cancer Research Queen’s University

Providing more treatment options for people with hard-to-treat breast cancers.

A team led by Dr Xiaolong Yang is evaluating a promising new drug target for breast cancer treatment to provide more treatment options for people with hard-to-treat breast cancers. Although there have been many recent advances in breast cancer treatment, it remains the most common cause of death from cancer in woman in Canada. The need for new therapeutic approaches is particularly pressing for people who have their cancer spread to other parts of the body and those who have types of breast cancer that are harder to treat due to genetic mutations. Through generous funding from WICC ON and the Canadian Cancer Society, a team led by Dr Xiaolong Yang is investigating a specific protein found in excess in many breast cancer cells. Building on previous work, the team is creating laboratory models of breast cancer to investigate how this protein influences tumour development. They will study tissue samples donated by people with breast cancer to see whether levels of this protein are correlated to breast cancer survival. Finally, the researchers will evaluate potential drugs to target this protein and better treat some types of breast cancer. If successful, this project could lead to clinical trials for new therapies, improving outcomes for people with breast cancer.

DR STANLEY LIU | Prostate Cancer Research, Sunnybrook Research Institute

Overcoming therapy resistance in advanced prostate cancer that has spread

WICC ON, a team led by Dr Stanley Liu and Dr Thomas Kislinger is developing laboratory models from tumour samples donated by people with advanced prostate cancer. Using these models, the researchers will test hundreds of drugs to find potentially useful therapies. They will also use advanced analysis techniques to identify targets for immune-based therapies.If successful, this project could lead to clinical trials to test new treatment options for people with advanced prostate cancer that has spread to other parts of the body, improving the prognosis for this population.

DR IVAN KOSIK | Breast and Prostate Cancer ResearchPrincess Margaret Cancer Centre – UHN

Enhancing a tumour-killing treatment with more precision

A team led by Dr Ivan Kosik is developing a guidance system to improve accuracy of a low-cost and minimally invasive cancer treatment. Photothermal therapy (PTT) kills tumours by heat generated using laser light delivered through thin optical fibres. This treatment can avoid side effects associated with chemotherapy, radiation and surgery. While showing promise in ongoing clinical trials to treat early-stage prostate cancer, it has become clear that a better “guidance system” is needed to obtain complete tumour kill without risking damage to adjacent normal tissues. Made possible through the generous funding of WICC ON, a team led by Dr Ivan Kosik is investigating a PTT guidance technique that combines optical and ultrasound imaging to help identify and precisely target the tumour to achieve the best treatment response. The team has already performed initial successful tests of the technique in patients receiving thermal treatment and will continue to work with the clinical team to validate and improve the accuracy of the guidance system. If successful, this project could contribute to a novel, safe and effective treatment that could be cost-effectively delivered with no or minimal side effects. This research is supervised by Dr Brian Wilson, whose past CCS-funded projects included developing techniques for monitoring dose and tumour response for photodynamic therapy of cancer and for guiding cancer surgery.

DR ALIBHAI SHABBIR | General Cancer ResearchPrincess Margaret Cancer Centre – UHN

Identifying the risk of toxic side effects of treatment in older people with cancer.

A team led by Dr Shabbir Alibhai is developing a tool to identify the risk of toxic side effects of treatment in older people with cancer, to improve their outcomes.Although chemotherapy is similarly effective in older and younger people with cancer, those who are older are more likely to experience toxic side effects from treatment. Using artificial intelligence, this new tool will help this population and their clinicians make more informed decisions about treatments, as well as identify people who might need more supportive care or treatment modifications to reduce risk. Thanks to the generous support of WICC ON and the Canadian Cancer Society, a team led by Dr Shabbir Alibhai is using treatment and toxicity data from tens of thousands of people already treated for cancer to program the new predictive tool. They will then compare it to other methods currently used to predict whether older people will experience treatment related side effects. By using data already collected from other older people with cancer, the team hopes to find a better way of predicting who will experience side effects in the future.If successful, this project could help clinicians avoid over- or under-treatment and improve the care of many older people with cancer in Canada.

WICC Is 30 Years Old This Year - 6 Ways To Celebrate With Us!

Join the Journey

Whether you’d like to learn more, support our mission or become part of our community, we’d love to connect with you.

#1 – Listen to the Interview:

Explore our exclusive Canadian Underwriter conversation with Dr. Stanley Liu and a cancer patient.

[Interview to follow]

#2 – Support Our Cause and join our $30M Matching pledge:

Join us in our pledge to raise $30 million! Consider donating $30 (or anything else) as a birthday present to WICC. As always, 100% of funds donated go to fund cancer research, support and education and improve the lives of those affected by cancer. This is an opportunity for our industry to stand together to make a difference. By joining WICC in our challenge, you’ll join colleagues, partners, suppliers and friends from across the insurance industry in helping to fund cancer research, support and education and improve the lives of those affected by cancer. Sign me up.

[Donate Today]

#3 – Get personal with WICC

Cancer is personal. WICC was created because of a personal cancer story and, every year, thousands of insurance colleagues experience their own cancer battles, triumphs and losses. Read and Hear how cancer and WICC have impacted the lives of some of some of WICC’s board members, supporters and friends.

Have your own story to share? We’d love to hear from you.

#4 – Upcoming Events

From galas and golf tournaments to networking events and community fundraisers, discover how you can get involved.

[View Events]

#5 – Get Involved

Become a volunteer, explore sponsorship opportunities or join a committee and help make a lasting difference.

[Get Involved]

#6 – Get social with WICC

If you’re not already following us on social media, what are you waiting for? Find us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Be sure to check out our social feeds every hump day for ‘WICC Wednesday’ when we’ll feature photos and stories from the past 30 years.

30 Years By The Numbers

30 Years
Bringing Canada’s insurance community together to positively change the future of cancer.

$23.5M+
Raised nationally in support of the Canadian Cancer Society.³

$12.8M+
Raised by WICC Ontario.³

254,800
Canadians expected to be diagnosed with cancer in 2025.¹

2 in 5
Canadians are expected to be diagnosed with cancer during their lifetime.²

References

¹ Canadian Cancer Society & Statistics Canada. Canadian Cancer Statistics 2025.

² Canadian Cancer Society. Canadian Cancer Statistics 2025.

³ Women in Insurance Cancer Crusade (WICC). National fundraising totals and WICC Ontario fundraising milestones

Personal Stories

Cancer is personal. WICC was created because of a personal cancer story, and every year, thousands of insurance colleagues experience their own cancer battles, triumphs and losses. Below are a few of these personal stories.

Video Messages from Industry Supporters

Cancer is personal. Every year, millions experience their own cancer battles, triumphs and losses. Everyone has a story, whether they have been personally affected, know someone who has, or supports the community in general.

Personal Stories

Video Messages from Industry Supporters

In celebration of WICC’s 30th anniversary, we are setting a new fundraising goal. WICC is aiming to reach $30 million raised in support of cancer research and education. We won’t meet this ambitious goal alone. We’ll need the support of the hundreds of companies that make up and support the insurance community across Canada, as well as all the employees who are part of our committed industry.

WICC’s pledge to raise $30 million is an invitation for the Canadian insurance industry and its employees, supporters and friends to join us in our quest to fund cancer research, support and education and improve the lives of those affected by cancer. By doing so, you’ll join an industry-wide network of individuals who are motivated to make a difference.

Donate Here

If you wish to donate to our $30M Matching Pledge, click below and donate $30, recognizing every year WICC has been working with Canada’s insurance community to help make cancer history. If you would prefer to make a monthly donation, just click on the yellow button below. We’re looking to have at least 30,000 people support our commitment. Imagine the power of that many people working towards a common goal? Thank You For Your Support.

Sign up here for our Newsletter and pledge your support!

By signing up here, we’ll add you to our mailing list (if you weren’t already on it). Don’t worry, it’s not overwhelming, just a few newsletters a year and invitations to local and/or virtual events. You can opt out at any time. Thank You For Your Support.