WINNERS ANNOUNCED: 2026 LUNG AMBITION AWARDS

$100,000 CAD granted to projects focused on improving equitable access to lung cancer care by assessing and addressing the barriers people face

TORONTO, Oct. 6, 2026 /CNW/ -- Lung Cancer Canada, The Lung Ambition Alliance and AstraZeneca Canada announced the winners of the 2026 Lung Ambition Awards, a Canadian-based research awards program designed to help improve the lives of people living with lung cancer.

For the program's fourth year, Lung Ambition Award grants of $50,000 each will be awarded to the following research teams:

• Dr. Christian Finley leads a research team at St. Joseph's Healthcare in Hamilton, Ontario, that will try to ascertain where lung cancer cases are located. Specifically, geospatial mapping (postal-code-level analysis based on equity stratisfiers) will help identify areas of need. Then, an equity-based analysis will be overlaid to identify underserved populations.
  
  
• Dr. Daniel French is a thoracic surgeon at the Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He leads a research team that will compare two types of delivery models for lung cancer care in rural populations: a community-based thoracic clinic in Cape Breton vs the traditional model in Prince Edward Island, where people travel to Halifax for care. Healthcare utilization, access, and patient and provider experiences will be evaluated.

"Since the Lung Ambition Awards program launched four years ago, addressing disparities and improving equity has been a core area of interest because we know factors like residency, income and other social determinants in health play an important role in lung cancer outcomes," said Dr. Rosalyn Juergens, medical oncologist and President of Lung Cancer Canada. "This year, both Lung Ambition Award winners' research projects focus on improving access to lung cancer care by examining the barriers people face in order to improve policies and decision-making."

Lung cancer remains the most diagnosed cancer in Canada (excluding non-melanoma skin cancers) and is the leading cause of death from cancer in this country.ⁱ In Canada, the five-year survival rate for lung cancer is only 22% – significantly lower than prostate (91%), breast (89%) and colorectal (67%) cancers.ⁱⁱ Despite its devastating impact, on average, lung cancer receives a small fraction of the research dollars of other cancers, in part due to stigma that compromises fundraising efforts.ⁱⁱⁱ

In 2026, the Lung Ambition Awards received 28 applications from research teams across Canada. All submissions were reviewed and adjudicated solely by Lung Cancer Canada's Research Committee. The winners were chosen based on scientific merit, feasibility, alignment with the award criteria, and relevance to the Canadian lung cancer community. To support the awards, AstraZeneca Canada committed $100,000 per year for four years. A total of eight research grants of $50,000 CAD have been awarded (two per year), for a total of $400,000 CAD directed to lung cancer research.

"At AstraZeneca Canada, we believe meaningful progress in lung cancer depends on supporting Canadian researchers who understand the needs and realities of patients and communities across the country," said Marc Zarenda, Therapeutic Area Lead, Lung Cancer, AstraZeneca Canada. "Our continued investment in the Lung Ambition Awards reflects our commitment to advancing evidence-based solutions that can improve access, strengthen the coordination of care and promote greater health equity for Canadians. We value our longstanding partnership with Lung Cancer Canada and are proud to support research teams whose work can help inform better policies, improve patient outcomes and bring us closer to eliminating lung cancer as a cause of death."

Complete information about the Lung Ambition Awards and application guidelines can be found at www.lccresearch.ca.

About the Lung Ambition Awards

The Lung Ambition Awards, a joint initiative between Lung Cancer Canada, The Lung Ambition Alliance, and AstraZeneca Canada, is a Canadian-based lung cancer research awards program designed to help improve the lives of people living with lung cancer. The Lung Ambition Awards will award two to three research grants per year, with a maximum award of $50,000 CAD each. This is the fourth year of the program.

Awards are granted to research work being done to improve patient care in any of the following areas:

• Enhancing early detection – including research into methodologies like screening, incidental pulmonary nodules and blood-based testing, particularly for those individuals not meeting current screening criteria
• Improving the timeliness and/or coordination of care – including ways in which institutions or healthcare systems can improve care along the patient pathway
• Addressing disparities to improve equity – including identification of systemic barriers and ways to overcome them

About the Lung Ambition Awards Partners

• Lung Cancer Canada is a registered national charity that serves as Canada's leading resource for lung cancer education, patient support, research, and advocacy. Based in Toronto, Ontario, Lung Cancer Canada has a wide reach that includes both regional and pan-Canadian initiatives. Lung Cancer Canada is a member of the Global Lung Cancer Coalition and is the only national organization in Canada focused exclusively on lung cancer.
• AstraZeneca is a global, innovation-driven biopharmaceutical business with a focus on the discovery, development, and commercialization of medicines that transform lives. AstraZeneca's core areas of scientific focus are Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolic (CVRM) disease; Oncology; Rare Disease; Respiratory & Immunology; and Vaccine & Immune Therapies.
• The Lung Ambition Alliance is a global coalition, with cross-discipline partners in more than 50 countries dedicated to accelerating innovation and driving meaningful improvements for people with lung cancer. With the bold ambition to one day eliminate cancer as a cause of death, the Alliance is focused on three core areas: increasing screening & diagnosis; delivering innovative medicine; and enhancing the quality of care for lung cancer patients.

References

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ⁱ Lung Cancer Canada, 2022 Hard facts infographic, available online at: https://www.lungcancercanada.ca/en-CA/Resources/The-Hard-Facts-Poster.aspx

ⁱⁱ Lung Cancer Canada, 2022 Hard facts infographic, available online at: https://www.lungcancercanada.ca/en-CA/Resources/The-Hard-Facts-Poster.aspx

ⁱⁱⁱ Kamath, Suneel D, et al. "Comparison of Cancer Burden and Nonprofit Organization Funding Reveals Disparities in Funding Across Cancer Types." Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network : JNCCN, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 1 July 2019, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31319386.

SOURCE Lung Cancer Canada

For more information about the Lung Ambition Awards, please contact Winky Yau at [email protected].