This year in Alberta, an estimated 6,200 people will die of cancer and 15,900 new cases will be diagnosed. As Alberta’s population grows and the average age of Albertans increase, the projections are for cancer diagnoses and deaths to increase.  While we have made great advances in early detection and treatment, there is still much to be learned about what causes cancer and other predictive measures which could lead to new strategies for prevention, early diagnosis and treatment.

The Tomorrow Project is a large, long-term study that seeks to understand what causes diseases such as cancer, heart disease and other long-term health conditions.   The project launched as a local study in Alberta in 2000, recruiting 30,000 Albertans using random digit dialing.
 

However in 2008, the Tomorrow Project in Alberta joined British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec, and Atlantic Canada to form The Canadian Partnership for Tomorrow Project, a national study that has expanded its protocols to include the collection of more information necessary to better understand the causes of cancer and other diseases. This national initiative aims to track the health of thousands of people over the next 20-30 years and is largely sponsored by the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer.

In Alberta, thanks to provincial partners such as Alberta Innovates-Health Solutions, Alberta Cancer Foundation, Alberta Health Services and at the national level, the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer; the Tomorrow Project will follow the health of Albertans (ages 35 to 69) for the next 50 years starting after March 2013 to gather information on health and lifestyle through surveys and the collection of blood and other specimens. This process includes enlisting new participants in the study as well as hopefully re-enlisting the 30,000 participants who joined the study prior to 2008.

The Tomorrow Project in Alberta has two Study Centres, one in Calgary and one in Edmonton, with combined capacity to process over 350 participants per week.  The project has also created a second option to participate in the study, whereby recruits will be able to fill out the questionnaire at home (either hard copy or online) and be mailed a saliva kit, to be returned to the Tomorrow Project by mail, eliminating the need for a personal study centre visit.

To view the physical measurements examination click here.