The $3 million Enbridge Endowed Research Chair in Psychosocial Oncology in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Calgary conducts high-quality, nationally funded research into the emotional care of cancer patients and their families. Psychosocial oncology is a specialization focused on understanding and treating the social, psychological, emotional, spiritual and functional aspects of cancer.

Created in 2006, the chair is the first of its kind in Canada and one of only a few in the world dedicated to this area of cancer. Through a partnership with the Alberta Cancer Foundation and the Canadian Cancer Society, Enbridge donated $1.2 million to establish the research chair as a centennial gift to Albertans and it's now part of an Alberta Cancer Foundation endowment established through a 1996 Enbridge-sponsored campaign to create a stable source of funding for cancer research. The Conquering Cancer Research Endowment Fund now exceeds $48 million.

“We like to say that Enbridge has the energy to make a difference,” says Patrick Daniel, Enbridge’s President and CEO. “More than 81,000 of our fellow Albertans are living with cancer and we’re pleased to invest in research to support their healing in all its dimensions.”

Dr. Linda E. Carlson, Alberta Cancer Board Clinical Psychologist, Psychosocial Oncology, was the inaugural recipient of the Enbridge Research Chair in 2007. Since her appointment, Dr. Carlson has spearheaded a number of initiatives aimed at reducing the stress associated with manager cancer. These include strategies and programs to screen for distress in newly diagnosed patients and connect them with the support services they need as early as possible in the cancer journey;  work on distress prevalence and evidence-based alternative therapies to help patients reduce stress and improve quality of life through activities such as yoga and meditation; and, to help patients deal with the aftermath of cancer through the creation of Canada's first comprehensive program for cancer survivors. She is also currently conducting a clinical program looking at the effects of interventions such as acupuncture and Reiki on mood and stress.

Learn more about the importance of psychosocial research for cancer patients by visiting the University of Calgary website.