For Immediate Release
The Canadian Nurses Foundation (CNF) is pleased to announce a new partnership with Merck Canada supporting research, education and professional development scholarships and awards for oncology nurses, which will ultimately improve oncology care and services for patients, families and communities throughout their cancer journey.
Applications are now open. https://cnf-fiic.ca/scholarship-and-awards/
Given that lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in men and women in Canada, we are excited to welcome a scholarship aimed at encouraging focused research in this important area. It is also fitting that the application for this particular scholarship is being announced during this month of November, which is also Lung Cancer Awareness Month. Nurses play a vital role throughout the healthcare system, including oncology – from helping patients navigate through our complex cancer care systems, providing highly technical and supportive care as well as providing critical moral support for patients and families in their time of need. This role has become even more important during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has not only presented immense challenges for patients but also forced nurses to work harder, longer, and with greater responsibilities than ever before.
“CNF’s education program is so fortunate to be adding new scholarships dedicated for nurses to improve oncology care for patients across the country, especially during this International Year of the Nurse and Midwife.” Reports Christine Rieck Buckley, CEO, Canadian Nurses Foundation. “The learnings obtained will ultimately benefit patients, health systems, and our collective fight against cancer.”
In addition to the PhD research scholarship in the area of lung cancer and immunotherapy, the fourth pillar of cancer care, alongside surgery, radiation and chemotherapy, Merck Canada is also sponsoring a CNF master’s education scholarship in Oncology, as well as a series of professional development awards in oncology nursing certification.
“Merck Canada greatly appreciates the critical role nurses play in research and patient care and we are proud to sponsor these scholarships, which will provide nurses with important training on the latest cancer treatments’ says Anna Van Acker, President of Merck Canada. “As Canadian cancer patients continue to face COVID-related anxiety about their care and treatment, it is important that nurses have the support and education they need to best assist patients during these difficult times.”
For further information, contact:
Chris McGarvey
Director of Development, CNF
Email: cmcgarvey@cnf-fiic.ca
About the Canadian Nurses Foundation
The Canadian Nurses Foundation supports world-class Canadian health care by raising funds to advance nursing knowledge and research, and by recognizing professional merit in Canada’s nurses. We invest in nursing excellence for better patient care. Visit cnf-fiic.ca and connect with us on Facebook and Twitter. About Merck For more than 125 years, Merck, known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, has been inventing for life, bringing forward medicines and vaccines for many of the world’s most challenging diseases in pursuit of our mission to save and improve lives. We demonstrate our commitment to patients and population health by increasing access to health care through far-reaching policies, programs and partnerships. Today, Merck continues to be at the forefront of research to prevent and treat diseases that threaten people and animals – including cancer, infectious diseases such as HIV and Ebola, and emerging animal diseases – as we aspire to be the premier research-intensive biopharmaceutical company in the world.
For more information about our operations in Canada, visit
www.merck.ca and connect with us on YouTube and Twitter @MerckCanada