A generous $200,000 gift from CIBC will help Trent University develop an innovative Cancer Care Initiative, which will create career-enhancing experiences for Trent nursing students, build a local community of cancer care nurses, and empower women post-mastectomy who are considering tattooing as an alternative option to make informed decisions. The gift will broaden and deepen Trent nursing students' knowledge of cancer care by giving them the support and specialization required to be career-ready upon graduation.

"With CIBC's support of Trent's Cancer Care Initiative and our mutual belief that education, experience and research are vital tools in the fight against cancer, we can help ensure Trent students have the knowledge and skills to provide the best care for patients," said Dr. Kirsten Woodend, dean of the Trent/Fleming School of Nursing. “For a community like Peterborough, this is also an excellent way to facilitate collaborative learning and knowledge sharing amongst the community of cancer care professionals.”

Reflective of Trent's commitment to providing career-enhancing experiences to every student, the Cancer Care Initiative within the School of Nursing will allow fourth-year nursing students to gain valuable knowledge by completing their final placements in cancer care centres of excellence around the world. It will also build a community of practice within the local cancer care nursing community by bringing together nurses, nursing faculty, students, and interested patients to grow and learn from each other.  

Trent's Cancer Care Initiative will also support innovative research specific to adorning a tattoo over a mastectomized or radiated area – an emerging and increasingly popular choice for breast cancer patients and survivors. Led by Professor Victoria Reid-De Jong in the School of Nursing, the study will ultimately aim to empower and inform women considering a mastectomy tattoo as well as those who work with or support women undergoing breast cancer treatment.

"At CIBC, we are passionate about helping to create a future without breast cancer by actively supporting research, education, and treatment," said Steve Tyers, CIBC senior vice president and region head, Ontario East. "We are proud to support Trent's Cancer Care Initiative, which will allow deserving nursing students to delve deeper and achieve a greater understanding of breast cancer. In this, they will be better able to provide the treatment and care cancer patients need to help them cope with the ramifications of this disease."

This new partnership with CIBC is crucial in creating valuable experiential learning opportunities for Trent students through research and specialized placements, while also helping to improve the cancer care that patients receive locally and abroad.

Learn more about the Trent/Fleming School of Nursing.