Quick Facts

About the de Souza Institute

  • Established in May 2008 with $15 million funding from the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.
  • Named in honour of Anna Maria de Souza, a distinguished Toronto philanthropist and founder of the Brazilian Carnival Ball. The Ball raised over $53 million for a variety of charitable institutions, most in the area of health care.
  • The de Souza Institute is an innovative centre of learning dedicated to improving cancer care for Ontarians by supporting excellence in oncology nursing. It offers nurses who provide care for oncology patients in any setting and phase of the cancer care journey with:
    • Funding and educational support to help them achieve certification in the specialties of oncology and palliative care/hospice
    • Continuing education such as workshops and symposia
    • Mentorship programs
    • Funding for graduate studies and graduate courses
    • Career development
    • Self-care support.

Cancer in Ontario

  • One person in Ontario gets diagnosed with cancer every eight minutes.
  • 39 per cent of women and 44 per cent of men will develop cancer in their lifetime.
  • In the next 10 years, Ontario will see a 40 per cent increase in the number of people living with cancer.
  • In 2007, 172 people in Ontario were diagnosed with cancer each day. By 2017, the number of newly diagnosed cases is expected to jump to 228 per day, unless there are significant changes to cancer prevention.
    (Source: Ontario Cancer Plan 2008-2011, Cancer Care Ontario.)
“ The de Souza Institute is an innovative centre of learning dedicated to improving cancer care for Ontarians by supporting excellence in oncology nursing.”
Quick Facts