President and CEO Miyo Yamashita said the gift will be transformational for cancer research, education and care across Canada. She called it the largest single advancement ever made in these fields.

The donor chose to stay anonymous, but a foundation news release said they were motivated by a personal connection to cancer and by the foundation’s goal to remove fear of cancer.

The foundation will use the money for its highest‑priority needs in research, education and patient care, aiming to speed up important innovations.

The donation also triggered the launch of a $2.5‑billion fundraising campaign called “Carry the Fire.” At the time of the announcement, the campaign had already raised just over $1 billion.

Cancer patient Annie Raimondo said the gift gives her hope for cures and thanked generous donors. She said doctors tell her she is stable but not yet cancer‑free.