OUR INITIATIVES 

Initiative: Hold’em For Life Oncology Fellowship Program
Beneficiary: University of Toronto’s Faculty of Medicine and all fully affiliated hospitals
Duration: 2019 – current
Funding: Up to $2M annually

Benefits of this awards program include:

• Bridging the gap between the laboratory bench and the patient bedside.
• Attracting the brightest and most promising trainees and fellows from across the country and the world. These remarkable individuals are critical to Canada’s ability to unlock the potential of new diagnostics and therapeutics, and the dissemination of new knowledge.
• Improving clinical care and building clinical capacity at hospitals, to ensure patients receive more personalized attention.
• Creating a ripple effect around the globe, as many fellows are international, and will return home with their newfound knowledge and expertise.

With one in two people facing a cancer diagnosis in their lifetime, the future health of all Canadians will depend on our ability to attract and retain the brightest medical minds.

Initiative: Paediatric Neuro-oncology Fellowship Endowment
Beneficiary: University of Toronto’s Temerty Faculty of Medicine
Duration: 2022 – current
Funding: $1M

Established through a $1 million endowment at the University of Toronto’s Temerty Faculty of Medicine, this fund supports advanced fellowship training in paediatric neuro-oncology within the Department of Surgery. The endowment provides ongoing funding for physicians specializing in the treatment and research of childhood brain and spinal cord cancers. By supporting highly specialized training in perpetuity, the fellowship helps advance care and outcomes for children facing some of the most complex cancers.

Initiative: Uro-Oncology Fellowship Endowment
Beneficiary: University of Toronto’s Temerty Faculty of Medicine
Duration: 2022 – current
Funding: $2M

Established through a $1 million gift matched by the University of Toronto’s Temerty Faculty of Medicine, this $2 million endowment supports advanced fellowship training in uro-oncology within the Department of Surgery. The fund provides permanent support for physicians specializing in cancers of the urinary tract and male reproductive system, including prostate, bladder, and kidney cancers. By funding specialized training in perpetuity, the fellowship helps advance innovative research and improve patient care.

Initiative: Hold’em For Life Early Career Cancer Research Professorships
Beneficiary: University of Toronto’s Temerty Faculty of Medicine
Duration: 2023 – current
Funding: $4M

Hold’em For Life is supporting 18 Early Career Professorships in cancer research at the University of Toronto, providing $4.05 million in funding over three years. These positions help recruit and support promising early-career scientists as they establish independent research programs focused on advancing cancer discovery and treatment. By investing in emerging leaders in oncology research, this initiative strengthens the future of cancer research in Toronto.

Initiative: Sinai Oncology Clinician Scientist Awards
Beneficiary: Sinai Health Foundation
Duration: 2025 – current
Funding: $4.2M

Through a $4.2 million commitment to Sinai Health System, the Hold’em For Life Sinai Oncology Clinician Scientist Awards support physicians pursuing advanced training at the intersection of clinical care and cancer research. Fellows dedicate time to both patient care and research across medical oncology, surgical oncology, and pathology. By supporting clinician-scientists early in their careers, the program helps accelerate discoveries that translate directly into improved cancer treatments.

Initiative: CBRE & Jeff Friedman Hold’em For Life Fellowship
Beneficiary: University of Toronto’s Temerty Faculty of Medicine
Duration: 2025 – current
Funding: $1M

Established through a $1 million endowment at the University of Toronto’s Temerty Faculty of Medicine, the CBRE Friedman Hold’em for Life Fellowship supports advanced cancer research within the Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathobiology. The fellowship provides funding for emerging researchers studying the biological and molecular mechanisms of cancer. By supporting innovative laboratory research, the program helps drive discoveries that lead to improved diagnostics, treatments, and patient outcomes.

Initiative: Hold’em For Life Israeli Fellowship Program
Beneficiary: Princess Margaret Cancer Centre
Duration: 2025 – current
Funding: $2M

Through a $2 million commitment to Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, the Hold’em For Life Israeli Fellowship Program supports oncology physicians from Israel to complete advanced clinical fellowship training in Toronto. Each year, several physicians receive funding to spend a year training at one of the world’s leading cancer centres. By fostering international collaboration and specialized training, the program helps advance cancer care and strengthen the global exchange of medical knowledge.