(SeaPRwire) –   The Gateway Centre of Excellence in Rural Health receives $100,000 to expand cancer screening access for rural and remote communities nationwide.

TORONTO, April 23, 2026 – The Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) and MaRS Discovery District have revealed the grand prize recipient of the Rural and Remote Community Cancer Screening Challenge. This innovation competition was created to enhance cancer screening access for individuals in rural, remote, and underserved Canadian communities.

The initiative invited a broad range of innovators, including founders, researchers, and community groups, to create actionable solutions for lowering barriers to screening participation. Five exceptional finalists were chosen in August 2025, each receiving $15,000 to test their concepts that fall.

After a thorough review process, the Gateway Centre of Excellence in Rural Health (CERH), a non-profit organization located in Goderich, Ontario, was chosen as the challenge winner. The grand prize, announced at MaRS’s annual Impact Health summit, provides $100,000 to aid in scaling and implementing the winning solution.

Gateway CERH’s Integrated Rural Screening Initiative aims to make discussions about cancer screening commonplace in public, non-medical environments. By incorporating education on breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screening into active, community-focused programs, the solution has already made significant inroads in rural areas. The organization boosted screening awareness through various methods, such as targeted educational sessions held at 10 in-person community events. Over five months, these efforts engaged more than 450 rural residents, including farmers, firefighters, seniors, and the general public.

“This model seeks to enhance participation, simplify the process for diagnostic follow-up, and lessen the burden on primary care by incorporating screening support into trusted community venues,” stated Gwen Devereaux, president of the Gateway Centre of Excellence in Rural Health. “We are thrilled by the possibilities this funding opens for furthering cancer screening efforts in rural communities.”

The funding will be used to convert this raised awareness into actual screening results by implementing a nurse practitioner-pharmacy partnership model, utilizing rural pharmacies as convenient access points.

“Screening saves lives,” said Annemarie Edwards, vice president of cancer strategy and innovation at the Canadian Cancer Society. “The Rural and Remote Community Cancer Screening Challenge presents a genuine opportunity to boost screening rates nationwide, particularly for those confronting systemic obstacles. This gives more people the opportunity to detect cancer earlier, when treatments tend to be more effective.”

“This challenge employed a strengths-based method for developing solutions, acknowledging the vast reservoir of knowledge present in rural and remote areas. We are proud of all the distinctive, community-led ideas it sparked across Canada,” remarked Shilpa Sharma, senior manager of health equity innovation at MaRS Discovery District.

Learn more about the Rural and Remote Community Cancer Screening Challenge and the finalist solutions chosen in August.

For more details, visit the MaRS Innovation Challenges page.

About The Canadian Cancer Society
The Canadian Cancer Society is dedicated to saving and improving lives and mobilizing collective action against cancer. In partnership with patients, volunteers, donors, and communities nationwide, we fundraise to invest in groundbreaking cancer research, offer a compassionate support network for all impacted by cancer, and advocate to governments for a healthier future for everyone. Confronting cancer requires a societal effort, and the Canadian Cancer Society is at the forefront. Assist us in creating change. Call 1-888-939-3333 or go to cancer.ca today.

About MaRS
MaRS Discovery District is a charitable organization and one of the biggest urban innovation hubs in North America, assisting Canadian science and tech firms in commercializing and growing. With a 25-year history of backing founders, MaRS links ventures with capital, customers, talent, and knowledge—through venture programs and partnerships, MaRS IAF (a leading seed-stage venture fund in Canada), MaRS Connect (a live digital platform connecting market-ready ventures with buyers, partners, and capital sources), and over 1.5 million square feet of premier lab, office, and event space at the MaRS Centre and MaRS Waterfront in downtown Toronto. Since 2010, ventures supported by MaRS have amassed $11.5 billion in total revenue, secured $19 billion in funding, and created and sustained over 33,000 jobs.

SOURCE MaRS Discovery District