Partnering with the BC Schizophrenia Society Foundation to expand schizophrenia research

For the 40,000 British Columbians living with schizophrenia, there is still so much that isn’t well understood about the illness. The BC Schizophrenia Society Foundation (BCSSF) understands this all too well and sees research as critical to understanding the causes and offering new treatments. For the past six years, the BCSSF has been partnering with MSFHR to maximize their donors’ gifts and fund research that will help solve the mystery of schizophrenia.

Co-funding research optimizes investment and builds relationships

MSFHR actively seeks out organizations interested in co-funding our research awards. In addition to enabling us to fund more researchers, co-funding increases the impact that partner organizations, like the BCSSF, have on BC research. As Gerhart Pahl, chair, BCSSF describes, “MSFHR’s co-funding practice magnifies our donors’ gifts, enabling us to fund larger projects than we could alone.”

These partnerships also create connections between researchers and non-BC government funders, and enable partnering organizations to strategically build research capacity and focus on fundraising efforts.

“Our relationship with MSFHR allows us to leverage the Foundation’s expertise in identifying researchers and their projects, evaluating proposals and providing the necessary administrative support,” says Pahl.

Benefitting British Columbians

Ultimately, it’s British Columbians who benefit from the increased research capacity that these partnerships facilitate. Breakthroughs, new strategies and treatment options improve the quality of life for people in our communities.

Since 2013, the BCSSF has contributed $378K towards awards funding five BC researchers: Drs. Peter Axerio-Cilies, Anita Cote, Alfredo Ramos, Mieke van Holstein, and Leigh Anne Swayne who are improving our knowledge of schizophrenia, its biological causes, and potential new treatment strategies. The innovative research supported by this partnership is in pursuit of better treatment options for the cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia and better understanding of the roles neurotransmitters play in brain function and stimulus response – which provide hope for persons living with schizophrenia in BC and beyond.

As Pahl describes, “We believe heavily in research, and for those of us who have the illness in our family, we are looking to research to someday beat this disease.”

Learn more about partnering with MSFHR.