
Blazesoft Employees 'Carry the Fire Forward' in support of Princess Margaret's Annual Cancer Charity Event
The Ride to Conquer Cancer took place recently on Saturday, June 7, 2025, uniting thousands of cyclists of all different levels. This year's theme, Carry The Fire, symbolized a shared determination to bring hope to a new generation of cancer patients, fueled by the groundbreaking work being done at Princess Margaret.
Blazesoft is proud to support this incredible initiative, donating a significant contribution and having several of its employees participate in the event. Each rider joined the journey with personal motivation, but all share one powerful mission: together, we Carry the Fire for cancer patients everywhere to create a world free from the fear of cancer.
"I'm honoured to be part of this year's ride. A dear friend of mine — healthy, young, with no risk factors — was diagnosed with cancer and told she'd have to wait 10 months just for diagnostic testing. I'm riding for her and in support of our local cancer centers like Princess Margaret, which has already raised over $300 million for life-saving research," said one of Blazesoft's ride participants. "It wouldn't be possible without science, without support, and without millions of community members who continue to donate and push us closer to a world free from the fear of cancer."
At the heart of the charity event was an unwavering commitment to support the two in five Canadians who will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime, and the many more who are affected by it. While significant progress has been made, cancer continues to be a growing challenge, with new diagnoses expected to rise by 77% by 2050.
Every year, PMCF works tirelessly —alongside its passionate community of supporters—to raise the funds needed to drive world-class research, redefine standards of care, and create better outcomes for patients around the globe.
Blazesoft's involvement in the ride reflects its principle of corporate social responsibility, a core pillar of its business. Not only did the company proudly participate in this year's event, but it played a key role with its fundraising efforts and rallying its employees and broader network to raise significant contributions in support of cancer research and care.
Blazesoft support for this event is a natural extension of its corporate responsibility mission statement: to invest in the health and well-being of its community members and make a meaningful impact that uplifts its employees and the communities it serves. Whether through donations to local GTA hospitals, employee-led fundraising, or volunteer initiatives, Blazesoft remains dedicated to carrying the fire forward.
Blazesoft has established itself as a prominent service provider worldwide, delivering bespoke services to well-known e-commerce and entertainment companies across North America. Blazesoft's solutions offer a tailored approach to managing user experience, compliance, and product innovation. Founded on a vision to deliver high-quality solutions as a B2B service provider, Blazesoft is committed to becoming the number one choice for partners by maintaining the highest standard of integrity, embracing modern-age technology, and delivering cutting-edge solutions. Learn more: www.blazesoft.ca
The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation is Canada's largest cancer charity. We're dedicated to raising funds for Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, one of the world's leading cancer research and treatment centres, known for its breakthrough discoveries that transform patient outcomes. Together, we Carry the Fire for cancer patients everywhere in our mission to create a world free from the fear of cancer. Through philanthropy, fundraising events, and our world-leading lottery program, we're changing how the world understands, prevents, diagnoses, and treats cancer, benefitting patients at The Princess Margaret, throughout Canada, and around the world. Learn more: www.thepmcf.ca

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Canada Standard
9 hours ago
- Canada Standard
School lunches, the French way: It's not just about nutrition, but togetherness and 'bon appetit'
This spring, as part of a sabbatical project, I had the privilege of visiting school food programs and meeting with school food researchers in six cities in France, England and Scotland. I got to eat school lunches, visit central kitchens in two cities where meals are prepared for thousands of children, visit school kitchens and discuss school food with the countries' leading experts. This visit intersects with my research with colleagues on promising food programs across Canada. This research offers insights for consideration as regions navigate the federal government's first National School Food Program and National School Food Policy. Government announcements about the program and policy were followed by negotiations with the provinces and territories, all of which have since signed agreements for a portion of the funding. In most parts of Canada, officials are just beginning to plan for new approaches to school food (with a few exceptions especially in Atlantic Canada where school food programs have been transforming much more quickly). Based on my research about international food programs, here are four key things Canadians should pay attention to: 1) In Canada we need to shift from thinking of school lunches as a safety net for kids living in poverty to thinking about them as benefiting the health and well-being of children and their families. In France, this shift in thinking is particularly clear. School lunches in France are about teaching children about food and culture and all kids are encouraged to eat together with an adult facilitator who teaches them about the components of the meal and creates a family-meal context at each table. By contrast, if you ask many parents in Canada what school meals are for, they will tell you they are for kids living in poverty to make sure they have food to eat at school. If Canada wants a national school food program that achieves the benefits of the best programs in the world in the areas of education, well-being and on the economy, we need to think of school meals as supporting young people to be the best students they can be. 2) One important benefit of school food programs globally is to encourage picky eaters to try new foods due to the social pressure of all kids eating the same foods together. In three cities in France I visited, and one in England, school lunches look like home-cooked meals. One main dish with meat is served (and in England, a vegetarian alternative), and kids can choose if and how much of the side vegetables and fruit to take. In Canada, following a similar practice - one main and a vegetarian alternative when meat is served - might work well. But it's also important that in developing a menu, the cultural diversity of Canadian school communities is reflected in the food on offer. In the other two locations in England and Scotland, kids choose from multiple main dishes - something that adds cost to the program and does less to encourage kids to try new foods, given one choice is always something basic like a cheese sandwich. Kids need to have some autonomy when it comes to eating, but school food programs should not be facilitating eating the same food every day. Nor should school food programs aspire to a model where broad choice is afforded from a large menu. 3) With care, planning and sufficient resources, centralized kitchens can prepare thousands of servings of a main dish daily. The French central kitchens I visited prepare 6,000 to 10,000 servings a day of high-quality food following strict food safety protocols. I ate two simple yet delicious meals cooked in municipally owned central kitchens. In the three cities in France where I visited, they used central kitchens where main dishes were prepared and chilled to be delivered for heating at the school level. Central kitchens also delivered the salads and sides (like chopped veggies, bread, cheese and fruit) and dressings. In the small school kitchens, the salads were dressed, and the cheese and fruit were cut for service. The central kitchens were also used in at least one city to prepare food for daycares and for seniors who were home-bound - something to consider for Canadian cities. Centralizing kitchens can reduce costs and provide a way for high-quality food to be produced from basic ingredients without commercial kitchens in every school capable of preparing meals for hundreds of children at a time. 4) When designed with requirements for purchasing foods from local farmers and other Canadian producers, school food programs can benefit the agricultural sector and multiply their benefits to communities beyond direct school food jobs. In France, for example, there are specific percentages to be purchased from local and sustainable sources. Percentage requirements for local and sustainable purchasing should be enacted now in Canada as its program establishes itself, perhaps beginning with 20 per cent and growing over time. I have many more reflections from my visits, both positive and negative, but the four I have discussed are important for Canada to learn from as it begins to design the National School Food Program to meet the needs of diverse communities from coast to coast to coast.


Canada News.Net
13 hours ago
- Canada News.Net
School lunches, the French way: It's not just about nutrition, but togetherness and 'bon appetit'
This spring, as part of a sabbatical project, I had the privilege of visiting school food programs and meeting with school food researchers in six cities in France, England and Scotland. I got to eat school lunches, visit central kitchens in two cities where meals are prepared for thousands of children, visit school kitchens and discuss school food with the countries' leading experts. This visit intersects with my research with colleagues on promising food programs across Canada. This research offers insights for consideration as regions navigate the federal government's first National School Food Program and National School Food Policy. Government announcements about the program and policy were followed by negotiations with the provinces and territories, all of which have since signed agreements for a portion of the funding. In most parts of Canada, officials are just beginning to plan for new approaches to school food (with a few exceptions especially in Atlantic Canada where school food programs have been transforming much more quickly). Based on my research about international food programs, here are four key things Canadians should pay attention to: 1) In Canada we need to shift from thinking of school lunches as a safety net for kids living in poverty to thinking about them as benefiting the health and well-being of children and their families. In France, this shift in thinking is particularly clear. School lunches in France are about teaching children about food and culture and all kids are encouraged to eat together with an adult facilitator who teaches them about the components of the meal and creates a family-meal context at each table. By contrast, if you ask many parents in Canada what school meals are for, they will tell you they are for kids living in poverty to make sure they have food to eat at school. If Canada wants a national school food program that achieves the benefits of the best programs in the world in the areas of education, well-being and on the economy, we need to think of school meals as supporting young people to be the best students they can be. 2) One important benefit of school food programs globally is to encourage picky eaters to try new foods due to the social pressure of all kids eating the same foods together. In three cities in France I visited, and one in England, school lunches look like home-cooked meals. One main dish with meat is served (and in England, a vegetarian alternative), and kids can choose if and how much of the side vegetables and fruit to take. In Canada, following a similar practice - one main and a vegetarian alternative when meat is served - might work well. But it's also important that in developing a menu, the cultural diversity of Canadian school communities is reflected in the food on offer. In the other two locations in England and Scotland, kids choose from multiple main dishes - something that adds cost to the program and does less to encourage kids to try new foods, given one choice is always something basic like a cheese sandwich. Kids need to have some autonomy when it comes to eating, but school food programs should not be facilitating eating the same food every day. Nor should school food programs aspire to a model where broad choice is afforded from a large menu. 3) With care, planning and sufficient resources, centralized kitchens can prepare thousands of servings of a main dish daily. The French central kitchens I visited prepare 6,000 to 10,000 servings a day of high-quality food following strict food safety protocols. I ate two simple yet delicious meals cooked in municipally owned central kitchens. In the three cities in France where I visited, they used central kitchens where main dishes were prepared and chilled to be delivered for heating at the school level. Central kitchens also delivered the salads and sides (like chopped veggies, bread, cheese and fruit) and dressings. In the small school kitchens, the salads were dressed, and the cheese and fruit were cut for service. The central kitchens were also used in at least one city to prepare food for daycares and for seniors who were home-bound - something to consider for Canadian cities. Centralizing kitchens can reduce costs and provide a way for high-quality food to be produced from basic ingredients without commercial kitchens in every school capable of preparing meals for hundreds of children at a time. 4) When designed with requirements for purchasing foods from local farmers and other Canadian producers, school food programs can benefit the agricultural sector and multiply their benefits to communities beyond direct school food jobs. In France, for example, there are specific percentages to be purchased from local and sustainable sources. Percentage requirements for local and sustainable purchasing should be enacted now in Canada as its program establishes itself, perhaps beginning with 20 per cent and growing over time. I have many more reflections from my visits, both positive and negative, but the four I have discussed are important for Canada to learn from as it begins to design the National School Food Program to meet the needs of diverse communities from coast to coast to coast.

19 hours ago
Half of requests for complex dental work are being rejected under national insurance plan
As federal dental care expands to cover most uninsured Canadians, providers say some procedures are being bogged down by paperwork and processing delays. Health Canada says 52 per cent of requests for pre-authorized dental work between November 2024 and June 2025 have been rejected. While the vast majority of claims don't need pre-authorization, it's required for more complex and often more expensive procedures, like crowns or partial dentures. Clinics must submit extra documentation like X-rays and dental charts to show the work is medically necessary before it can be covered and completed. There's been a lot of confusion for dentists who send in what we would normally send in to a private plan, and it comes back rejected, said Dr. Bruce Ward, a Vancouver dentist and president of the Canadian Dental Association. It's a much, much, much higher rejection rate than private plans. The multibillion-dollar Canadian Dental Care Plan helps cover the cost of dental work for Canadian residents with a family income below $90,000 who don't have access to private insurance. The program fully expanded to cover people aged 18 to 64 last month. Health Canada says 5.2 million people have been approved for coverage so far, but only about half — 2.2 million — have received care. And some new patients are getting an unexpected bill, while certain parts of the country are struggling to keep up with a huge influx of appointments, Ward said. Still, providers told CBC News the program is providing Canadians much-needed access to care — and that issues with the program are improving. Missing information Clinics submit the pre-authorizations through Sun Life, the insurance provider that the federal government contracted to run the program. Dental offices are sometimes waiting weeks or months for a response, only to be told Sun Life needs additional documentation — further slowing down the process, Ward said. A lot of people have been waiting for crowns to be pre-authorized, Ward said. There was an avalanche of approvals that got sent in. Enlarge image (new window) Oral health-care providers say the influx of new patients in the federal program has led to some backlogs in appointments. Photo: The Canadian Press / Justin Tang Health Canada said rejections and delays in pre-authorizations are caused by several factors, including an unexpected high volume of submissions that were missing information. Oral health-care providers also tell CBC News there were many technical issues with the submission software that have since been largely resolved. Health Canada has worked to streamline the process and educate providers about how to complete the applications, a spokesperson said. Eighty per cent of the pre-authorizations are now being processed within seven business days. And more than 90 per cent of the claims, like basic cleanings or fillings, don't require pre-authorization. But Donna Wells, manager of professional practice at the Canadian Dental Hygienists Association, said the program needs to better cover preventive care. The plan currently allots one hour of scaling per year for adults. Teenagers get just 15 minutes of scaling. These are patients who have not had oral health care, in some cases, for a number of years, because it's been such a financial barrier for them, Wells said. She said pre-authorization applications for additional scaling are being rejected en masse. Growing pains Health Canada says over a million Canadians signed on to the program when it expanded in June, and 94,980 of them received dental care. But that influx of patients has led to a backlog in some parts of the country, like Atlantic Canada. WATCH | From May 2024: Dental care program begins: Début du widget Widget. Passer le widget ? Fin du widget Widget. Retourner au début du widget ? This program is wonderful, but it's putting a strain on providers, said Natalie Marsh, a dental assistant in North Sydney, N.S., and vice-president of the Canadian Dental Assistants Association. She said her clinic is already booking appointments for spring 2026. You're seeing people who haven't seen a dentist in a long time. So they're coming in with a lot of work to be done, she said. Not a 'free' program Providers said patients continue to be under the impression their dental work will be free of charge. But the program reimburses clinics at a rate lower than provincial fee guides, which they often use to set their rates. That means dental offices can balance bill, charging the difference between the price of the procedure and what Ottawa will pay them. I just had somebody in my office a couple of weeks ago who was very upset, because they'd been told that they were covered 100 per cent, Ward said. Ward said patients, including seniors, should remember they need to reapply every year. Despite those challenges, Ward said overall he's found the dental care plan to be very good to work with. That sentiment is echoed by other oral health associations. It's been a huge boon to a lot of people who frankly would never have been able to afford to have their mouths taken care of, Ward said. It's remarkable, he said. And yes, there's going to be some growing pains. Marina von Stackelberg (new window) · CBC News · Journalist Marina von Stackelberg is a senior reporter at CBC's Parliamentary Bureau in Ottawa. She covers national politics and specializes in health policy. Marina previously worked as a reporter and host in Winnipeg, with earlier stints in Halifax and Sudbury. Connect with her by email at mvs@ or on social media @CBCMarina.