Nova Scotia Lab Gets $725K to Fight Ovarian Cancer

When Teresa Arthur walked into the emergency room in 2018 thinking she had gallbladder problems, she walked out with a Stage 4 ovarian cancer diagnosis. The retired chemistry teacher had just returned from a four-month vacation when doctors pulled the rug out from under her feet.

But Arthur didn't let the diagnosis define her journey. For the past eight years, the 73-year-old has channeled her scientific curiosity into something remarkable: helping Dalhousie University researchers develop a new way to fight the disease.

Now that work is paying off. The lab just secured $725,000 from Ovarian Cancer Canada to advance research into natural killer cell immunotherapy, a treatment that could revolutionize care for one of the most fatal cancers affecting women.

The science is promising. Natural killer cells already exist in our bodies and naturally attack abnormal cells like tumors. But in ovarian cancer patients, these cells stop working properly. The therapy aims to boost them back to fighting strength.

What makes this approach special is its adaptability. Ovarian cancer constantly changes and mutates, outsmarting traditional treatments. Natural killer cells can sense different problems in cancer cells and keep pace with the disease's evolution.

Lab director Jeanette Boudreau, an immunologist, says there haven't been effective new therapies for ovarian cancer in a long time. Her team is using white blood cells that Canadian Blood Services would normally dispose of, turning medical waste into potential life-saving treatment.

The lab now has a cutting-edge machine called ThiNKer (the only one east of Quebec) that can mass-produce these cells. Research technician Stacey Lee says this equipment brings them closer to clinical trials, which could begin within the next few years.

Arthur's role goes beyond being a research subject. She donates tumor samples so the team can test dozens of therapies and see what works. This helps patients have better conversations with their cancer care teams about personalized treatment options.

Why This Inspires

Arthur isn't doing this for herself. She's already tried multiple chemotherapy treatments and drugs, some of which she can no longer take due to overuse or adverse reactions. Her motivation comes from somewhere deeper: her children, her great-grandchildren, and all the people who will face this diagnosis in the future.

The research also considers what often gets overlooked in cancer care. While most studies measure survival time, Boudreau's lab recognizes that treatment is long and painful. They're working to understand not just how long patients survive, but how they experience the disease.

For Arthur, gaining knowledge about what's happening inside her body has helped her take ownership of her journey. She writes poetry about her experience, researches her disease, and finds meaning in contributing to science that will outlast her.

The team is now preparing the immunotherapy for clinical trials, working toward treatments that will be more affordable and accessible than current options. Arthur's legacy is already taking shape in test tubes and microscopes, one natural killer cell at a time.