On May 24th, 2008, more than 1800 people celebrated the 42nd annual Brazilian Carnival Ball at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.  This year’s Ball honored the memory of the late Anna Maria de Souza, the Founder of the Brazilian Ball who passed away in September 2007.  At Anna’s request, the 2008 Ball paid tribute to the Oncology Nurses at the Princess Margaret Hospital, the unsung heroes who help make the cancer journey more bearable.

The 2008 Brazilian Carnival Ball generated a record $7 million in net proceeds for oncology nursing and cancer research at Princess Margaret Hospital and the Campbell Family Cancer Research Institute. In addition, to honour Anna Maria's legacy, Premier McGuinty announced provincial funding of $15 million over 5 years for the creation of "The Anna Maria de Souza Knowledge Transfer Centre for Oncology Nursing at the Princess Margaret Hospital", an initiative that will provide specialized training for cancer nurses in Ontario.  The total of $22 million will make a significant difference in cancer research and care at The Princess Margaret/The Campbell Family Cancer Research Institute and across the province.

Please see our Thank you ad from The Globe and Mail on July 17th.