CANFAR donor Tristan Michela’s generosity keeps on growing.
Over the past year and a half, Tristan has been directing his support to the Legacy Fund, which CANFAR established in 2011 to channel funding directly towards HIV prevention for gay men. Through this fund, CANFAR provides funding grants in increments of $25,000 and $160,000 to the highest quality researchers. Tristan’s $20,000 Matching Gift opportunity for donations directed to the Legacy Fund to date has resulted in $40,000 for the initiative. Tristan is CanDeal’s Executive Vice President Responsible for Strategic Growth and Global Sales Initiatives in Toronto.
Tristan has taken on a significant role with CANFAR’s work on Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), a drug that can be taken daily by at-risk individuals to prevent HIV. PrEP is one of the Legacy Fund’s core initiatives and Tristan has been working closely with Andrew Pringle CM, CANFAR Chair, and Dr. Stanley Read FRCPC, FAAP, Chair of the CANFAR Scientific Advisory Committee on the research and development phase of the drug, which CANFAR is funding as a three-year collaboration with the Ontario HIV Treatment Network (OHTN) and REACH 2.0. This particular project is examining the efficacy, impact and scalability of the roll out of PrEP in Ontario. This important initiative will inform clinical, community and policy decisions with respect to the drug.
Tristan continues to serve on the CANFAR Board of Directors and on the Executive Committee as he has for more than a decade. He is a driving force for Bloor Street Entertains, which he chaired in 2013 and served as Co-Chair in 2011 and 2016, in addition to leading the Legacy Fund. In recognition of Tristan’s extraordinary contribution of time, passion, leadership and resources, CANFAR awarded him with Chairman’s Award in December 2015. The Chairman’s Award recognizes an individual or organization that has made an outstanding commitment in support of CANFAR, and whose commitment has resulted in an increased awareness of, and/or financial contribution to CANFAR.
CANFAR looks forward to Tristan’s contribution over the next year which will bring an additional $10,000 to the Legacy Fund in the 2017-2018 fiscal year, totaling $30,000 as a matching gift. CANFAR would like to take this opportunity to thank Tristan for his passion, generosity and philanthropic efforts.