2023 Webinar Series

The CCSN webinar series is of interest to patients, survivors, family, friends, caregivers, and any member of the community interested in the best possible care and follow-up for cancer patients and survivors.  The impact of volunteering and taking positive action to effect change are important elements in the transition to post-treatment life.

 

About this Webinar: World Cancer Day is on February 4th and we are looking to bring awareness to the cause. This year’s theme is once again #CloseTheCareGap and focuses on having equitable care for all – no matter who you are or where you live. We will also be talking about self-advocacy and what role it has played for cancer patients in gaining and maintaining their care during the Covid-19 pandemic. We will be joined by Angus Pratt, who will share his story and answer some questions about his experiences.

View the Video: here

About this Webinar: A cancer diagnosis throws us into the wilderness. Suddenly life becomes both amplified and fragile. The spiritual dimensions of this crisis go far beyond religious practice or personal belief. They go to the very core of who and what you are in the world. Explore how to keep your keel deep in the water when the storm of cancer threatens to capsize you. Use the crisis for conscious creation of deep love, strong spirit, and tender authenticity. As challenging as it is, cancer can be potent fuel for a richer experience of life, relationships, and self-discovery.

About the Presenter: Rev. David Maginley is a spiritual counselor at the QEII Health Sciences Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and award-winning author of Beyond Surviving: Cancer and Your Spiritual Journey. David has also survived cancer four times, which resulted in a profound near-death experience and explorations in the nature of consciousness and the connection of body, mind and spirit. He knows what it’s like to have cancer from both sides of the hospital bed, and has a sense of this life from both sides of the veil.

He is ordained with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, specialist with the Canadian Association for Spiritual Care, member of Canadian Association for Psychosocial Oncology, the International Association for Near-Death Studies, and is featured in the documentaries Here Right Now and When You Die.

View the Video: here

About this Webinar: This session will provide participants with an overview of what is involved in getting a new cancer treatment reviewed and approved in Canada. The webinar will feature representatives from 3Sixty Public Affairs, who will detail the key steps required to provide patient access to a new treatment option. The journey begins with a Health Canada review of safety, efficacy and quality. That is followed by comparative cost and effectiveness evaluations and the establishmentof a place in therapy by health technology assessment (HTA) agencies. After the HTA recommendations are issued, then the national pricing negotiation process takes place, followed by reimbursement decision-making at the jurisdictional level. During all that, new products also must pass through a national price review. Patients and stakeholders have some opportunities to provide input at various points in the process. All that and more will be covered during the presentation. Afterward, the presenters will lead an interactive question and answer session that will permit audience members to explore these processes further.

About the Presenters:

As CEO of 3Sixty Public Affairs, Bill Dempster implements high-impact health policy, government relations and business strategies for clients in the health and life sciences sector. For over twenty years, Bill has drawn on deep business, legal and government experience to help clients find mutually beneficial solutions to complex regulatory, reimbursement and policy problems. Bill previously worked for Pfizer Canada, a Member of Parliament, the United Nations and major Canadian law firms. He is fluently bilingual and has degrees in history (King’s College, University of Western Ontario), law (Queen’s University), and a Masters of Arts in international affairs (Norman Paterson School of International Affairs, Carleton University). Bill was called to the Bar of Ontario in 2002.

Gerry Jeffcott is a Senior Associate with more than 30 years’ experience addressing a broad range of health and pharmaceutical policy issues at the national, federal and provincial levels. He is a recognized expert and commentator on market access and reimbursement issues, having been a mentor, trainer and reporter at different times. He is also a facilitator and coalition-builder, playing key roles in helping groups of pharmaceutical companies address specific policy issues in the oncology and rare disease environments. He is the co-author of two Council for Continuing Pharmaceutical Education courses — Pharmaceutical Market Access in Canada and Health Care in Canada – and he contributes regularly to IQVIA’s strategic information publications, including the Provincial Reimbursement Advisor and PharmaFocus.

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About this Webinar:

In this session, we will:

  1. Discuss theories and definitions of social class
  2. Describe the link between social class and health inequities
  3. Use Bartley’s models of health inequities to understand how social class influences cancer risk and mortality using lung cancer as an example.

About the Presenter: Dr. Ambreen Sayani, MD, PhD, is Scientist at the Women’s College Research Institute, Women’s College Hospital in Toronto, Canada. She is a Health Equity Expert Advisor for the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer, a member of the Medical Advisory Committee for the Canadian Cancer Survivor Network and co-founder of Equity Mobilizing Partnerships in Community. Dr. Sayani holds a six-year career development award from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research to lead Patient-Oriented research in Canada. Her research program focuses on improving cancer care outcomes for all population groups, in particular the underserved. Her areas of expertise are patient engagement, health equity and cancer care.

Follow her on Twitter @SayaniAmbreen or Linkedin

View the Video: here

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About this Webinar: Various cancer treatments can impact one’s gut health and digestive system. This presentation will discuss why a healthy gut is important to overall health. We will talk about the roles the gut is involved in beyond just digestion. We will also discuss nutrition strategies that will support our gut health and promote a healthy microbiome.

About this Presenter: Ali (Quinlan) Ellis grew up in Victoria where she gained a diverse background in geography, kinesiology and health promotion research before pursuing her passion of dietetics. She weaves together her experiences to help inform her approach to health and work as a dietitian. Ali strongly believes that all pillars of health and well-being are interconnected and is incredibly passionate towards the role nutrition plays in supporting one’s health and well-being. In her free time, you can find Ali out hiking with her dog Rogue, getting in a round of golf, or experimenting in the kitchen with new cookie recipes.

View the Video: Here

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About this Webinar:
On March 22, the federal government announced the first national drug strategy for rare diseases. But what will this strategy actually do? Having led the multi-stakeholder consultations for the past three years, the Canadian Organization for Rare Disorders is offering a Rare Disease Framework and Blueprint for Action with three key pillars and two foundational platforms directed to assuring optimal return on the investment to patients and families as well as the healthcare system and society.

About this Presenter:
DURHANE WONG-RIEGER, PHD is the President & CEO of the Canadian Organization for Rare Disorders, Chair of the Consumer Advocare Network, President & CEO of the Institute for Optimizing Health Outcomes and Chair of Canadian Heart Patient Alliance.

Internationally, she is Chair of Rare Disease International, President of Asia Pacific Rare Disease International, Treasurer of United Nations Nongovernmental Organization for Rare Diseases, Chair of Patient Advocates Constituency Committee of the International Rare Disease Research Consortium, Patient Advisor to the APEC Rare Disease Network, member of the Editorial Board of The Patient- Patient Centred Outcomes Research, and member of Health Technology Assessment International Patient /Citizen Involvement Interest Group.

Dr. Wong-Rieger has served on numerous health policy advisory committees and panels and is a member of Genome Canada Steering Committee for the Rare Disease Precision Health Initiative. She is a certified Health Coach. Durhane has a PhD in psychology from McGill University and was professor at the University of Windsor, Canada. She is a trainer and frequent lecturer and
author of three books and many articles.

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About this Webinar: Fear of recurrence is common and even expected after a cancer diagnosis. In this seminar learn what to do when anxiety flares, and how to live in a more positive and peaceful state of mind.

About this Presenter: Dr. Rob Rutledge is a Radiation Oncologist in Halifax, Nova Scotia, specializing in breast, prostate and pediatric cancers, and is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Medicine at Dalhousie University. His passion is empowering people affected by cancer, and has delivered hundreds of public talks and webinars, along with over 60 retreats and day-long seminars to thousands of cancer survivors. Rob has received a Cancer Care Nova Scotia Award for Excellence in Patient Care, and Doctors Nova Scotia presented him with a Health Promotion Award in recognition of his contribution to physician health and health promotion in cancer patients. Rob co-leads CancerPEP a comprehensive six-month daily patient empowerment program starting in November. Visit CancerPEP.org to learn more.

View the Video: Here

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About this Webinar: we’ll summarize the findings of a 10-minute online study conducted by Leger among cancer patients who experienced Long-COVID. We identified 119 cancer patients, diagnosed within the past 10 years, who developed symptoms or were diagnosed with Long-COVID. We primarily wanted to understand how Long-COVID impacted cancer patients and their ability to receive treatment. We also asked about the effect on their overall wellbeing, their ability to access Long-COVID treatments and assistance, and the ongoing impact to this day.

About this Presenter: Colette Faust is a Research Director at Leger (largest Canadian-owned market research company) and has 10 years of market research experience, spending the last 3 years in the healthcare industry. As a member of Leger’s North American Healthcare team, Colette has worked on both quantitative and qualitative healthcare research among healthcare professionals, patients, and the general population across a variety of topics including oncology. Colette received her B.A. in Psychology and Media & Communications from Muhlenberg College in Allentown, PA.

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About this Webinar: André Deschamps will show the results of the Europa UOMO Euproms studies. These are the first studies ever from patients for patients, measuring the burden of treatment. More than 5000 patients have shared with us their experiences after treatment. The data has been analyzed by the university of Rotterdam in the Netherlands and has been published in peer reviewed scientific papers.

About the Presenter: Andre has a background in chemical engineering and has held several management positions in manufacturing. However, after being diagnosed with prostate cancer at the age of 51, he developed an interest in the way cancer patients are treated by medical staff, and their quality of life after prostate cancer treatments. In 2011, he joined the Wij ook Belgium cancer group and was elected as chairman in August 2013. In June 2014, he became board member of Europa UOMO, the Voice of Men with Prostate Cancer in Europe. He served as a treasurer and was elected chairman in June 2018. Since June 2022 he is now a past chairman, serving instead in an advisory role.

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About this Webinar: When Canadians turn on the tap for a drink of water or a shower, we take for granted that the water is safe. Few are aware that old asbestos cement water pipes still deliver water to millions of people. As these pipes age and deteriorate, asbestos erodes into the water and poses health concerns, including cancer.

Dr. Meg Sears, Chair of the Board of Prevent Cancer Now, and board member Julian Branch will talk about the history of asbestos in water, the science behind ingested asbestos, and recent developments.

About the Presenters:
Meg Sears (PhD) has advanced environmental health for decades, and as Chair of Prevent Cancer Now she works to “make least-toxic the norm.” She was trained in Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry (University of Toronto) and biochemical engineering (PhD, McGill), and has diverse laboratory experience including energy research. With skills in scientific analysis and writing, she later gained associations with medical researchers. Some highlights include: the “Medical Perspective on Environmental Sensitivities” for the Canadian Human Rights Commission, leading to a policy under the Canadian Human Rights Act; a CIHR and SSHRC funded review of environmental, public health and medical approaches for toxic elements; three guidance documents addressing toxicants, indoor environments, and COVID-19 with the Canadian Committee on Indoor Air Quality; and rich collaborations with Canadian environmental health and policy organizations. When she is not working, you’ll probably find Meg roaming the outdoors, or “playing in the mud,” gardening.

Julian (Jay) Branch comes from a background in journalism and strategic communications. His interests in these areas led him to take a close look at the millions of kilometres of old asbestos cement (AC) water pipes around the world, and the issue of ingested asbestos. There has been a gradual, grudging acceptance that drinking asbestos from deteriorated water pipes is likely not the best thing for humans. Asbestos is regulated in water in the United States. It is not regulated in water in Canada, and in several other countries around the globe. That needs to change. Jay strongly believes that persistence pays off, and democracy dies in darkness. When he isn’t busy with the asbestos file, he can be found enjoying the great outdoors, and time with his family.

View the Video: Here

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About this Webinar: This presentation will discuss the pathway to pharmaceutical treatments in Canada that involve health technology assessment reviews and decision making. Observations on the current challenges and the importance of patient input to inform decision making will also be discussed. Finally, the key elements that can be critical to successful outcomes will be presented.

About this Presenter: Lorraine Boyle is a former registered nurse with over 30 years of experience in the Canadian public health care system and biopharmaceutical industry. Today, Lorraine is the Managing Director of case Market Access Consulting Inc. with a key focus with clients is to ensure the patient and clinician perspective is integrated with clear and compelling clinical and economic value propositions. This approach helps support reimbursement recommendations and decision making. Her clinical and industry experiences span sales, marketing, market access, government relations and patient advocacy. Therapeutic areas of focus include neurology, hematology, oncology, critical care, nephrology and more recently several rare disease therapies.

View the Video: Here.

View the Slides: Here.

A special thank you to Dense Breasts Canada for helping us get in touch with this presenter.

About this Webinar: This talk will explore breast screening for women 40-49. The benefits and harms for screening will be discussed, as well as what is unique about breast cancer in women in their 40s. In order to understand the controversy around current guidelines recommending against screening women 40-49, we will review the evidence upon which these guidelines are based, and their impact on breast cancer outcomes for these women.

About this Presenter: Dr. Anna Wilkinson is a family physician with a special interest in oncology. She divides her clinical time between caring for medical oncology inpatients and academic family practice. Anna is an Associate Professor, Program Director for the PGY-3 FP Oncology program and Regional Cancer Primary Care Lead.  Anna’s passion is bridging the gap between oncology and family medicine with knowledge translation, and investigating impacts of cancer screening to optimize cancer outcomes.  In her spare time, she tries hard to keep up with her four athletic daughters.

Follow her on Twitter/X: @anwilkinson

View the Video: Here

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About this Webinar:
Join us for this roundtable webinar about how individuals have approached making decisions about clinical trials: what they have considered about potential risks and potential benefits, questions they’ve asked before making a decision and more! Dawn Richards from Clinical Trials Ontario will chat with Heather Douglas and Murray Walz about their experiences related to making decisions about clinical trial participation. Come with any questions you might have!

About the Presenters

Dawn Richards, PhD, is the founder of Five02 Labs Inc., and Director of Patient and Public Engagement at Clinical Trials Ontario. With a PhD (Analytical Chemistry) from the University of Alberta, and experience in a variety of roles during the past 20 years, it is her diagnosis with rheumatoid arthritis fifteen years ago that started her journey to combine her passion for science with making the most of her diagnosis. In her role at CTO, Dawn is charged with executing on CTO’s strategic pillar of patient and public engagement.

As a patient, Dawn is Vice President of the Canadian Arthritis Patient Alliance, a Research Ambassador for the Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis (of the Canadian Institutes for Health Research) and was a member of The BMJ’s Patient Advisory Panel and the first Patient Advisor of the Canadian Medical Association’s Wait Time Alliance. She advocates for disease awareness, access to treatment and research options, and including patients as partners on research teams and in decision-making.

Murray Walz had a career in managing food, pet food, animal feed and biodiesel plants and graduated with MBA from Wilfred Laurier.  After being diagnosed in 2019 with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, he found out that life expectancy was three to five years. But after a doctor at McMaster agreed to take him on, they found a clinical drug trial. He also volunteered for research projects to better understand pulmonary fibrosis and to ensure early diagnosis.

He became a patient advisor to St.Joes Hospital Hamilton, the Greater Hamilton Healthcare Network, Oxford OHT, and to the Medical Board of the Canadian Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation to promote patient centered care.

Heather Douglas worked as a research analyst at an investment bank and a budget analyst for the government.  Her research on mining companies took her travelling around the world.  She has a MS in Mineral Economics and BScH in Geology.

She was first diagnosed with Stage two breast cancer in 2004. In 2009, the cancer returned and metastasized. She has undergone 14 lines of treatment and participated in seven clinical trials.  Her patient advocacy is influenced by her sister who died of metastatic breast cancer (MBC) in 2017, by friends who are living with MBC, and by her own experience. Currently she is part of the CT Ontario College of Lived Experience, but her other activities have included being a Patient-Survivor-Caregiver reviewer with the Canadian Cancer Society, the Patients Involved in Cancer Research Program (PIP) at the 2017 Canadian Cancer Research Conference and fundraising with the MBC teams at the CIBC Run for the Cure.

View the Video: Here.

About the Webinar: Genomic testing has already become commonplace in oncology, but exponential growth in more comprehensive genomic tests, other innovative tests and testing approaches in oncology, as well as a number of other therapeutic areas is expected in the coming years. With the emergence of more complex, more expensive, and more promising tests, policymakers and healthcare providers may be challenged to provide these to patients at the pace of innovation. Don Husereau will describe what conditions are necessary for equitable access to advanced innovative testing, how major Canadian provinces are doing, and what more needs to be done in the coming years to benefit all patients.

About the Presenter: DON HUSEREAU is an Adjunct Professor of Medicine at The University of Ottawa. He does freelance health care research, and works with private and public sector life sciences organizations to help them understand the value of health technology and its implications for health and innovation policy.

View the Video: Here.

View the Slides: Here.

View the Article: Progress toward Health System Readiness for Genome-Based Testing in Canada / Effective and Efficient Delivery of Genome-Based Testing-What
Conditions Are Necessary for Health System Readiness?

About this Talk: This talk will provide a nutritional perspective on the role of diet in cancer focusing on healthy fats known as omega-3 fatty acids. Sources, amounts and types of omega-3 fatty acids will be highlighted. Clinical and experimental evidence in support of a role for omega-3 fatty acids in the prevention and treatment of breast cancer will be presented. Lastly, some practical strategies to support a healthy diet will be shared.

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About this Presenter: Dr. David Ma is a full professor in the department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences and Director of the Guelph Family Health Study (GFHS) at the University of Guelph. He completed his doctoral training at the University of Alberta in Medical Sciences (2001) focusing on healthy fats in dairy for breast cancer prevention, followed by further postdoctoral research on diet and cancer. also at the University of Alberta. He pursued additional postdoctoral training at Texas A&M University investigating the role of omega-3s and folate in colon cancer (2002-2004).  Then, in 2004 he accepted a position as an Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto before moving to the University of Guelph in 2007.

He has conducted broad nutrition research on a wide range of topics from cells and experimental models of cancer to family nutrition. His experimental research has helped to increase our understanding of the role of omega-3 fatty acids at multiple levels of the gene, cell, whole body and disease with a focus on breast cancer prevention. As the Director of the GFHS, a longitudinal cohort study of families with young children, he leads a team of investigators and trainees to better understand determinants of health. The goal is to develop tools and approaches to support healthy behaviors for the prevention of chronic diseases.

Beyond the lab, he is a member of the City of Guelph-Smart Cities team, which was awarded an Infrastructure Canada grant to develop, Our Food Future, Canada’s first circular economy. As a member he participates in the nutritious food workstream. Building on the work of Our Food Future, he is a co-lead of the SMART Training Platform, the first CIHR-NSERC-SSHRC tri-council training grant. This is a 6-year endeavour connecting 10 academic institutions across Canada and nearly 50 co-investigators and collaborators to build capacity in implementation science to advance healthy cities research and train the next generation of leaders. Professionally, he has been a long-standing member of the Canadian Nutrition Society, serving on committees, board of directors and had the honour to serve as its President (2017-2018). With much gratitude, these successes in academic, scholarly and professional activities are also due to the contributions of many talented trainees, exceptional collaborators and colleagues, and supportive funders.

About the Presentation: Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in Canada, with approximately 24,100 Canadians diagnosed with the disease in 2023. The incidence of colorectal cancer has been declining in Canadians over 50 years of age, largely due to population-based screening programs. Recent evidence has shown, however, that rates have been increasing in adults younger than 50 years. Given that younger adults are typically classified as at low risk for colorectal cancer, this epidemiologic shift is cause for concern.

Individuals under the age of 50 now represent a significant number of colorectal cancer cases. The disease is often being diagnosed at a later stage, and tumour characteristics tend to be more lethal. As for what is accounting for the increasing trend, ongoing research efforts focus on environmental toxicities, lifestyle patterns, and the gut microbiome.

In this webinar, we will present an overview of the current evidence surrounding the rising rates of colorectal cancer in young adults and discuss the unique needs of this patient population, through screening, diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship. A young colorectal cancer patient will share his lived experience in managing this disease and the impact that cancer has had on himself and his family.

About the Presenters:

Mr. Jason Abramovitch
At the age of 36 I was faced with a Stage IIIB Colon Cancer diagnosis. My treatment consisted of surgery and 6 months of chemotherapy.

Two weeks after my last chemotherapy treatment my wife and I adopted a beautiful baby girl, Kira Marie! While adjusting to becoming a dad, my wife and I were left to pick up the pieces of the emotional, physical, mental, and financial toll cancer took on me and my family.

After having No Evidence of Disease (NED) for almost 2 years, this September a nodule was found in my lung and I underwent SBRT and am now back on surveillance. Cancer has taken so much from me and my family but has also been a beautiful experience. I have had some incredible opportunities to grow, learn, and give back within the community. Cancer took my confidence, my trust in my body and its ability, and introduced constant self doubt and worry which has been a challenge to navigate.

Although many things are different now, I’m proudly still working full time and spending time with family and friends. I am the Director of the GOW Retreat with Man up to Cancer, and most recently became a member of the CCRAN family and sit on their Young Adult Patient Advisory Council.

NED is in my near future again thanks to my amazing team and the support I received from CCRAN which opened up the door for a second opinion and provided much needed guidance.

Ms. Cassandra Macaulay
Cassandra is the Senior Manager of Programs & Education at the Colorectal Cancer Resource & Action Network (CCRAN). She oversees CCRAN’s patient-focused and evidence-based portfolios serving the unmet needs of colorectal cancer patients and caregivers across Canada, and collaboratively leads CCRAN’s educational initiatives, both for patients and healthcare providers. Cassandra is a Medical Radiation Technologist with a graduate degree in health studies and leadership. She has worked in both patient-facing and project management roles and led the start-up of two nuclear medicine programs which improved access to diagnostic imaging in her community. She is passionate about health quality and improving the patient experience and is honoured to have the privilege of supporting, educating, and advocating for cancer patients and their caregivers.

ABOUT CCRAN: The Colorectal Cancer Resource & Action Network (CCRAN) is a national, not for profit patient organization dedicated to supporting, educating, and advocating on behalf of colorectal cancer patients and caregivers across Canada to help improve the quality of life and longevity for patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer. It is a patient-focused organization whose programs are inspired by two patient advisory councils, one of which is dedicated to Early Age Onset Colorectal Cancer (EAOCRC). CCRAN has expanded its mandate to now be serving a population of cancer patients outside of the colorectal cancer space through their HTA patient evidence submissions, educational events and advocacy initiatives to help reduce the burden of cancer in Canada.

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About this Webinar: We know that methods of eating and diet are a large part of cancer care, but how can you make your diet work for you in your cancer journey? Dr. Rob Rutelege is back to present the latest science around healthy eating and cancer care. In addition, Dr. Rutledge will share the benefits of time-restricted eating, and how you can incorporate it into your daily routine.

About this Presenter: Dr. Rob Rutledge is a Radiation Oncologist in Halifax, Nova Scotia, specializing in breast, prostate and pediatric cancers, and is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Medicine at Dalhousie University. His passion is empowering people affected by cancer, and has delivered hundreds of public talks and webinars, along with over 60 retreats and day-long seminars to thousands of cancer survivors. Rob has received a Cancer Care Nova Scotia Award for Excellence in Patient Care, and Doctors Nova Scotia presented him with a Health Promotion Award in recognition of his contribution to physician health and health promotion in cancer patients. Rob co-leads CancerPEP a comprehensive six-month daily patient empowerment program starting in November. Visit CancerPEP.org to learn more.

View the Video: Here

View the Slides: Here