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PROGRESS AND CHALLENGES IN MEETING MDGS AND SECURING ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY: WHAT WILL WE DO AFTER 2015?

Jean Lebel, Director, Agriculture and Environment, International Development Research Centre

Wednesday, October 26, 2011
5:00-6:30 pm
Green College

On Wednesday, October 26 2011, Dr. Steve Morgan, Associate Director of the Centre for Health Services and Policy Research (CHSPR) and Associate Professor for the School of Population and Public Health, will be in Ottawa, Ontario, speaking before the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology. His presentation will focus on the progress in implementing the 2004 10-Year Plan to Strengthen Health Care and, in particular, progress on the national pharmaceuticals strategy.

Other witnesses who will be appearing at that time include:

• Jeff Poston, Executive Director, Canadian Pharmacists Association
• Abby Hoffman, Assistant Deputy Minister, Health Canada
• Dr. Robert Peterson, Executive Directeur, Drug and Safety Effectiveness Network

An innovative new resource is now available for BC women looking to reduce their risk of breast cancer. The Breast Cancer Prevention & Risk Assessment Clinic opened its doors on October 20th with primary funding from the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation – BC/Yukon Region and is supported by BC Women's Hospital & Health Centre. Through this initiative, Vancouver will have the first breast cancer prevention and risk assessment clinic for women not at genetically increased risk of breast cancer.

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in Canadian women. Many women believe that heredity is the most important factor in developing breast cancer; however, genetic factors account for only five to ten percent of diagnoses. Conversely, nearly half of all breast cancer diagnoses are due to preventable, non-genetic factors. The Breast Cancer Prevention & Risk Assessment Clinic will provide women with concrete tools to help them improve their risk profile, particularly by focusing on weight management, increased physical activity, good nutrition and limited alcohol consumption.

Dr. Carolyn Gotay is the clinic’s Principal Investigator. Dr. Gotay is a Professor at the University of British Columbia, and she holds the Canadian Cancer Society Chair in Cancer Primary Prevention. Throughout her distinguished career in cancer research, Dr. Gotay became increasingly concerned that many women at risk for breast cancer were not receiving the guidance they needed. “Almost 40 percent of breast cancers in Canada are preventable,” states Dr. Gotay, “but women are not aware that their daily activities can have a tremendous impact on their breast health. Our goal at the clinic is to reach women who can significantly reduce their breast cancer risk through improved lifestyle choices.”

The clinic offers services that include risk assessment questionnaires, consultation with a senior medical oncologist, individual lifestyle counselling, referral to community resources and follow-up assessments. Located on the BC Women’s Hospital & Health Centre site, the clinic will operate one morning and one afternoon each week. To contact the clinic, call 604-558-2212.

"A structured approach to knowledge exchange: Understanding the implementation of a cancer survivor program" was published in the European Journal of Oncology Nursing.

Authors: Arminee Kazanjian, Kirsten Smilie, A. Fuchsia Howard, Amanda Ward & Richard Doll from the School of Population and Public Health, UBC, and the British Columbia Cancer Agency.

Purpose
The purpose of this research was to describe the application of a model of knowledge exchange, the Knowledge Exchange-Decision Support (KE-DS) Model, to the Canadian pilot of Cancer Transitions, a psychosocial program for cancer survivors.