Innovative approaches to everyday health
WINTER 2014
Publication Number 40036321
Every breath you take Coping with asthma
Giving plastic surgery
a reputation reconstruction
Find your own balance
Arlene Dickinson talks work, life, health
Winter 2014 | beingwell | 1
The Regional Municipality of York
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Find your own balance Arlene Dickinson talks work, life, health
All you need is love Longtime volunteer has special bond with children, parents
Every breath you take Coping with asthma
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Fitness Walk this way to better health
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Support while saying good-bye Out for blood Wise use of a precious resource
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A runaway success Community members moved to support their hospital
An unsafe alternative Lung association, cancer society raise concerns about e-cigarettes
regular features 20
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Synthetic drugs What you should know
Message from Southlake Wellnotes
Leading by Example Giving plastic surgery a reputation reconstruction
Hospital News Good things can come without the wait Toolkit to better serve deaf, hard of hearing patients Behind the Scenes Health Links connects patients with their circle of care
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Marlene’s Meal Makeovers 5 bunches of spinach, 3 delicious sides
contents
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Partners in Care Supporting locally runs in the family Neighbours Helping Neighbours Closing sale on volunteering Foundation News Glitz, glam and generosity
Ask the specialist Your health care questions answered Community Event Listing Last Word Should you be concerned about HPV?
Winter 2014 | beingwell | 1
message from
Sou
In June, we unveiled our new strategic plan and Southlake’s mission statement: Together, with Our Patients, Our People and Our Partners, we strive to make lives better by achieving quality outcomes and creating value in health care. This mission underlies our emphasis on being a high reliability organization—dedicated to service excellence and the delivery of safe quality health care. Our vision, Shockingly Excellent Experiences, speaks to our corporate promise that every person who interacts with Southlake will have an experience that meets or exceeds their expectations. As our strategic plan has begun to unfold, it has not gone unnoticed. In the past few months, Southlake has been recognized on 13 separate occasions for the work we do every day to deliver on our mission. Through these awards, Southlake is being recognized as a high reliability organization. A culture of excellence
Dr. Dave Williams President & CEO Southlake Regional Health Centre
Four of these awards specifically applaud our culture. Ours is a culture born of our passion to provide Shockingly Excellent Experiences to everyone we interact with and as such, results in every member of the Southlake team making a concerted effort to treat patients and each other like family. This culture of connectedness and caring is “The Southlake Way.” Southlake received the Canada’s 10 Most Admired Corporate Cultures award, presented by Waterstone Human Capital, recognizing the importance of great workplaces, where culture has boosted performance and competitive advantage. Winning organizations were measured on vision and leadership; cultural alignment, measurement and sustainability; rewards, recognition and innovation achievements; organization performance; and corporate social responsibility. We also received a Passion Capitalist Award, which recognizes organizations across Canada that have achieved long-term success by creating Passion Capital, the energy, intensity and sustainability needed to generate superior results. Passion Capitalists are guided by a strong set of values and beliefs that form the basis of a distinctive culture that fuels their performance. They are courageous, often having to overcome significant obstacles. For the sixth consecutive year Southlake was named as one of GTA’s Top Employers, a highly commendable accomplishment given that, according to a report in the Globe & Mail, “Organizations vying to crack the list of the GTA’s Top Employers faced tough competition this year. Employers are compared with others in their field, so the winners had to beat their industry peers in the review process by the editors at Mediacorp Canada.” Finally, in October, Southlake received a Silver Quality Healthcare Workplace Award. This award, launched in 2010, is a partnership of the Ontario Hospital Association and the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care’s HealthForceOntario. It recognizes organizational efforts to improve health care workplaces in ways that contribute to providers’ quality of work life and the quality of the care and services they deliver. Excellence in communications
Neila Poscente President & CEO Southlake Regional Health Centre Foundation
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The exceptional materials created to share our new strategic plan, Transforming Health Care with Our Patients, Our People, Our Partners, have also been recognized for excellence by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals, in an international creative competition that recognizes outstanding achievement by marketing and communication professionals. Southlake received the Platinum MarComm Award in recognition of its strategic plan booklet and the Gold MarComm Award in recognition of its strategic plan video. Southlake’s work won against over 6,500 entries from throughout Canada, the United States and several countries around the world.
thlake
ESSENTIAL SOUTHLAKE CONTACT INFORMATION All hospital enquiries:
Excellence in health care delivery
905-895-4521
Southlake has also been recognized for excellence in the delivery of health care to our patients with three successes that focus on the maternal child, acute care, mental health and The Arthritis Program (TAP) teams.
Volunteering at Southlake:
Southlake has been named the top hospital in Ontario for maternity patient experience in patient rating for overall care in the second annual report on “Patient Ratings of Overall Care and Likelihood to Recommend Ontario Hospitals.” The report was recently released jointly by the Ontario Hospital Association and National Research Corporation Canada. Women across Ontario who had experienced a maternity stay were asked the question, “Overall, how would you rate the care you received at the hospital?” Every responder who had stayed at Southlake indicated their overall care was good, very good or excellent. In addition, the report identified Southlake as one of the top six patient-recommended community hospitals in Ontario for acute care, and Southlake was ranked in the top three Ontario hospitals by physicians with respect to both physician engagement and rating of place to practice. A separate NRC Picker patient satisfaction survey also provided tremendous results for Southlake’s outpatient mental health program. The survey for the period January to March 2013 indicated: 100 per cent overall quality of care/service score; 100 per cent overall positive score; and zero per cent overall problem score for Southlake’s outpatient mental health department. The department also led the province in overall quality of care for April 2012 to March 2013, with a rating of 99 per cent, exceeding the provincial average of 95 per cent.
Community Resources at 905-895-4521, ext. 2104 or volunteers@southlakeregional.org
Careers at Southlake: 905-895-4521, ext. 2395 or careers@southlakeregional.org
To give us feedback on the care received: Manager, Patient Relations at 905-895-4521, ext. 2290
For information on making a donation: Visit southlakefoundation.ca or call the Southlake Foundation at 905-836-7333
In even more great news, The Arthritis Program (TAP) is the winner of the 2013 Commitment to Care & Service Award for Collaborative Team Initiative, awarded by Pharmacy Practice and Drugstore Canada, Canada’s leading pharmacy magazines. TAP was awarded for its initiatives to “clearly transform the lives of those living with arthritis.” Excellence in fundraising As a world-class hospital with deep community roots, Southlake Foundation was selected as a finalist for the Newmarket Chamber of Commerce’s Business Excellence Award in the category of not-for-profit of the year. As an organization that has touched the lives of thousands of people in the community, Southlake Foundation was chosen for its display of exceptional community service and leadership. Southlake Foundation was also publicly recognized as a high performer by the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy in their journal, Healthcare Philanthropy, as well as on their website, joining a league of previously recognized high performers, so defined by their performance being in the 75th percentile within the industry. It is the hard work and dedication of all of Southlake’s people that has led to these tremendous successes. These exceptional results underscore the fact that Southlake is on the right track as we focus on being a high reliability organization, dedicated to service excellence and the delivery of safe, quality health care in the most efficient and effective ways possible. These exceptional results reflect our commitment to creating an environment in which our patients can have the confidence of expert care delivered by a compassionate team who truly puts the patient first.
Need a family doctor? For a current list of physicians taking new patients:
• Visit southlakeregional.org and click on “healthcare professionals” or call Southlake at 905-895-4521, ext. 6913; or • Visit Healthcare Connect at ontario.ca/healthcareconnect or call 1-800-445-1822.
Winter 2014 | beingwell | 3
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beingwell Winter 2014 Volume 9 Issue 1
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Regional General Manager John Willems Associate Publication Manager Lee Ann Waterman Southlake Editorial Consultants Andrea Griepsma, Margaret Hastings, Tammy LaRue Contributors Jim Craigmyle, John Crowell, Rosina Daillie, Matt Haggerty, Cathy Hillard, Wendy Ho, Sue Kanhai, Andrew Livingstone, Barb MacDonald. Joann MacDonald, Marlene MacPherson, Judy Murdoch, Marjolyn Pritchard, Christopher Wahl Director MARKETING AND SALES DEVELOPMENT Gord Paolucci
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ADVERTISING Manager Laurie McDonald Sales Representatives Melanie Attridge, Angela Benincasa, Robin Boswell, Jeremy Brown,Cathy Charpentier, Judy Fulton, Carola McKee, Braden Simmonds DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION Jackie Smart Graphic Designer Emily Ayranto Director of Business Administration Rob Lazurko DIRECTOR OF DISTRIBUTION Tanya Pacheco beingwell is published four times a year by York Region Media Group, a division of Metroland Media Group Ltd., in partnership with Southlake Regional Health Centre Foundation. Copyright 2014. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written permission of the Publisher. Publication Number 40036321
The material in this publication is intended for general information purposes only and, while every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the material, it does not constitute advice or carry the specific endorsement of either York Region Media Group or Southlake Regional Health Centre/Southlake Regional Health Centre Foundation. Readers are encouraged to consult their doctor to discuss their health concerns.
Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses to: beingwell 580B Steven Court, PO Box 236, Newmarket, Ontario L3Y 4X1 905-853-8888 • Fax 905-853-4626 beingwell@yrmg.com
The day I interviewed entrepreneur, marketing expert, television personality and author Arlene Dickinson was a particularly stressful one. I’d overcommitted myself, was struggling to meet a couple deadlines and arrived at the office late because I’d noticed an unravelled seam in my pants just before heading out the door and had to dig out a needle and thread. (That last item sounds minor now, but in the frame of mind I was in, it seemed to foreshadow my whole day, maybe my whole life, unravelling.) As the day progressed, I fantasized about an evening on the couch in front of the television, with a glass of wine and perhaps a salty fatty snack. But instead I ate the apple and natural peanut butter I’d packed and went to my yoga class from work as planned. In our interview, as you will read in the cover story, Ms Dickinson talked about how taking care of her physical health is important to managing stress, staying focused and being happy. It was a good reminder of something I already know: Although we may sometimes tell ourselves the opposite, doing the things that are good for us—exercising regularly, eating nutritious, well-balanced meals and moderating alcohol consumption—make us feel good, too. And, conversely, not doing these things can take its toll on our health and sense of well-being. If the indulgences of the holiday season have you feeling a little less than your best, I hope you will find some inspiration in this issue of beingwell to make some improvements. We get advice from Julie Matthews, a registered kinesiologist and exercise therapist with Southlake’s cardiovascular rehabilitation program, on how to start a walking program—and reap the benefits of regular exercise. In our new Health Care Q&A section, kinesiologist David Kiernan offers tips in how to set and stick to your New Year’s resolution. And local cookbook author and regular contributor Marlene MacPherson shares three healthy recipes using spinach. This issue of beingwell also features informative articles on electronic cigarettes and synthetic recreation drugs: what they are, who is using them and what the associated risks are. And we bring you the latest news from Southlake Regional Health Centre, including profiles of plastic surgeon Dr. Casey Knight and longtime volunteer Marjorie Brewster, a look at how the hospital has reduced wait times for patients in the emergency department and information on a new toolkit that is improving care for deaf and hearing impaired patients.
wellnotes
by lee ann waterman lwaterman@yrmg.com
I hope you enjoy this issue. We welcome your feedback at beingwell@yrmg.com.
Winter 2014 | beingwell | 5
"I strive to live my life fully, that's what balance is to me." 6 | beingwell | Winter 2014
Find your own
balance Arlene Dickinson talks work, life, health by Lee Ann Waterman Christopher Wahl photograph cover photograph The Big Decision “I just don’t buy it,” says Arlene Dickinson. The marketing guru, entrepreneur, CBC “Dragon” and author is talking about worklife balance, this idea that we can only be happy, centred, fulfilled if we divide up our time 50:50 between work and life. “This whole idea of balance is baloney,” she says. “What’s balance for me, is not what’s balance for you.” This is particularly true, she says, for entrepreneurs. Ms Dickinson uses a thought-provoking analogy. Would you ask a painter to stop being an artist when she puts down her paintbrush after finishing a piece? Or an Olympic sprinter to stop being an athlete at the end of race? “It would be a ridiculous notion because that’s who you are,” she says. It is the same for business owners; they can’t shut the office door at 5 p.m. and switch from work to life. “For entrepreneurs … you don’t think about the division, it’s more seamless,” she says. “There is something in the way our minds are wired that I believe makes us a little bit different,” she continues. “It’s who we are …. We should embrace that and feel OK about it.” She suggests buying into the myth would be “boring”.
Ms Dickinson’s story is far from boring. Married at 19 and a mother of four by 27, she was divorced, unemployed and sleeping on her father’s couch at 31. Her first full-time job—in sales at a Calgary television station— led her to an opportunity that would change her life’s trajectory. When a colleague left the station to start his own communications company, he offered her a job. It was a risk, but she jumped in with both feet. Ten years later, in 1998, Ms Dickinson was sole proprietor and CEO of the company, Venture Communications. Since then, Venture has three times been recognized by the National Post as one of Canada’s best managed companies and Ms Dickinson has been named one of Canada’s top 100 women business owners by Profit and Chatelaine magazines, inducted into Canada’s Most Powerful Women Hall of Fame and received the Pinnacle Award for Entrepreneurial Excellence. She’s also become a public figure—as panelist on the award-winning CBC series Dragons’ Den, author of the bestseller Persuasion and recently released All In and, in 2012 year founder of YouInc.com, a social networking and support site for entrepreneurs that is part of Arlene Dickinson Enterprises. It is perhaps a little cliche, but wisdom does come with age. Ms Dickinson says she is self-aware now. Winter 2014 | beingwell | 7
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Launched last year by Arlene Dickinson Enterprises, YouInc.com is a social networking and support website for Canadian entrepreneurs. It features information and discussion on topics ranging from money, marketing and technology to health, wellness and relationships, and offers members opportunities to share, collaborate and learn from one another. Ms Dickinson writes a regular blog for the site. Here are a few quotes from that blog. A calling Being an entrepreneur was a lifestyle choice. It’s a decision that, to a certain extent, emerges directly from who we are and how we think. Once we recognize this calling, we should embrace it wholeheartedly—for it’s a path that allows us to become unique and meaningful contributors to our economy and society. Further, it’s a path that can positively impact not only your own life, but the lives and wellbeing of many others. Juggling Doing a lot of things doesn’t necessarily equate to being productive, especially in relation to what is most meaningful to you. Just like in business, measuring activity isn’t a key to success. You need to measure the right activity and ensure that what you are doing is lining up with where you are aiming. Purposeful and clearly defined tactics always trump random activity and busywork. Balance If only we could figure out a way to achieve work/life balance, we’d be so much happier in every sphere of our lives, and so would the people who love us. That’s the conventional wisdom, anyway. I’ve done a lot of thinking about this and I can’t say I agree. In fact, I believe we’ve been looking at this issue through the wrong lens. As a result, all we’ve accomplished, at least as far as I can tell, is to drive ourselves crazy. So here’s my two cents: I don’t think entrepreneurs can achieve work-life balance. What’s more, I don’t think we should even be trying. Failure I’ve always been fascinated by how some entrepreneurs almost instantly become discounted as people once they’ve failed in business. It’s the exact opposite of how we should react to failure, in business or otherwise. Failure is nothing less than the gateway to success. It sounds counter-intuitive but it’s absolutely true. In fact, I actually find it hard to imagine anyone achieving a noteworthy success if they haven’t at first failed.
Women, in particular, she says, fall into the trap of trying to please everybody—your community, your church, your family, your friends, your employer, your colleagues and yourself. She recalls the guilt she felt as a young mother and entrepreneur who was “not doing enough for my kids, not doing enough for anybody.” “Often,” she says, “you never get to yourself. I believe in starting with yourself. “It’s not a selfish thought, it’s a self-aware thought,” she continues. “There’s a difference in being narcissistic and only thinking about yourself and being self-aware and knowing who you are.” Ms Dickinson is someone who takes risks and sets goals, who is excited by taking on new challenges and inspired by ideas of doing things differently. “I strive to live my life fully, that’s what balance is to me,” she says. Despite her career successes and demands, family is the central focus of her life. Ms Dickinson describes her family, her children and grandchildren, as a planet and her other endeavours—as CEO, Dragon, author, public speaker, mentor—as moons. She can travel to the moon, but always returns home. “I always come back to centre,” she says. Being self-aware also translates to being more in-tune with her body and paying attention to her health. “The better I take care of myself, the happier I am, the more I am able to deal with stress,” Ms Dickinson says. “If I’m stressed, under pressure and not managing it well, I make myself stop and think about what have I done recently that might explain the way I’m feeling.” Inevitably, she says, she can link it to unhealthy choices—eating too much rich food, not exercising—and “course corrects.” She watches her portion sizes, particularly when she is travelling and eating on airplanes, in hotels and at restaurants, and believes in eating “breakfast like a king, dinner like a pauper.” She sets herself up for success on the road by taking healthy food such as berries or a
Arlene Dickinson on the set of CBC’s Dragons’ Den.
salad to eat on the plane and packing her running shoes. “I work really hard to walk or run,” she says. “I’ve chosen exercises I can do in any city at any time. “When I’m physically active, I am mentally more alert and more able to deal with stress, with the day-to-day challenges and volume of activity,” she continues. “I have no doubt physical fitness is crucial for my mental health.” At 50, she ran a half-marathon in San Diego. Although she has always been pretty active and run shorter distances, the 21.1-kilometre race gave her a better sense of
CBC photograph
her own physical capabilities. “Our bodies are capable of much and we ask too little of them,” she says. “It was a fantastic feeling I’ll never forget: an emotional high, a sense of accomplishment.” She calls adhering to a healthy lifestyle “a mental exercise,” but says it’s worth the effort. “We all find time for the things in life that are important,” she says. She may be talking about regular exercise and portion control, but it’s easy to find a connection between those words and her larger message: Know yourself, identify what’s important to you and you will find your own balance. Winter 2014 | beingwell | 9
For the Ruccias—dad Joe, mom Daniela, Stefano, 15, Gianmarco, 11, and Anthony, 7, working to keep asthma symptoms under control is part of regular family life. Mr. Ruccia and all three boys have asthma.
Every breath you take Coping with asthma by Joann MacDonald Every family has its own vernacular, a unique language that develops over time among those who live in close quarters. In Newmarket’s Ruccia household, “Do you need your puffer?” is a common refrain. The question usually comes from mom Daniela, whose husband and three sons all have asthma. While Stefano, 15, and Anthony, 7, experience asthma symptoms only when they are ill or especially active, Gianmarco, 11, needs to monitor his asthma daily. Before he was even a year old, Gianmarco’s parents noticed the familiar tendency to wheeze that often accompanies asthma. Gianmarco began receiving nebulizer treatments (where 10 | beingwell | Winter 2014
medicines are administered by a mist inhaled into the lungs) both in hospital and at home, sometimes three times a day for seven days in a row. “It was a lot of sleepless nights, a lot of remembering to administer the right medication at the right time,” Ms Ruccia says. “He’d fall asleep and I’d sit there staring at him, watching his chest go up and down.” A decade later, the Ruccia family is accustomed to keeping asthma symptoms under control. “I always know when Gianmarco is going to have an asthma attack. Some people wheeze. Some people have shortness of breath. Gianmarco has a coughing fit,” Ms
Ruccia says. Asthma, a disease of the airways leading to and from the lungs, is the most common chronic condition in children and its prevalence is rising in Canada. A Statistics Canada health report based on data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth found that in 1994/1995, 11 per cent of Canadian children up to the age of 11 had been diagnosed with asthma. By 2000/2001, the rate had risen to more than 13 per cent, an increase of nearly 70,000 children. The most recent numbers (2010), put the rate at 15.6 per cent for children aged four to 11. Although asthma typically starts in childhood, adult onset asthma is increasing,
Reduce your family’s risk The Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario offers these suggestions for reducing your child’s risk of developing asthma. 1. Fight the mites Studies have shown that more dust mites mean a higher risk of dust mite allergy and of developing asthma. Protect crib and bed mattresses with dust mite impermeable covers. Remove and wash sheets weekly in hot water and damp wipe the mattress. Avoid excess clutter (toys, books, etc.) in your child’s bedroom. Install a hardwood floor if possible. Keep the household humidity level at 50 per cent or less.
Gianmarco Ruccia uses a puffer to control his asthma.
too. In total, more than 3 million Canadians have been diagnosed with asthma. Risk factors for developing asthma include a family history of asthma and/or allergy, exposure to tobacco smoke or chemical irritants in the workplace and exposure in infancy to high levels of allergens such as dust mites. Experts worldwide are struggling to determine why asthma rates are rising by 50 per cent on average each decade. One theory in play is the “hygiene hypothesis,” which suggests that over-sanitized home environments lead to decreased disease resistance. Other theories point to air pollution, rising pollen levels, energy-proofing of indoor spaces (and a resulting rise in dust mites), new chemicals in household goods and building materials and the overuse of antibiotics. A Southern California study found that exposure to herbicides and pesticides in infancy greatly increased a child’s risk of developing early persistent asthma. Asthma is closely tied to allergies in many people. In the Ruccia household, all three boys have various forms of environmental and food allergies. Allergic asthma, the most common type, is triggered by environmental factors such as pet dander, pollen and dust. Nonallergic asthma may be triggered by exercise, smoke, stress or airway infections. “Asthma is a chronic disease so it must be paid attention to on a daily basis,” says Meridene Haynes, a certified respiratory educator for the Asthma Society of Canada. “Many people do not have adequate asthma control and experience asthma symptoms
Jim Craigmyle photographs
every day. They are reaching for their rescue inhaler too often.” The use of a rescue inhaler more than four times a week suggests inadequate asthma control, she says. Asthma symptoms include cough, wheeze, chest tightness, difficulty breathing and/or shortness of breath. The two types of asthma treatment, relievers and controllers, are both administered through inhalation devices, otherwise known as inhalers or puffers. People with asthma use short-acting relievers on demand when symptoms arise, often as a result of physical activity or exposure to their triggers such as environmental stimuli. Treatment for asthma also involves the use of a daily controller inhaler, which treats the underlying airway inflammation that is the root cause of asthma. “Many people do not understand the disease and think it is something that comes and goes,” Ms Haynes says. “They accept the fact that they have asthma symptoms even though the goal of management is to remain symptom-free. Having knowledge and understanding of their disease and using an individualized asthma action plan can mean a daily check of less than five minutes to assess their level of asthma control.” Ms Ruccia says her family does its best to ensure Gianmarco is able to do all of the activities he loves. Active in hockey and soccer, he takes his puffer before games and practices to help him breathe throughout the activity. While asthma management is standard practice for this busy family, the worry of an attack is always present.
2. Ban the butt Don’t allow your child to be exposed to cigarette smoke. Your doctor can advise you of techniques to help you quit smoking. If someone in the house cannot quit, they should smoke outside (not in the basement or bathroom, as air recirculates through the home). 3. Say no to Fido Some early Canadian research suggests that adults regularly exposed to a furry animal are more likely to develop asthma. This may hold true for children, too. In families where allergic diseases are common, it may be prudent to avoid having pets. If you have pets, wash them weekly and avoid allowing them on furniture and beds. 4. Make dirt your friend Recent research from several countries suggests that if a young infant’s immune system is busy fighting infection it may be too preoccupied to develop the cells and chemicals needed to create allergic reactions. There is some evidence that children who are exposed to more germs— such as children with several older siblings, children in day care before six months of age and children who live on farms—are less likely to develop allergies and allergic-type diseases like asthma. 5. Breastfeed your baby A Canadian study suggests that breastfeeding for at least the first four months reduces the risk of asthma. While the study results are controversial, breastfeeding is still strongly recommended given the numerous health benefits it offers babies.
Winter 2014 | beingwell | 11
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Guest Speaker:
ROBYN SOLNIK, LLB, TEP Vice President & Business Owner Specialist RBC Wealth Management Services Robyn will be speaking about key areas of wealth and tax planning for business owners. Please RSVP by February 10 to Lisa at 905-895-6236.
RBC Dominion Securities Inc.* and Royal Bank of Canada are separate corporate entities which are affiliated. *Member-Canadian Investor Protection Fund. RBC Dominion Securities Inc. is a member company of RBC Wealth Management, a business segment of Royal Bank of Canada. ®Registered trademarks of Royal Bank of Canada. Used under licence. © RBC Dominion Securities Inc. 2014. All rights reserved.
Building Healthy Families:
Are you ready? It’s never too early!
A healthy start for a baby begins with you and your partner. York Region Community and Health Services offers a variety of free programs and services. We can help with: • Information about pregnancy • Breastfeeding • Home visits to support parents
• Support for perinatal mood disorders • Parenting programs • Oral health
TTY (for those with hearing disabilities) 1-866-252-9933
12 | beingwell | Winter 2014
“There’s still that fear of him going to school and being in the schoolyard [having an attack] and people not knowing what’s going on,” says Ms Ruccia. Even with all of the attempts to control his asthma, Gianmarco was taken to the hospital emergency department as recently as the fall of 2012 after having an episode at school. “He gets to the point where he can’t breathe,” Ms Ruccia says. “He took the puffer and it didn’t work. He didn’t want to take more because the medication makes his heart race.” With his breathing at a critical stage, Gianmarco was taken to the hospital for treatment. “When one needs their rescue inhaler, it is because they are having asthma symptoms that need to be treated immediately,” Ms Haynes says. “Teachers and school staff need education on what asthma symptoms to look for and how to respond.” Just as schools identify students with anaphylaxis, children with asthma should have an asthma action plan on record with the school. The Asthma Society advises students carry their own rescue medication when they are old enough to administer it themselves. Triggers in the school environment, such as dust, mould, foods, pollens and strong smells, can increase the chances of an episode at school. “The goal of optimal asthma management is to participate in all activities and not be limited,” Ms Haynes says. “The teachers need to watch that the student is not having symptoms during activities and, if they are, they need to let the student use their rescue inhaler and inform the parents.” While there is no cure for asthma, it can be managed to the point where you do not experience asthma symptoms and lead an active life, Ms Haynes says. The danger of ignoring asthma symptoms is real. “Asthma can be life threatening and every year people with asthma die,” she says. “Education and understanding of the disease, self-management strategies, regular assessments, avoidance of triggers and correct use of inhalers will lead to a higher level of ongoing asthma control.” While dealing with asthma has been challenging for her family, Ms Ruccia says she counts her blessings every day. “I have kids with life-threatening illnesses, but they can be controlled. I’m lucky that way.”
CAMPAIGN UPDATE Because of the support of our community, the first phase of our Images for Life campaign is complete and our new Interventional Radiology Suite, and its state-of-the-art technology is already saving lives. Every day, some of Southlake’s sickest patients are treated using image-guided minimally-invasive procedures, often resulting in shorter recovery times, and fewer complications.
The Images for Life campaign has reaches the $10 million mark, just $6 million away from its $16 million goal. Phase 2 will fund a much needed second MRI. The 3T (Tesla) MRI is the gold standard in detection, diagnosis and management of disease, and will reduce wait times for non-urgent patients by as much as 76 percent in the first year alone.
To learn more or to make a donation to the Images for Life Campaign for Diagnostic Imaging, please visit southlakefoundation.ca or call 905.836.7333. Charitable Business No: 13179-7540-RR0001
Support while saying
good-bye by Rosina Daillie
Emotionally draining as the role of caregiver, friend or health care provider can be when supporting someone who is terminally ill, Pat Miller, a social worker who works with patients and families at Southlake Regional Health Centre, says it’s also a privilege. “Working with terminally ill cancer patients is an honour; it’s very heartfelt, enormously 14 | beingwell | Winter 2014
sad with lots of tearful moments, but a very special relationship develops in the process,” she says. “You see the essence of people as you accompany them on their last journey in life— it’s very special work.” It is important, she says, to allow patients to direct that journey as much as possible. “When patients start to lose control of their
physical health, maximizing their sense of control of everything that surrounds them is important,” Ms Miller says. “This becomes the patient’s journey and the best thing that caregivers can do is to honour their way of living through this time.” Dr. Cindy So, medical director of palliative care at Southlake, says people nearing the end
Lilian Loke, a late patient of Southlake’s palliative care, wrote about the joy of having visits in a collection of poems. Here is one: You never know What a visit will do. Time and time again It brings gladness The whole week through. Thank you for your visit. It’s a blessing in many ways ‘Neath the shades of trees Or in the midst Of gorgeous autumn colours. Let’s look at life together The rest of our days.
of life require support from many sources. “While the physical and medical needs of terminally ill patients can be met by physicians, to alleviate pain, improve quality of life and ensure comfort, they are only one aspect of the team,” Dr. So says. “We rely on the expertise of other allied health care professionals, such as dietitians, social workers, chaplains, occupational therapists and physiotherapists, as well as caregivers who all become part of the patient’s circle of care to support the emotional, social and spiritual needs of dying patients.” People who are terminally ill cling to hope and should be encouraged to talk about hope even under the most devastating circumstances. Dr. So speaks of the encouraging practice of “transforming hope” for patients in palliative care as hope changes with the progression of the disease—from hope for a miracle
to happen, a cure to be found, to hope for wanting to be present at an important family reunion, a wedding, etc. Upon receiving a devastating diagnosis, some patients focus on the practical, wanting to immediately ensure their affairs—finances, will, legacy, etc—are in order and families should be respectful of the patient’s wishes, listening attentively and being supportive. Encourage them to use the personal strengths they have relied on when coping with adversity in the past to get them through this difficult period, Ms Miller says. Listen sensitively to them as they express their wishes about where they would like to die (at home, in a hospice, etc.), their will, legacy, funeral arrangements and what brings meaning to their lives now. Be an advocate for the patient while respecting their wishes, Dr. So suggests. Ms Miller says, “One of the most worthwhile things family members and friends can do for a dying loved one is to pay regular visits. Reminisce about experiences shared as this encourages people to positively look at their past; listen to music; go over picture albums; share jokes and have a good laugh.” When patients are experiencing emotional pain, caregivers can’t do anything to change the reality of the disease, but by just being present, listening to them and allowing them to cry, Ms Miller says, “we can do a lot to influence the backdrop of their experience.” Allow them as much time as they wish to express their feelings of anger, sadness, fear, hope and hopelessness. Encourage them to reflect on their past experiences, their accomplishments to society, memorable moments and how they would like
to be remembered by family and friends, Ms Miller suggests. Respect the silent moments, as it gives the patient time and real opportunity to reflect. Caregivers can help arrange time with a priest, rabbi or other spiritual advisor if the patient wishes. Caregivers could assist patients who may wish to write legacy letters to their friends and family members, diary entries, thoughts, etc. as this is reassuring for them that their lives have been meaningful, Ms Miller says. One of the hardest situations for caregivers is dealing with terminally ill parents of young children. Young children should not be deprived from participating in the final journey of a close loved one, such as a parent or sibling. Honour the child’s ability to be part of the family during this crucial moment as memories formed at this time are special. Dr. So strongly suggests parents should be open and honest with children and not hesitate to use specific words such as cancer to convey the seriousness of a disease, as the often-used word “sick” can be misleading. Caregivers can support young parents diagnosed with a terminal illness in writing special letters addressed to their children to be opened at important events in their lives, such as a graduation or wedding. As Dr. Robert Buckman, well-known British-Canadian physician and author, wrote in the preface of his 1988 book, I Don’t Know What To Say: How To Help and Support Someone Who Is Dying: “Supporting someone who is dying is always demanding and exhausting, but it is one of the most worthwhile things that one human being can do for another.”
Lend a hand By offering to help with everyday tasks, you can ease the burden of caregivers focused on their loved ones. Instead of saying, “Just call if you need anything,” find something you can do and suggest that you do it for them. Here are a few ideas: • Shop for groceries. • Do household chores, such as getting the mail, walking the dog, doing laundry, cleaning, cutting the grass, watering plants, shovelling snow or taking out the garbage. • Prepare meals the family can easily freeze and reheat. • Help look after children. Take them to and from school and evening activities or arrange play dates. • Offer to be a “point person” to organize schedules for meals, rides, chores or visitors. Sometimes just organizing many offers of help can seem overwhelming. Source: Canadian Cancer Society, cancer.ca
Winter 2014 | beingwell | 15
Out for blood Wise use of a precious resource by Lee Ann Waterman Blood, says Marianne de Bretan-Berg, a registered nurse and coordinator of the perioperative blood conservation program at Southlake, is a precious resource. She describes the health care professionals and organizations who take, transport and transfuse this resource as custodians. “We are very cognizant that is a gift that a person gives, an altruistic gift, and they expect that we’re going to use it carefully,” she says. “We have an obligation to donors to make sure every unit of blood donated is used in the best possible way we can.” Canadian Blood Services manages the blood supply in Canada, collecting approximately 850,000 units of blood annually, testing it to minimize risk to recipients and processing it into the components and products that are given to thousands of patients. Blood, Ms de Bretan-Berg says, is always in demand. The shelf life of whole blood is 35 to 40 days. Many older people are no longer eligible to donate because of health concerns and younger people aren’t coming to clinics on a regular basis in the same numbers their parents or grandparents did. The need is high. According to Canadian Blood Services, approximately every minute of every day, someone in Canada requires blood. At Southlake, blood and blood products, including plasma and platelets, are used in cardiac surgeries, which account for about 65 per cent of use, as well as emergency surgeries, hip and knee replacements and to boost the blood cell count of cancer patients following treatment. The perioperative blood conservation program, developed as part of the Ontario Nurse Transfusion Coordinators initiative, has been working since 2006 to reduce the frequency and volume of blood transfusions—for patient safety and to make the best use of this resource. It’s a team effort, Ms de Bretan-Berg says, that required the buy-in of physicians, nurses, pharmacists and others. 16 | beingwell | Winter 2014
“It’s a big change,” she says. “The physicians and nurses now know we can give quality care without giving transfusions. We have the obligation to patients to give them the best, safest care and, if possible, avoid blood transfusions and avoid the risks.” While rare, there are risks to blood transfusions, including fever, allergic reaction and infection, which can range from mild to severe. Patients who do not require transfusions often recover faster and spend less time in the hospital, which also means beds are freed up sooner for the next patients. Reducing the use of blood in surgeries requires planning. The aim is for patients to head into surgery with high numbers of red blood cells and levels of hemoglobin (a protein contained in red bloods cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to tissues) to maximize the potential to avoid transfusion. Ms de Bretan-Berg meets with patients four to six weeks before their surgeries— to test their blood and suggest ways to boost counts if necessary. Methods can include eating more iron-rich foods, such as fish, poultry and red meat, taking iron supplements or being prescribed medication that increases the body’s ability to produce red blood cells. “Preparation,” she says, “is a huge part of keeping people well and getting them back on their feet.” The initiative is working. For radical prostatectomy, surgeons have eliminated blood transfusions. For cardiac bypass surgery, Southlake’s team has reduced the red blood cell transfusion rate over the past three years from 43 per cent to 25 per cent. “Avoiding blood transfusions in appropriate patients means we can save the blood for people who really need it,” Ms de Bretan-Berg says. For more information about blood donation and upcoming local blood donor clinics, visit blood.ca.
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An unsafe alternative Lung association, cancer society raise concerns about e-cigarettes by Andrew Livingstone Since electronic cigarettes hit the market as a new way to curb smoking and break the nicotine addiction, the vaporizing, mistproducing products have gained steam in the smoking cessation market. But there is growing concern about their safety and a push from within the medical community to have the products regulated. The Quebec division of the Canadian Cancer Society found that nearly one-quarter of 18 to 24 year olds surveyed in 2013 had used e-cigarettes; use among the general population was at nine per cent. Nearly 60 per cent of the young adults were using e-cigarettes for “fun” or out of curiosity, with the desire to quit smoking an almost rare priority. Testing of the products commissioned by the society found that nearly two-thirds contained nicotine, despite being labelled nicotine-free, and more than 70 per cent didn’t conform to the ingredients labelled on the packages. The organization is now petitioning the government to regulate e-cigarettes—by prohibiting their sale to minors, controlling advertising, regulating product ingredients and emissions, and banning smoking e-cigarettes in public places where tobacco is not allowed. Battery-operated e-cigarettes mimic the look and feel of regular cigarettes. The devices use replaceable cartridges that can be filled with nicotine, flavoured liquids and other chemicals. The Canadian Lung Association has campaigned for people who want to quit smoking to use “scientifically proven methods” and to avoid gimmicky products like e-cigarettes. Neither Health Canada nor the American Food and Drug Administration have approved the devices as an effective smoking cessation tool, notes Margaret Bernhardt-Lowdon, a tobacco issues spokesperson for the lung association. “These electronic devices could be potentially harmful to lung health,” she says. “Don’t be fooled by e-cigarettes.” Health Canada isn’t sold on the devices either. In 2009, the federal department issued an advisory to Canadians, “not to purchase or use electronic smoking products, as these products may pose health risks and have not been fully evaluated for safety, quality and efficacy by Health Canada.” International research has also raised concerns about the safety of the products. Published in the Lancet journal in 2013, 18 | beingwell | Winter 2014
a research team from the University of New Zealand in Auckland found more than 55 per cent of study subjects using e-cigarettes were able to decrease their daily number of cigarettes smoked by nearly half; this compared to just over 40 per cent of test subjects who were on the nicotine patch. However, the study raised questions about the place of e-cigarettes in tobacco control and said “more research is urgently needed to clearly establish their overall benefits and harms at both individual and population levels.” A recent study by France’s National Consumers Institute found some brands of e-cigarettes may contain carcinogenic properties, similar to the ones found in regular cigarettes. As well, initial lab tests by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration found detectable levels of carcinogens and diethylene glycol, a toxic chemical used in antifreeze, in two leading brands and 18 various cartridges available on the market. One of the biggest concerns, says Rob Cunningham, senior policy analyst for the Canadian Cancer Society, is the increasing popularity of e-cigarettes among youth. “Clearly we wouldn’t want such products sold to minors or marketed towards them,” says Mr. Cunningham, who believes
indications in the United States of increased use among teens in recent years could likely be the case in Canada as well. According to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Youth Tobacco Survey in the U.S., the use of e-cigarettes by middle and high school students doubled between 2011 and 2012. The use of e-cigarettes by high school students alone jumped from 4.7 per cent to 10 per cent in 2012. The director of smoking and health for the centre, Tim McAfee, is “deeply troubled” by the results and says the dramatic increase suggest it is critical strategies be developed, “to prevent marketing, sales and use of e-cigarettes among youth.” In Canada, the cancer society and lung association have voiced concerns over the potential for youth to become addicted to nicotine by using e-cigarettes and eventually graduating to real cigarettes. “We don’t want these things sold in 70 flavours,” Mr. Cunningham says, explaining the flavours purposefully target a more youthful clientele. “We don’t have any documented benefit for the use of e-cigarettes and we don’t want youth becoming addicted to another device. Marketing can shape perceptions about what’s cool and we don’t want that happening.”
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Synthetic drugs: What you need to know by Andrew Livingstone
Bath salts, homemade fentanyl, synthetic marijuana—the growing list of dangerous synthetic recreational drugs available on the streets is a health and safety concern for parents and police. 20 | beingwell | Winter 2014
Dangers Commonly know as bath salts, synthetic cathinones are designer drugs produced in illegal laboratories. Said to give the effects of stimulants and hallucinogens, bath salts are known to contain methylenedioxyprovalerone (MDPV), a psychoactive drug with stimulant properties; mephedrone, a type of amphetamine; and methylone, a stimulant similar to MDMA, among other ingredients. These synthetic drugs are known to have dangerous side effects on the person using them: high blood rate, temporary psychosis, chest pains, hallucinations, paranoia and suicidal thoughts. In 2013, the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse issued an alert on the increasing presence of homemade fentanyl, in both powder and pill form, across the country. Fentanyl is an opioid prescribed to combat pain. The homemade version is being produced in clandestine labs, at far more toxic levels that could lead to overdose. Also growing in popularity among youth and drug users looking for a substitute to other drugs, synthetic marijuana carries effects that can vary in severity—depending on the person or the batch ingested. According to the RCMP, dizziness, extreme anxiety, nausea and vomiting and unrealistic fears brought on by an altered sense of time and space are a few of the more minor effects. More severe reactions include memory loss, increased heart rate, convulsions, seizures and even attempted suicide. Last February, Health Canada issued a public warning about the risks of taking the drug, which is often marketed as “smokeable herbal incense” or “legal high” and sold in convenience stores, tobacco stores and head shops. Local concern Det.-Sgt. Peter Casey of the drugs and vice unit of York Regional Police isn’t naïve. He knows synthetic drugs are making their way to York Region. Despite a growing global market, some of the new substances available, like bath salts and fentanyl, haven’t made major inroads in York Region, Det.-Sgt. Casey says. But synthetic cannabinoids have come onto the radar of York Regional Police. Known on the street as “spice” and “krypto potpourri,” among other slang names, synthetic marijuana is a man-made substance where a mix of herbs are sprayed with chemicals that mimic marijuana. “With this stuff, you don’t know what you’re getting,” Det.-Sgt. Casey highlights the dan-
gers of the drug. “Who’s to say that the chemical was sprayed evenly? One area of the herbs could have been sprayed with three or four times the amount (of chemicals). It changes from one dose to the next.” Last year, a York Region resident was hospitalized for a number of days after ingesting an unknown substance purchased over the Internet; a sign, Det.-Sgt. Casey says, of the potential for dangerous consequences. “One of the main concerns is public health,” he adds. “We take all drugs seriously, whether they are synthetic or not.” Education For police it’s not only about prevention and policing the streets, Det.-Sgt. Casey says; it’s also about education. While no Canadian statistics are available, the American National Institute of Drug Abuse reports synthetic marijuana use is second only to traditional marijuana and hashish use among U.S. high school students (11.3 per cent reported in a national survey to have used the drug in 2012). “We have a responsibility to educate our students and teachers,” he says, adding York Regional Police spent hundreds of hours with students every school year talking about the dangers of drugs and how to make informed decisions about them. “I think it’s important for people to know these things are out there, especially parents.” For parents, Det.-Sgt. Casey says, it’s important to maintain a line of honest communication with their children. “Being able to talk to your kids openly about these types of things and being aware of the signs will help make it easier for you to address any issues that may be there,” he says. Experts with the drug unit are always available to talk to parents and youth about the consequences of using synthetic drugs and how they can affect a person’s life as well as impact their family and friends.
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Resources York Regional Police hosts a “parent’s academy”—a program for parents and caregivers of youth aged 10 to 18 designed to educate and provide strategies on topics including mental health, drugs, alcohol and other addictions, social media and bullying. For more information, visit yrp.ca. To contact York Regional Police, visit yrp.ca or call 1-866-876-5423.
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Winter 2014 | beingwell | 21
leadingbyexample
Dr. Casey Knight, a plastic surgeon at Southlake Regional Health Centre, treats patients with a variety of injuries and illnesses.
Giving plastic surgery a reputation reconstruction Plastic surgery: a definition Contrary to popular belief, the name was not taken from the use of silicone or synthetic materials to achieve reconstruction. The term came from the Greek word “plastikos”—to mould or to give form. Dr. Casey Knight, plastic surgeon at Southlake Regional Health Centre, has a photograph of a golden retriever in her office. The dog belongs to her 10-year-old patient, Alberto Gomes. The dog’s name is Knight. Dr. Knight treated Alberto three years ago when he was brought to Southlake’s emergency department with severe trauma to his hands after they had been caught in the chain of an all-terrain vehicle (ATV). The accident caused multiple fractures and dislocations in his hand that required surgery. The chain was wrapped so tightly around 22 | beingwell | Winter 2014
Alberto’s fingers it had cut off the blood supply. There was a chance his fingers would not survive. “Using an operating microscope, I sutured his digital arteries and nerves back together to restore blood flow and sensation to the fingers,” Dr. Knight explains. Operating on these structures, which are approximately one millimeter in diameter, is considered microsurgery, an area of reconstructive plastic surgery that Dr. Knight feels is important to offer the Newmarket community. “It was an incredible moment when we
were able to tell his parents that we had saved his fingers,” she says. Alberto’s treatment did not end with his surgery. “We brought him back to the paediatric ward and, as a health care team, we identified what his needs were and how we could work together to meet those needs. Everyone was onboard immediately,” Dr. Knight says. In addition to regular appointments with Dr. Knight, Southlake’s dedicated team of hand therapists worked with Alberto to help him regain function. However, there were
Alberto Gomes, 10, was treated by Dr. Casey Knight following an ATV accident that caused severe trauma to his hands. The Gomes family named their dog Knight after the surgeon. Jim Craigmyle photographs
difficulties getting the seven-year-old to do his therapy because he was so sore. Alberto’s parents and the hand therapists hatched a plan. He had been asking for a puppy the week prior to the accident and had made the same request when he awoke from surgery. They knew that if Alberto had a dog, he would have to use his hands. Enter the golden retriever, named in honour of Alberto’s hand surgeon. Thanks to the reconstructive surgery from Dr. Knight and the canine therapy from Knight, Alberto regained full use of his hands. “It was a miracle. She gave us back hope and a future for Alberto. He wants to be a vet when he grows up and he is an amazing artist now, thanks to having his hands,” says mom Sabrina Gomes. In Canada, hand surgery is largely performed by plastic surgeons. While in popular culture it can be hard to view plastic surgery in any other light than cosmetic surgery, Dr. Knight specializes in an entirely different type of plastic surgery: reconstructive surgery. “Every day is different,” Dr. Knight explains. “You are thinking on your feet and problemsolving as you go. Plastic surgery involves both functional and esthetic elements. We focus on restoring function, dexterity and independence as well as reducing pain. At
the same time, we want people to look their best, because self-image is often tied to selfconfidence.” In addition to hand and peripheral nerve surgery, Dr. Knight also works closely with patients of the Stronach Regional Cancer Centre, removing skin cancers such as basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma. She also has an active breast reconstruction program that helps women in the post-mastectomy phase. “It is important to be able to offer breast cancer survivors the opportunity to have reconstructive surgery. We have many options available and we work together to decide which approach best achieves their goals,” she explains. Dr. Knight also regularly performs breast reductions. “Many women live with breast hypertrophy for years and they don’t realize something can be done about it,” she explains. “It’s powerful when a breast reduction patient comes back with tears of joy in her eyes, saying that this surgery has changed her life. Among other benefits, she can now live without constant neck and back pain, exercise more comfortably and find clothes that fit properly. Often patients tell me they experience feelings of renewed self-esteem and confidence, which is so important.”
Outside of caring for people in our own community, Dr. Knight has a passion for overseas work. She travelled to Ghana as a medical student, treated children with cleft lip and palate in Cambodia, taught basic surgical techniques in rural El Salvador and spent two weeks in India last year treating women who had survived domestic violence in the form of acid attacks. The India trip was such a transformative experience for Dr. Knight that she plans to travel to Bangladesh with the same organization this spring to help more women. “I believe that as a global community we have a responsibility to take care of each other,” she says. “This is especially true for countries with limited resources where the impact of disease and poor health causes so much suffering. Taking a couple of weeks each year to work abroad also gives me an unbelievable perspective of how fortunate we are to live in Canada with our health care system.” There is no doubt that Dr. Knight has a passion for her work. “It is an honour and privilege to care for people,” she says. “Patients and families put their trust in health care providers and I take that responsibility very seriously. I want to advocate for them and provide them the best possible care.” Winter 2014 | beingwell | 23
Marjorie Brewster has volunteered at Southlake for 25 years—most of that time working with children and their families, including patients of the paediatric oncology clinic. Jim Craigmyle photograph
All you need is
love
Longtime volunteer has special bond with children, parents by Sue Kanhai On Dec. 9, anyone with an ounce of good sense would have known to wish Marjorie Brewster a happy 29th birthday. “You’re only as old as you feel,” says the 84-year-old Newmarket resident. A natural storyteller blessed with a sharp memory, wicked sense of humour and boundless energy, Mrs. Brewster has volunteered at Southlake for the past 25 years. Most of that time, she worked in paediatrics and she currently volunteers with the paediatric oncology clinic. She can be found on the floor with “her” kids four days a week. Mrs. Brewster insists every child has a little gift to look forward to on every visit to the 24 | beingwell | Winter 2014
clinic and she spends her own money each week buying small toys for each one. “I don’t want them coming in fretting about what’s going to happen. I want them to think instead, I wonder what she’s got for me …” she says. “I don’t care if they come three or four times a week, they get something.” Her generosity often extends to siblings as well. First-time visitors to the clinic often receive a teddy bear in addition to a toy. “Sometimes when you have things done, you need something to cuddle. The children know that every time they come, Marjorie will have something for them.” “You’ve got to have all of these things done;
we’ve got to get you better. But we all love you and I will be here for you,” she tells the kids. Mrs. Brewster was 29 when she and her husband Ken came to Canada from Stevenage in Hertfordshire, England. They had three young daughters in tow, aged two, four and six. They went on to have seven children in total. People thought she was crazy having such a large family, but she loved children so much and felt it was her calling. Sadly, the couple lost three of the seven— Linda to undiagnosed diabetes at five; only son James to cancer at eight and Wendy, mother of two, to cancer at 44.
e
Mrs. Brewster has lived with insulin-dependent diabetes for 55 years. Her attitude towards hardship has always been to laugh rather than cry. “If I cry, is it leaving? No,” she says emphatically. “Well then what the heck, I’m stuck with it, no sense worrying. Yes, I can sit and cry occasionally, but I don’t allow much of it. Life is hard on everybody at times.” This outlook extends to her work at the clinic. She enjoys sitting and talking to parents, but insists on positive thoughts and building resilience. Having been through the experience of having a very sick child, she can relate to and empathize with families in ways few others can. “Our son got leukemia when he was five,” Mrs. Brewster says. “We were told he had maybe six months, but we managed to love him for four years. The doctors said it was because of all the love.” James, known as Jimmy, was just two weeks shy of his ninth birthday when he died. The children at the clinic can’t help but remind her of Jimmy and the ordeal he went through 43 years ago at Princess Margaret Hospital. “I’ve gone through it,” she says, eyes lowered. Parents tell her they can talk to her because she understands. “You’ve walked this walk. You know what it’s like,” they say. Mrs. Brewster is a force, never one to sit still. She cleans endlessly, insisting upon a spotless, germ-free environment for the kids. Even with the generous time commitment, she doesn’t consider any of it work. “It’s the satisfaction of doing something and helping. I love what I do and I love the kids— just the thought that I can bring a smile and take away the pain,” she says. Her plan is clearly working. “The kids just love her, they love coming here. It’s Marjorie’s hospital, Grandma’s clinic,” says paediatric oncology nurse Lisa EganBates. Parents connect with her, too. “A lot of times the parents will just happily sit there and chat with Marjorie while the children are playing,” Ms Egan-Bates says. She’s always got an ear willing to listen to them. It’s different for them to be able to talk about things with Marjorie than it is for them to talk to a health care professional who’s providing the medical treatment for their kids.” Maureen Edmed brings her six-year-old grandson Cole to the clinic for treatment. She says Marjorie knows the names of all the children who are coming and is ready to greet them and offer a gift. “It turns a very frightening experience for them into a little bit of magic,” she says. “Especially on days when they’re having a treatment that’s a little bit harder and they’re more
Cole Edmed, a patient at Southlake’s paediatric oncology clinic, enjoys a toy given to him by volunteer Marjorie Brewster. Jim Craigmyle photograph
anxious, she seems to have just the right thing lined up for them. It makes such a difference; it makes going fun.” Mrs. Brewster keeps juice in the fridge and snacks in the cupboard in case little ones are at the hospital longer than expected. She’s a huge support for parents and grandparents. “She’s a grandmother, she’s a mother, she’s had two children with cancer—she knows. She can listen and guide you through some pretty rough spots. She’s also not the least bit intimidated by very sick children—that’s another thing, that wonderful calm. She just makes it like it’s a normal experience,” Mrs. Edmed says. “There’s a very loving, warm atmosphere and it’s down to Marjorie. Every single child that goes through there, big or little, just loves her.” Mrs. Brewster wears a number of pins, many of them guardian angels given to her by the kids. While each is meaningful, one holds special significance. In 2000, she received a community volunteer award from then-Lt.-Gov. Hilary Weston. She went to Queen’s Park for
a special reception, had her photograph taken and spoke to the press. She has a large, loving family, including four daughters, 10 grandchildren and nine greatgrandchildren. Her husband passed away eight years ago; they’d been married 57 years. “I’ve had a wonderful life,” she says. “I have no regrets. I had a marvelous childhood where I never wanted for a thing. I had a father that absolutely couldn’t do enough for you. I had a wonderful marriage and a wonderful life. I’m happy.” Recently a mother told Mrs. Brewster this was the happiest clinic she’d ever been to: There’s so much laughter, so many great stories and the kids just love her. It was exactly what the dedicated volunteer wanted to hear. Mrs. Edmed says Mrs. Brewster is a marvelous example for all of us of how you can look after yourself, age terrifically and give of yourself to other people. She thinks she should be named volunteer of a lifetime. “We are very happy going there. It’s like going home.” Winter 2014 | beingwell | 25
hospitalnews Dr. Marko Duic, Southlake’s chief of emergency medicine, and Janis Klein, director of the emergency department, and their teams are working hard to achieve their goal of having most patients to emergency seen by a physician within 45 minutes of arrival. Matt Haggerty photograph
Good things can come without the wait by Judy Murdoch There is no denying, all across the country wait times in hospital emergency departments are a water-cooler topic. Fair enough. No one relishes the idea of a trip to emergency, let alone waiting for treatment. As an organization, Southlake Regional Health Centre encourages a culture where patients are treated like family. Understanding that long delays in emergency can have multiple effects—ranging from risk for poor outcomes and prolonged pain and suffering to unhappy patients and family members— Southlake is working hard to ensure it does not keep its patients waiting. As a result, while visits to Southlake’s emergency department have increased from 73,000 per year three years ago to what was anticipated to be nearly 100,000 last year, the amount of time patients are waiting to be assessed is actually decreasing. “In an emergency department built to handle fewer patient visits than the high volume it sees, sometimes access to a physician is as simple as having examination space available,” says Dr. Marko Duic, Southlake’s chief of emergency medicine. When it comes to physician initial assessment time, a key indicator of the efficiency of an emergency department, Southlake is a high performer, continuously first or second in the province. The goal in Southlake’s emergency department is that most patients will be seen 26 | beingwell | Winter 2014
by a physician (physician initial assessment time) within 45 minutes of their arrival. A number of key initiatives that span the entire hospital and dramatically improve patient flow and encourage efficiency contribute to this goal. “If you consider that the emergency department is the hub of activity in the hospital, there are a number of spokes that must work effectively to support that hub,” says Janis Klein, director of Southlake’s emergency department. Diagnostic imaging, respiratory therapy, the laboratory, mental health services, environmental services and patient transport are just some of the many departments that work in tandem with emergency to ensure medical diagnostic tests are completed in a timely manner, patients are where they need to be and beds are readied as quickly as possible. Southlake’s emergency physicians are also going above and beyond to make themselves available to treat patients. Two hours before they are scheduled to come to the hospital, physicians call in to see if they are needed earlier. As well, they often readily extend their shift or even come in at other times if the volume of patients is high. This team effort is key to keeping physician initial assessment time as close to Southlake’s goal . “It goes back to treating patients like family,” Dr. Duic says. “I don’t know of many other
hospitals in Ontario where physicians are so willing to accommodate their schedules to ensure patients come first.” Another out-of-the-box solution to patient flow at Southlake has been the creation of the medical assessment and consultation unit (MACU), a rapid post-emergency inpatient treatment area. A dedicated interprofessional team works around the clock to expedite testing and determine next steps for admitted patients. The goal is early intervention and treatment to facilitate either discharge home or transfer to an inpatient unit within 72 hours. The result is improved, prioritized patient care, reduced length of stay and enhanced patient flow throughout the hospital. Southlake has been so successful in its efforts that last June, Deb Matthews, Minister of Health and LongTerm Care, visited the hospital to experience the initiatives that have so dramatically improved wait times for patients. Ms Matthews, in addressing Southlake staff, said, “I’m thrilled about the successes that the team at Southlake has achieved in reducing wait times and improving quality for patients. While there’s always more work to be done, their results are part of the reason why Ontario has led Canada in shortest wait times for eight consecutive years. Improvements in patient flow also help to ensure that patients receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time—a key part of our government’s Action Plan for Health Care.” Southlake’s patients too are taking notice of these efforts. The latest patient survey delivered the great news that the emergency department achieved 94 per cent patient satisfaction, the highest number since the hospital began tracking this statistic more than a decade ago. “I often hear how grateful people in our community are to have Southlake so close to home,” Ms Klein says. “I am confident that when they need to visit our emergency department, Southlake’s physicians, nurses, staff and volunteers are working hard to ensure the best possible outcome in the most efficient way possible. That is our action plan and clearly it is working.”
I’M ALIVE BECAUSE I LIVE CLOSE TO SOUTHLAKE. PLEASE DIRECT YOUR HEART MONTH GIVING TO CARDIAC CARE AT SOUTHLAKE.
YOUR GIFT WILL HELP MORE DOG OWNERS LIKE BOB … LIVE LIFE … WELL. READ BOB’S STORY AT SOUTHLAKEFOUNDATION.CA THIS SPRING LOOK FOR THE BEINGWELL SPECIAL EDITION CELEBRATING 10 YEARS OF CARDIAC CARE EXCELLENCE AT SOUTHLAKE REGIONAL HEALTH CENTRE Winter 2014
| beingwell | 27
hospitalnews
Working in partnership with the Canadian Hearing Society, Southlake has created a toolkit to help deaf and hard of hearing patients and their health care providers overcome communication barriers. The hospital’s diversity, inclusivity and accessibility committee championed the initiative. Here, committee members (from left) Mary Ryan and Judy King of Southlake and Diane Gregoris and Linda Young of the Canadian Hearing Society review the toolkit. Jim Craigmyle photograph
Southlake launches toolkit to better serve deaf and hard of hearing patients by Barb MacDonald A trip to your local emergency room can be accompanied with a sense of worry or dread. For many of us, these concerns subside when we come face-to-face with a doctor or nurse and better understand the diagnosis. But what if you cannot hear what your doctor is saying? What if you misunderstand the nurse’s detailed instructions for taking your medications? What if you do not understand why someone is checking your vital signs? For patients in the deaf, deafened and hard of hearing community, understanding a medical diagnosis and treatment plan hinges on how clearly the information is delivered and received. 28 | beingwell | Winter 2014
In the fall of 2013, Southlake Regional Health Centre became the first and only hospital in York Region and the Central Local Health Integration Network to introduce a fully developed toolkit for its deaf and hard of hearing patients. Created in partnership with the Canadian Hearing Society (CHS), the simple, easy to use kit is designed to help patients and health care providers overcome communication barriers. As chair of Southlake’s diversity, inclusivity and accessibility committee (DIA), Mary Ryan felt there was more that could be done to ensure care was accessible for members of the community, particularly those confronted
with communication barriers when trying to access care. In 2007, Ms Ryan and her team began working with CHS to develop a hospital accessibility plan to identify potential barriers and improvements that would best meet the needs of patients from the deaf and hard of hearing community. “We have a responsibility to ensure that all patients can access the care they require when they need it,” Ms Ryan says. “Identifying and overcoming any potential barriers that can prevent access to care is an important part of creating an accessible environment for all.” Deaf and hard of hearing volunteers were
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invited to visit a number of Southlake’s clinics and emergency department to assist in identifying potential communication barriers. Diane Gregoris, CHS board member and DIA committee member, says it was important to include volunteers with varying degrees of hearing loss in order to better understand the challenges these individuals face when in conversation with health care providers. Feedback from the volunteers helped the committee devise a policy on sign language interpretation, acquiring assistive listening and alerting devices and shaping the final version of the toolkit. “We should never assume what communication mode is preferred by a patient with hearing loss,” Ms Gregoris says. “It is important that health care providers be able to recognize the unique needs of each patient simply by first asking which communication method they wish to use. This way the patient can remain an active participant in their care.” For example, a culturally deaf patient may prefer to sign as it may be their first language whereas oral deaf, deafened or hard of hearing patients may choose spoken language. These individuals can have varying degrees of hearing loss, may or may not have lip reading
skills or could rely on hearing devices such as hearing aids and cochlear implants. The newly created toolkit includes a number of printed signs that can be used when a patient who is deaf, oral deaf, deafened or hard of hearing is visiting or admitted to Southlake. These signs suggest communication tips to obtain the patient’s attention, advise staff to remove masks before speaking and to visit the patient’s bedside when the call bell is signalled. Also included in the toolkit is a container for storage of hearing devices when not in use, such as during a procedure or when the patient is sleeping. This helps to prevent mishaps such as the accidental disposal of devices that are stored in a tissue or on a food tray. To ensure patients better understand their treatment plan and what can be expected during their time at Southlake, the kit offers tools to facilitate conversations between patients and health care professionals. Pictograms are especially helpful if patients are on heavy medications or are too ill to focus on comprehension. Patient access cards for requesting communication assistance have also been developed and are available in the emergency department, welcome centres and at many outpatient clinics or patient entry points. The cards, which include the universal symbols of access, prompt patients to share information about their hearing loss, their preferred mode of communication and give patients the opportunity to request a toolkit from the staff. The cards also provide deaf patients with the opportunity to request the support of a sign language interpreter, which can be crucial for detailed medical discussions and obtaining patient consent. Patients can request a certified American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter at any time by contacting Ontario Interpreting Services or utilizing the Vicki™ real-time video remote interpreting service available at Southlake. The toolkits give patients the power to advocate for their individual needs. Every conversation between health care professional and patient has the potential to be clear and more meaningful. And when you’re sick and in need of medical care, those are the only conversations to be had.
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behindthescenes
Health Links connects patients with their circle of care by Wendy Ho Meet Norman. While Norman’s retirement life used to involve gardening, frequent trips to the golf course and community bingo nights, now at the golden age of 79, his vanishing vigour is largely consumed by his chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), diabetes and high blood pressure. With his children grown and living out of province, he relies on the care of his wife, Joanne. His doctor prescribed oxygen therapy to help him breathe, accompanied by a variety of daily medications to manage his other conditions, but he rarely checked in
30 | beingwell | Winter 2014
with his family doctor. A month ago, Norman slipped and fell on the hardwood floor; this was his fourth fall in six months. Norman has been a frequent visitor to his local hospital’s emergency department, even being admitted overnight on several occasions. On one occasion he was sent to another hospital and had to retell his story from top to bottom—a lot to ask from a patient already in panic mode and short of breath. If going in and out of the hospital’s revolving doors didn’t seem exhausting
enough, recently, Joanne has developed early signs of dementia, making her care of Norman more difficult each day. Norman’s story is fictional yet representative of a growing number of patients living in our communities who require ongoing support in managing their chronic health conditions. When these patients see multiple doctors, specialists and community agencies in order to better understand their symptoms, the experience can quickly become confusing. Patients are left scratching their heads, unsure of where to turn when they have questions.
The success of the Health Links program is the collaboration of health care providers, hospitals and community support services, including (from left) Karen Taylor, CCAC Health Link care coordinator; Ana MacPherson of Southlake’s OTN Telehomecare program; Laura Scavone, administrative assistant of South Simcoe and Northern York Region Health Link; Mary Bayliss, project manager at South Simcoe and Northern York Region Health Link; Leanne Martin, CCAC Health Link care coordinator; and Cathy Chignall of Southlake’s OTN Telehomecare program. Jim Craigmyle photograph
Now, imagine if every time Norman visited his family doctor, he knew Norman had been seen in the emergency department, had visited multiple specialists and was receiving support from a community agency. What if the hospital had Norman’s health record before he arrived by ambulance? What if someone was there to coach him to prevent a panic attack? The solution is surprisingly simple, yet a challenging feat: Create a coordinated approach to health care to allow for better patient outcomes. In other words, Health Links. Health Links are being launched across Ontario to better coordinate care for patients who regularly access the health system. The goal of Health Links is to improve information sharing among health care providers so that patients receive access to the right care, at the right time and in the right place. “Our goal is to increase collaboration between local health care providers, hospitals and community support services to allow for
better outcomes for our patients,” says Mary Bayliss, project manager of the South Simcoe Northern York Region Health Link. “We see patients returning to the hospital time and time again, not sure how to manage their symptoms or who to turn to for assistance. By working together, we can create a plan that aims to keep these high user patients well at home.” Over time, Health Links will shorten wait times, reduce duplication, result in fewer emergency department visits and hospital readmissions, help more patients receive care at home and improve patients’ experiences in the health care system. At the centre of this model is the Health Link care coordinator, a registered health care professional from the Central Community Care Access Centre (CCAC), who works directly with patients, their families and multiple health care providers to develop a care plan that addresses each patient’s unique needs. Mary Burello, senior manager of the Central CCAC, says, “The role of the Health Link care coordinator is to provide intensive case management and develop a plan of care that meets the goals of the patient and caregiver. What we’re really trying to do is strengthen the relationship between patients and their multiple health care providers and find ways to help patients better self-manage in the community with the necessary supports in place.” Since becoming identified as a Health Link patient, Norman was visited by the Health Link care coordinator in the comfort of his home. During this meeting, they defined his “circle of care”—health care providers who have direct contact with him. His family doctor, respirologist, respiratory therapist, diabetes educator and a CCAC nurse were contacted to attend a case conference with Norman on a scheduled date. For the first time, this circle of care came together in the office of Norman’s family doctor to discuss what matters most, Norman’s health. The meeting was productive and to the point. Best of all, it was focused around devising a plan that helps Norman achieve his wishes to get his breathing under control, stay at home and help his wife. Together, Norman and his health care professionals created a coordinated care plan. Following the case conference, the care
coordinator has been checking in with Norman over the phone weekly and referred him to a COPD clinic to receive education and support. He also joined a peer-led COPD support group. Now and then, Norman feels a little unwell, but with the doctor’s “if this happens, then …” instructions in the coordinated care plan, he is able to prevent a repeat emergency department encounter. Since his enrollment, Norman has avoided hospital admission and is regularly seeing his family doctor. He is feeling better and more in control of his life. His Health Link care coordinator even connected him with the Alzheimer’s Society for advice on his wife’s condition. With the plan in place, Norman is happy to be at home and is able to look after Joanne. Norman represents many people living in our community who will benefit from enrollment as a patient in South Simcoe Northern York Region Health Link, one of two Health Links offered in the Central Local Health Integration Network. Southlake Regional Health Centre is the host site for this local Health Link and, in close partnership with the CCAC, has already begun enrolling patients in the program. “We know that the top five per cent of patients who access health care services account for 65 per cent of health care dollars spent,” Ms Bayliss says. “By working together to identify the best care plan for these types of patients, we can effectively reduce the overall strain on our health care system, while ultimately creating better and more sustainable outcomes for these patients and their families.”
Enrollment The South Simcoe Northern York Region Health Link is interested in enrolling patients with complex medical conditions, including frail older adults, those with multiple chronic conditions and people with mental health and addiction challenges. The program aims to register 240 new patients by the end of 2014 with a goal to develop individualized coordinated care plans to improve outcomes for these patients. For more information about the South Simcoe Northern York Region Health Link, contact Mary Bayliss, project manager, at 905-895-4521, ext. 2694.
Winter 2014 | beingwell | 31
Walk this way
to better health by Lee Ann Waterman
It all starts with a single step. If you’re among the many Canadians who’ve made a New Year’s resolution to get off the couch this year, you may be wondering where and how to begin. Consider keeping it simple: No gym membership, 32 | beingwell | Winter 2014
no boot camp, no elaborate equipment; just you, your own willpower and a good pair of walking shoes. This is the approach that works for participants of Southlake’s cardiovascular rehabilitation program.
Four places to walk this winter 1. Your neighbourhood The quickest, easiest place to start walking is right outside your door. Choose a route you know that is free of ice, both underfoot and overhead, says registered kinesiologist Julie Matthews. 2. The track Indoor tracks are located at the Town of Aurora’s Club Aurora Fitness Centre at the Aurora Family Leisure Complex and the Town of Newmarket’s Magna Centre. For hours and fees, visit aurora.ca/aurora/fitness or newmarket.ca//en/townhall/recreationculture.asp. 3. The mall Join Sole Mates, a free walking club that runs daily at 7 a.m. at Upper Canada Mall. You can register at the mall’s guest service kiosk anytime during mall hours. Members can log their laps and qualify for prizes for reaching milestones of 25, 50, 500 and 1,000 kilometres. 4. The trail The Town of Newmarket maintains three of its recreational trails during the winter. The Tom Taylor Trail, part of the larger Nokiidaa Trail system that runs from East Gwillimbury to Aurora, is paved, lit and accessible from a variety of locations, including Fairy Lake Park downtown, George Richardson Park on Bayview Parkway and Paul Semple Park on Savage Road. The Fernbank Farms loop is accessible from a parking lot at Fernbank Road and Mulock Drive. The John F. Smith recreational trail can be accessed from Armstrong Park on Joe Persechini Drive. If you’re walking outside, tell someone where you’re going and take your cell phone in case of an emergency, Ms Matthews advises. Dress for the weather, including a base layer that will wick away sweat and a jacket that will provide protection from wind, water and snow, as well as sturdy footwear with good treads. Wherever you walk, bring water and drink it to replenish fluids lost through perspiration and respiration.
It begins, says Julie Matthews, a registered kinesiologist and exercise therapist with the program, with a personal motivation to improving your physical fitness. Your reason could be improving your cardiovascular health, losing weight, playing with your
grandkids or getting back out on the golf course. Use that motivation to establish a plan that will see you getting out for a walk a minimum of three, but ideally five, times a week. If you’ve been sedentary, aim for five or 10 minutes to start. If you have some questions about your physical ability to begin an exercise program, make an appointment to see your family doctor to discuss your options before you become more active. Begin each session with five or 10 minutes at a slow pace to warm up; this is particularly important in the winter, as your body needs time to adjust to the cold air. Then walk an additional five or 10 minutes at a brisk pace. You should feel like you’re working, but still be able to carry on a conversation. Finish off with an additional five minutes at a slower pace to cool down. After 10 successful exercise sessions, add another five minutes of brisk walking. The goal, Ms Matthews says, is to work up to 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise per week—or the equivalent of five 30-minute walks. Be aware of obstacles that can get in the way of your good intentions. The most common, Ms Matthews says, are time, weather and influence of your social circle.
“If family or friends are not interested in becoming more active, get involved in a walking group. This is where like-minded people can meet up and enjoy physical activity and socialize at the same time. You can meet new friends and perhaps encourage your loved ones to join you,” she says. Scheduling your walks, walking with a friend, walking inside and recording your progress on a calendar or in a journal can help keep you on course. Tracking your exercise will keep you accountable for what you have accomplished and will help to build your confidence to achieve future goals, Ms Matthews says. It takes six months to establish a healthy habit and everyone has days or weeks when exercise takes a back seat to life, she says. “Don’t beat yourself up if you miss a couple of sessions,” she says. Remember your motivation and get back out there. Soon you’ll start to reap the rewards of regular exercise. “When you exercise, your body releases those feel-good endorphins,” Ms Matthews says. “You should feel you have worked hard but good, energized for the rest of the day.” Physical activity can also lower your blood pressure, reduce your cholesterol and blood sugar levels, improve your sleep and help you to better manage stress. Winter 2014 | beingwell | 33
A runaway success Community members moved to support their hospital by Sue Kanhai The Run or Walk for Southlake presented by Nature’s Emporium is a fun family and community event held every spring. Last year’s run attracted more than 1,460 participants— not to mention the numerous supporters, sponsors, staff and volunteers. Participants choose between a 10K run or 5K and 2.5K run or walk. There’s also a mini-mile for the little ones. Tracy McKnight, who has received cancer treatment at Southlake, has taken part for the past three years. “I’m fighting the fight,” she says, adding she is grateful for the care she’s received at Southlake. “It’s amazing. The nurses, doctors, volunteers and staff are just incredible. They treat you like a real person.” Ms McKnight was admitted to hospital in 2010 and could not get over how well she was
treated. “They hold your hand in the middle of the night and take care of you,” she says. “They just make sure that you’re OK.” It didn’t take long for her to get involved in the yearly fundraising event. She was diagnosed in February 2010 and participated in her first walk the following year. While she currently lives just outside of Barrie, she chose to continue receiving her care at Southlake. “I didn’t want to give up my oncologist, Dr. (Labib) Zibdawi,” she says. “And the chemo
Area TD Bank employees have participated in the Run or Walk for Southlake prsented by Natures’s Emporium for the past three years.
34 | beingwell | Winter 2014
nurses, they’re almost like friends. It’s very familiar when you walk in there. You don’t have to go through all the trepidation. It was just not a question. I was not going to change.” Her two best friends and her niece—three amazing women, she says—do the walk with her. This year, at the very last minute, she wasn’t able to participate. She had just finished chemotherapy and was running a temperature. As a show of solidarity, her team forged ahead and did the walk on her behalf. “That was pretty touching,” she says. “I’m very impressed with Southlake and the people. That’s why I want to keep helping the hospital.” When she has gone in to get her treatment she has seen some of the young children in paediatric care. “It just inspires you to be tough,” she says. “You figure if they can do it, you can
do it. That’s another reason why I do the run.” She is grateful for the unwavering support of her husband, her family and friends and believes donors deserve huge credit for their incredible generosity. A friend, Rob Engman, who is also a cancer survivor, sends e-mails to all of his own friends and contacts asking them to support her in the event. When any of them make a donation, he matches it. His tireless efforts on her behalf and steady moral support help push Ms McKnight over the $10,000 threshold. Ann Bengert is the regional manager of professional banking at TD Canada Trust. Under her stewardship, TD has been involved with the run for the past three years. The bank serves as a sponsor and enters a team to participate. The TD Banking on a Cure team is comprised of employees from multiple branches. All of the personal and business banking employees in the district are invited; this includes over 19 branches in and around Newmarket, Aurora, King City, Stouffville, Richmond Hill, Uxbridge, Nobleton, Bolton and the Newmarket Commercial Banking Centre. “So on the day you’ll see plenty of ‘Team TD’ t-shirts,” she says. “We also get family and friends involved. Our district vice-president Scott Belton, our branch managers and their teams are all very supportive. Of course, we have a competitive streak, so our branches challenge each other to see who can secure the most pledges.” TD employees are committed to supporting the communities where they live and work. “In one way or another the regional hospital touches the lives of everyone in the area surrounding Newmarket,” she says. As a bank, TD’s focus is also on healthy communities. Where hospitals protect peoples’ physical health, the bank wants to help businesses thrive because that also contributes to a healthy quality of life. In addition to getting some exercise and having a lot of fun, Ms Bengert says the run gives you a wonderful feeling of knowing the pledges you raised are going to such a great cause. “After the run you’ll sleep well—because you’ll be tired, plus you will know you did a good thing for the community.” The 2013 event raised more than $226,000 NET for priority health care needs at Southlake Regional Health Centre. Says Ms Bengert, “It’s a great event for a great cause. I hope everyone can come out and show their support next year.” The 2014 event will be held April 27. To find out more information, register or pledge a participant, visit runforsouthlake.ca.
Southlake supporter and cancer patient Tracy McKnight (from left) at the Run or Walk for Southlake presented by Nature’s Emporium with niece Bobbi Koopal and friends Debbie MacLellan and Sue Young.
Not only is Nature’s Emporium the title sponsor of the 2014 Run or Walk for Southlake, it was also the title sponsor in 2013. Last year, Nature’s Emporium president Joe D’Addario (right), shown here with Southlake Regional Health Centre president and CEO Dr. Dave Williams, ran the 10K route.
Winter 2014 | beingwell | 35
5 bunches of spinach, 3 delicious sides
marlene’s mealmakeovers by Marlene MacPherson
Spinach is packed full of nutrients, including iron, vitamins A, C and K, potassium and magnesium, and is quick to prepare in a variety of delicious ways. Here are three ideas to get you started.
Cook Once: Spanish Spinach Makes 6 servings.
Produce 1: Sautéed Spinach Makes 4 side servings.
Ingredients 5 large spinach bunches 125 mL (1/2 cup) raisins 60 mL (1/3 cup) olive oil 5 garlic cloves, crushed 60 mL (1/3 cup) pine nuts, pan roasted salt, pepper
Ingredients 15-30 mL (1-2 tbsp) olive oil 2 cloves garlic, minced salt, pepper 1 bunch spinach from Cook Once
Method Wash and trim spinach, reserving 1 bunch each for Produce 1 and 2. Place raisins in bowl. Cover with hot water and let soak 10 minutes. Drain. Heat olive oil in heavy large dutch oven over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until golden, about 4 minutes. Discard garlic. Increase heat to high and add spinach. Cover and cook until wilted, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Uncover, add raisins and pine nuts and stir until cooking liquid evaporates, about 4 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.
Method In a sauté pan, heat olive oil on medium-low. Add garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes, making sure not to burn. Add spinach and keep stirring until it begins to wilt. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve as a side dish. Produce 2: Spinach Salad Makes 4 side servings or 2 main servings. Ingredients 500 mL (2 cups) cooked rice or orzo (leftovers work great!) 1 bunch of spinach from Cook Once, chopped handful of cherry or grape tomatoes, sliced 30 mL (2 tbsp) olive oil juice, zest from 1 lemon salt, pepper Method Add spinach to rice or orzo. Add tomatoes, olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Toss and enjoy! Bradford resident Marlene MacPherson was a hurried and harried executive until she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008. She has since made her life about balance, family and glorious, wholesome, healthy food. For more information or to purchase a copy of her most recent cookbook, the proceeds of which are donated to Southlake’s maternal child program, visit marlenesmealmakeovers.com.
MMM Tips: • Keep any leftover cooked spinach to add to omelettes, soups or stews. • Add fresh spinach to the bottom of a soup bowl before adding hot soup— spinach will wilt instantly adding a punch of green to your favourite soup.
36 | beingwell | Winter 2014
I’M ALIVE BECAUSE I LIVE CLOSE TO SOUTHLAKE. PLEASE DIRECT YOUR HEART MONTH GIVING TO CARDIAC CARE AT SOUTHLAKE.
YOUR GIFT WILL HELP MORE DADS LIKE SAL … LIVE LIFE … WELL. READ SALS’S STORY AT SOUTHLAKEFOUNDATION.CA THIS SPRING LOOK FOR THE BEINGWELL SPECIAL EDITION CELEBRATING 10 YEARS Winter 2014 OF CARDIAC CARE EXCELLENCE AT SOUTHLAKE REGIONAL HEALTH CENTRE
| beingwell | 37
partnersincare
Vic Priestly (left) founded Priestly Demolition, a business he now operates with his children Robin and Ryan Priestly. The family is committed to dealing locally and supporting locally—and is longtime donor to Southlake Regional Health Centre Foundation.
Supporting locally runs in the family by Cathy Hillard It’s all about the “ripple effect.” That’s how Robin Priestly of Priestly Demolition explains her company’s support for Southlake Regional Health Centre. She says it’s a no-brainer to support the hospital, given the impact it has on the community. A passionate believer in keeping things local, Ms Priestly got her values from her father and founder of the family business, Vic Priestly. Now those values run through everything they do at the company. “My father built his business on dealing 38 | beingwell | Winter 2014
locally and supporting locally,” she explains, “and along the way Southlake became a natural part of that. There is such a huge ripple effect with the hospital.” Ms Priestly says she was also influenced by her late uncle, Dr. Bill Diamond, a family physician in Aurora who made it clear to her how important hospitals are and how much community support they need. Ms Priestly and her twin brother Ryan were born at the hospital back when it was York County Hospital and, as a local family, they have had plenty of dealings with Southlake
over the years, from the neonatal unit to emergency and everything in between. “You don’t realize how important it is until you need it,” Ms Priestly says. The senior Mr. Priestly always supported Southlake and the company continues that support; it is a silver sponsor of the ball, supports all the campaigns and gives regular special gifts to the hospital, including a defibrillator for the neonatal unit in 2011. Most recently, they have donated their services to clear the site for a new hospice. “It is a fantastic venture and to be part of
such a needed and great project is a feel-good thing,” says Ms Priestly, adding they often help with other local projects too. “We really believe in being able to help out locally and our employees love knowing that they are a part of that.” Priestly Demolition started out as Priestly Contracting in 1971. It wasn’t until Mr. Priestly was asked to take down a barn as part of a contract that the idea of doing demolition came to him. He saw a niche in the market. Since those days, the company has grown from about 30 staff to almost 300 provincewide and boasts the largest, most sophisticated fleet of vehicles in Ontario. Describing themselves as “engineers of structural demolition,” the company prides itself on the intricate, precise way in which they take a building apart. No wrecking balls in sight, only high-reach machines that literally take bites out of the concrete and clip at the steel structures. It’s a delicate operation requiring plenty of preparation and skill. What is more, over 95 per cent of the materials are recycled. They even have their own crushing plant for concrete. A practice now mandated by law, Ms Priestly says the company was doing this from the start, as her father always had the mindset
of re-using and recycling. “My father had insight,” she says. “Even the 150-foot flagpole outside our offices came from a demolition site.” Although their father is still involved with the company, Robin and Ryan now handle all the day-to-day operations. Ms Priestly looks after finance and administration while her brother looks after the fieldwork and the equipment. She says Ryan has real vision for the company, always looking to move the company forward with state-of-theart equipment and techniques and yet the company ledgers are still done by hand for Mr. Priestly’s benefit. “It’s a good balance,” she explains. Ms Priestly is passionate about demolition, but as a child she had no intention of going into the family business. “My brother wanted to drive a truck as soon as he could walk,” she explains. “But I swore I wouldn’t have anything to do with it.” It was only when she did a stint at the salvage yard as a teenager that she realized her passion. “People had pride in their work and I admired that. They all had different skills and when they brought them together it all came out beautifully. I remember thinking I wanted
to be a part of it,” she says. Even so, Mr. Priestly insisted both his children do post-secondary education and work outside the family business before committing to it. This is the approach Ms Priestly intends to take with her own son. “It’s also about learning what it is to make a dollar and spend a dollar and learning about hard work,” she says. That work ethic makes Ms Priestly a keen promoter of trades. Within Priestly Demolition she has seen many people who have graduated up the skills ladder. “Trades are hard, honest work, but you can make a good living,” she says. She is proud of her workforce and cares deeply that they are looked after, which is why she is equally passionate about Southlake and what it offers to the community. “When you support a hospital, you are supporting help for the people that work for you,” she says. “Southlake is a great place and it will always have our support because of how much it helps— whether you are a baby or in your final days. “As a large organization, we get a lot of requests, but we never mind getting the call from Southlake, as they have the personal touch and they do such important work.”
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Family Owned. Proudly Canadian. Winter 2014 | beingwell | 39
neighbourshelpingneighbours
Closing sales on volunteering by John Crowell I used to think volunteer recruitment was a tough gig and I imagined volunteers either had to be bribed, coerced or guilted into the act. But it didn’t take me long to realize I was way off—no one likes to be manipulated and it certainly isn’t a sustainable approach to attracting and engaging volunteers. As I gained experience, my outlook on volunteerism evolved. Though I maintained volunteer recruitment was still challenging, I imagined it could be made easier with the right approach, a “soft sell,” if you will. Subtle persuasion, spreading awareness of the needs and benefits of volunteering would ultimately attract individuals to volunteering on their own terms. In fact, previous Neighbourhood Network submissions to beingwell have focused on the impacts of volunteering, including calculations of the economic value of volunteering, as well as all the rewards individuals derive from volunteering, especially health and lifestyle benefits.
Volunteering is on the rise across Canada. In 1997, only 31 per cent of Canadians over the age of 15 volunteered. Today, more than 47 per cent of Canadians are active volunteers. Key drivers of this trend are changing demographics and organizations offering a wider range of volunteering opportunities. The profession of volunteer management continues to grow and organizations are designing more meaningful opportunities based on the needs and wants of individuals. It’s also possible the soft sell is working. But what about the remaining 53 per cent of the people who don’t volunteer? Ask around and some will say it’s time for the “hard sell.” In fact, the time may be nigh for a strong volunteering pitch. I say this because I’m now convinced that when people are directly asked to volunteer or when they are made aware of very real needs in their community, they find a way to pitch in and help out—every time.
10 Years. 100,000 Lives. Discover why Southlake is one of the top three cardiac programs in the province. Meet the team—leading in cardiac innovation across North America and around the world. Hear the stories of patients—your family members, friends and neighbours—who are living life well thanks to the care they received.
in the next issue of 40 | beingwell | Winter 2014
beingwell
But do we need the “always closing” approach of door-to-door sales or dinner-time telemarketing? The reality is people volunteer for a wide variety of reasons and most people don’t need to be sold one way or another. They volunteer because they entirely want to give back and help out. At Neighbourhood Network, our business is volunteering and our goal is to connect resources and volunteers with charitable organizations and community needs. We’ve been described as the Amazon of volunteering because of the extensive list and variety of current opportunities on our website. Rather than looking through multiple organization websites, prospective volunteers explore our online listing of opportunities from more than 200 of our partner charitable organizations in York Region. Neighbourhood Network can also help you identify where to start your volunteering. We can help you address questions such as: What skills, talents and experience do I want to share or develop? In what areas do I want to challenge and stretch myself? We can also coordinate volunteer opportunities for a group, family or work team. It’s our goal to find something meaningful that fits your lifestyle and schedule. Take the time to check us out. Despite what might seem like a sales pitch, we promise there’s nothing to buy, only to experience. John Crowell is the manager for social responsibility at Magna International Inc. Neighbourhood Network is a non-profit Magna for Community initiative. For information, visit neighbourhoodnetwork.org or call 1-855870-4586.
foundationnews
Glitz, glam and generosity Nature’s Emporium Southlake Masquerade Ball raises a staggering $810,000 NET The sea of masks couldn’t hide our community’s incredible generosity. It was a night full of glitz, glam and generosity as the Southlake community and sponsors gathered to raise funds for our hospital at the Nature’s Emporium Southlake Masquerade Ball, Nov. 2, 2013 at the Terrace Banquet Centre in Vaughan. Dressed to the nines in costumes a la Moulin Rouge, guests raised $810,000 NET for the hospital’s priority needs at the special event organized by the Southlake Foundation, exceeding the event goal by $115,000. The exciting evening included a lavish cocktail reception and gourmet dinner featuring delicious organic and natural food, made possible by Nature’s Emporium. Entertainment included can-can dancers, surprise draws, a live band and dancing and once-in-a-lifetime items in the silent and live auctions. The highlight of the live auction was the introduction of the new 10-bedroom residential hospice, scheduled to open its doors in 2015. Six of the room were fully furnished and equipped thanks to the staggering generosity of live auction donors, who were clearly moved by the need for endof-life care in our community. “The Southlake community has shown its profound commitment to excellent health care for our community and its great compassion for families dealing with the end of life of a
Peter and Teresa van Schaik, Gilles Cinq Mars and Dr. Charmaine van Schaik at the Nature’s Emporium Southlake Masquerade Ball.
loved one,” says Neila Poscente, president and CEO of the Southlake Foundation. “The passion with which donors embrace our hospital is truly moving, and they demonstrated their generosity yet again at the Nature’s Emporium Southlake Masquerade Ball.” That the event was an over-the-top success came as no surprise. “The ball was a truly amazing experience and we are so grateful to the sponsors, the
volunteer steering committee and our guests for making it all possible,” Ms Poscente says. “We are so fortunate to have such a wonderful community that invests so much of its passion and personal time in our hospital. We treasure their support and their trust as we work together to build the kind of health care we all want for our community.” Thank you to our community for your generous support; we hope you will join us at the next ball in 2015!
Celebrating the power of community Circle of Hope Donors honoured Nov. 13, 2013, a special celebration was held as 109 names were added to the Circle of Hope donor wall—to honour those donors who epitomize the true meaning of community through a lifetime of giving to create the kind of health care our community needs and deserves. The wall recognizes cumulative lifetime giving totalling $10,000 or more, and is in recognition of the individual and collective generosity of a community of donors who have truly helped to build our wonderful hospital. The Circle of Hope donor wall was unveiled in 2007, although the gifts recognized go back as far as 1980. A highlight of the ceremony was when Dalton Slind, 13, spoke to the audience. Dalton had sent in a letter thanking Southlake for the cardiac care his father had received, which was the inspiration to have Dalton share his story with this wonderful group of donors. Dalton spoke about how grateful he was to have his dad home and healthy again, putting a face to one of the lives that have been transformed by our community’s generosity. There are now 1,662 names on the wall (individuals, organizations, corporations, foundations, estates, community events, legacy donors (bequests), endowments, sponsors, service clubs, memorials and tributes). What a testament to the power of our wonderful community!
Dalton Slind talks to Southlake surgeon Dr. Charles Peniston, who operated on Dalton’s dad. Winter 2014 | beingwell | 41
askthespecialist
Your health care questions answered My doctor just told me that I have arthritis. I am 35 years old. Is this possible? Isn’t arthritis something old people get? There are over 130 different types of arthritis. They are usually grouped as those that have inflammation associated with them (inflammatory arthritis) and those that do not (non-inflammatory arthritis). One type of inflammatory arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), affects about one per cent of the population. While it appears most often in people between the ages of 25 and 50, RA can affect individuals of all ages, from toddlers to seniors. If it is not diagnosed and treated early, RA can cause irreversible joint damage and have a serious impact on a person’s life and well-being. Although there is no cure for RA at the moment, most people with RA can lead active and productive lives. The right medications, a balance of exercise and rest, ice and an understanding of some techniques to protect your joints are the ingredients for success. Osteoarthritis (OA), often referred to as “degenerative arthritis,” is the loss of or damage to the cartilage in the joint. Cartilage is the tough elastic material that protects and helps nourish the end of our bones. There is also fluid in our joints called synovial fluid. Synovial fluid bathes or lubricates the cartilage. The cartilage and synovial fluid work together to help our joints move smoothly. Loss of cartilage often leads to symptoms of OA, such as grinding of the bones, which can cause pain. Typical symptoms of OA include joint pain with activity however some people with cartilage damage have no pain. People who are overweight, have a family history of OA, have had previous injury to an affected area or lead an inactive lifestyle are at risk of OA, which can occur at any age. We usually treat OA when an individual has pain that interferes with daily activities. OA usually occurs in the hands (but not the large knuckles) hips, knees and spine. The most recent evidence supports the long-established advice for OA of weight-bearing joints (hips and knees), including weight loss and arthritis specific exercises. It is important to remember success in the treatment of any type of arthritis is early diagnosis, education, as well as an active patientpartnered approach to care. The team at The Arthritis Program at Southlake provides assessment, treatment and education of individuals of all ages who are diagnosed or experiencing symptoms of arthritis. For more information about TAP, visit the Southlake website or call 905-895-4521, ext. 2345. Every year I make New Year’s resolutions only to fail in the attempt. Any advice? Great question. Here are some tips that may help. Write down your resolution, trying to define it as clearly as possible. For example,“I want to lose 10 pounds by July.” instead of “I want to lose some weight.” The more clearly defined your goal, the easier it will be to track your progress. Ask yourself two questions: How important is this to me? How confident am I that I can succeed?” Rank your answers on a scale of 10. If you have a score of less than seven for either question, then you need to re-think your resolution or scrap it and start with another. Make an action plan. Break your resolution into smaller steps. These should be weekly steps that will take you closer to reaching your goal.
For example, if you are trying to lose weight, one step could be to log all food you eat in a week to see where you can make changes. Once you’ve made your action plan, ask yourself how confident you are in completing it. If it isn’t a seven or better, modify the plan until you are confident in your ability to complete it. This is important because the momentum you gain in completing the weekly steps will motivate you to stay on track. Review your resolution every once in a while to ensure your action plan still has you on the road to success. One last tip is to plan on rewarding yourself for reaching the goal. For example, a nice new pair of shoes for sticking with an exercise program or wardrobe item(s) for losing weight can be a great motivator. I hope these tips help you reach the goals you set for the coming year. We’d love to hear your success story if they do help. David Kiernan in a kinesiologist who works with Southlake’s cardiovascular rehabilitation program. What is BMI and what does it tell me? If you’ve heard someone joke that they’d be a great weight for someone 12 inches taller, that’s based upon knowing their BMI. BMI stands for body mass index. It is a quick calculation (divide your weight in kilograms by your height in meters squared) for determining if you are within a “healthy” weight range for your height. For example, if you weigh 79 kilograms and are 1.8 metres tall, your BMI would be 24.4. The healthy range for BMI is between 18.5 and 25, so this example shows a healthy weight for that height. A BMI above 25 has been linked to conditions such as diabetes, stroke and heart disease. And it is generally accepted that the higher the BMI, the higher the risk. If your BMI is above 30, you would be considered obese and at very high risk of developing numerous chronic diseases. The average BMI in Canada is 25.7 and, similar to United States (27.6 average BMI), has been trending higher every census since 1980. This is not a good trend. There are limitations to using BMI as a sole determinant of your general well-being. The most obvious example would be a highly muscled individual. The extra lean body mass will place their BMI in the unhealthy range, despite having very little fat on their body. For reasons like this, it has been argued that BMI should only be used for looking at larger populations, not for individual diagnosis or risk determination. Studies have shown other factors such as level of aerobic conditioning (how fit you are) and the amount of fat you have around your midsection are stronger determinants of risk. So what does your BMI tell you? It tells you whether or not you should begin to look at all the factors that determine health risks for conditions such as heart disease. Do you exercise most days of the week? Are you carrying more than a little fat around your waist? How often does your diet go off track? What health conditions are you already dealing with? An honest answer to these questions and others about your overall health status, combined with knowing your BMI, is a great start to decreasing your risk of many adverse health conditions. David Kiernan in a kinesiologist who works with Southlake’s cardiovascular rehabilitation program.
Your questions answered by health care specialists at Southlake Regional Health Centre Send your questions to beingwell@yrmg.com 42 | beingwell | Winter 2014
community event listing
You too can help transform lives by raising funds for Southlake!
Events supporting Southlake Sweep for Southlake Saturday, Jan. 18, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. York Curling Club, Newmarket Contact: Alexandra, 289-383-4222, aboasie@ gmail.com; Michael, 905-960-2295, mgoodman26@gmail.com Supporting Southlake’s Regional Cancer Program
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Newmarket Hurricanes Jr. A Hockey Club’s Battle of York Sunday, Feb. 9, 2 p.m. Ray Twinney Complex, Newmarket Hurricanes vs. Stouffville Spirit Information: newmarkethurricanes.com Supporting Southlake’s Regional Cancer Program
Covered by most insurance insurance plans plans most
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Commports 4th Annual Charity Golf Tournament Thursday, June 26, noon Station Creek Golf Club Fee $150 per golfer, $550 for foursome Information: commport.com/golf2014
MEDICATED POWDERS
ANTIBIOTICS
EAR DROPS
Are you a patient visiting Southlake? PUFFERS
DROPS
INJECTION
SPRAYS
time you visit the Hospital, including; a test; surgical PATCHES REAMS C
RX
procedure; a trip to Emergency Department; clinic visit; or a follow up appointment.
Never fear! Med Man and safety hound Rx are here!
Please remember to write the medication
EAR DROPS
VITAMINS Rx PILLS
DROPS
HERBAL
name, dosage, and the
INJECTION
1001 Pictures For Southlake Southlake staff member, Dubi Akinola, is painting and selling pictures in a yearlong fundraiser Visit Southlake Gift Shop for more information and to order your custom picture Information: southlakefoundation.ca/ fundraiseforsouthlake, click “find an existing fundraising webpage” and search 1001 Pictures for Southlake; dubiproductions.com Supporting Southlake’s priority needs
Help Us Keep You Safe
Rx Bring a detailed listALLERGY of your medications each and every PILLS PILLS
SPRAYS
Marlene’s Meal Makeovers presents Cook Once, Produce Twice KIDS 2nd edition family style cookbook $2 from every book sold will benefit the maternal child program For sale at southlakefoundation.ca and Southlake Gift Shop For a list of local retailers and recipes, visit marlenesmealmakeovers.com
VITAMINS
HERBAL
Demystify Your Meds:
Products and services supporting Southlake Stretch Thrift Outlet and WEGIVE bin locations Accepting gently used clothing, housewares, furniture donations 6 The Queensway S. Sutton; 26602 Hwy. 48 N. Sutton West Portion of proceeds support the Regional Cancer Program
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frequency in which
MEDICATED POWDERS
Mardi Gras for Southlake Saturday, March 1 Information: mardigrasforsouthlake.com
physiotherapy
ANTIBIOTICS
Southlake’s Paediatric Oncology Clinic hosts The Inside Ride, coast-to-coast against cancer spin-a-thon Friday, Feb. 7, 1 to 3 p.m. Southlake Medical Arts Building, Lecture Hall, 6th floor Registration: southlakeRHC.theinsideride.com Donations: southlakefoundation.ca Contact: Laurie Breedon, 905-895-4521, ext. 2789, lbreedon@southlakeregional.org
Visit southlakefoundation.ca/ fundraiseforsouthlake to learn how.
PATCHES
you take each one. PUFFERS
RX
Sniffing out unsafe situations!
Winter 2014 | beingwell | 43
lastword
by Marjolyn Pritchard In a word, yes. Especially because human papillomavirus, or HPV as it is commonly referred, is the main cause of cervical cancer, affecting more than 500 women in Ontario each year. With over 100 different strains, HPV is a common infection that can be easily transmitted through sexual activity including skin-to-skin contact with an infected person. Although some HPV infections go away without treatment, the virus can stay in your body and may cause cervical cancer later on in life. Thankfully, you can prevent HPV infection with safer sex practices and the publicly funded HPV vaccine. With HPV infection, symptoms such as genital warts may not be immediately visible. However, those infected may still carry the virus and can pass it on to others without knowing. If you are sexually active, scheduling regular Pap tests, limiting sexual partners and using condoms are good preventative safe sex practices. The HPV vaccine can also help protect your health. While anyone can get HPV, it is most common among teens and the peak risk happens five to 10 years after the first sexual experience. In order to be most effective, the HPV vaccine needs to be given before sexual activity begins. In York Region, the vaccine Gardasil is offered at no cost to all Grade 8 female students through York Region Public Health’s in-school immunization clinics. As
Should you be concerned about HPV? part of this program, public health nurses attend York Region schools three times per year to provide students with the complete HPV vaccination series. More than 99 per cent of people who receive three HPV vaccine doses will develop an antibody response to protect them against specific HPV strains, including those that cause 70 per cent of all cervical cancers and 90 per cent of all genital warts. If someone has already become infected with HPV, the vaccine will still provide protection against other strains. Female students in Grades 9 to 12 who did not receive or complete their full HPV vaccination are still able to receive their HPV vaccine at no cost through York Region Public Health’s monthly community immunization clinics or through their family physician. HPV vaccines are safe and side effects are similar to most other vaccines, including redness, tenderness and swelling at the injection site. Less common effects following immunization may include, fever, nausea, dizziness and headaches. Contact your health care provider if you experience any of these symptoms. Studies have shown that the HPV vaccine builds better protection if given to younger girls. However, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada, the vaccine is recommended for any female aged nine up to 45 years. Males are also at risk of getting HPV infection and although not currently publicly funded in Ontario, there is a vaccine
available. HPV infection in males can also lead to various cancers later on in life. HPV is a serious virus, but with safer sex practices and the HPV vaccine, you are well protected. For more information on this or any other public health-related issue, contact York Region Health Connection at 1-800-361-5653 or TTY (for the hearing impaired) 1-866-252-9933 or visit york.ca/ immunization. Marjolyn Pritchard is the director of the infectious disease control division with York Region’s Community and Health Services Department.
Resources • Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, health.gov.on.ca/en/ms/hpv/ • The Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada, hpvinfo.ca/ • Public Health Agency of Canada, phac aspc.gc.ca/std-mts/hpv-vph/hpv-vph vaccine-eng.php
Facts • • •
Each year in Ontario, 500 women develop cervical cancer and approximately 140 die from it Cervical cancer is the third most common cancer in Canadian women aged 20 to 49 Almost all cervical cancer cases are caused by HPV
Sources: Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care; The Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada
Do you have a public health-related question? Call York Region Health Connection at 1-800-361-5653. 44 | beingwell | Winter 2014
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