Leap Spring 2021: Exploring Survivorship

MOOOVE OVER DAIRY ALTERNATIVES AND HOW TO USE THEM

SPRING 2021

PEDAL POWER EXPERT ADVICE FOR YOUR NEXT CYCLING EVENT

IN BLOOM

HOW ONE ARTIST FOUND INSPIRATION THROUGH TREATMENT

PAYING IT FORWARD DR. MAY LYNN QUAN’S HOLISTIC APPROACH TO CARE INSPIRED HER FORMER PATIENT, KATE BILSON, TO GIVE BACK

THE NEW NORMAL EXPLORINGIP SURVIVORSH

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DR. MAY LYNN QUAN

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CONTENTS

32 29 HAVE BIKE, WILL RIDE We take a look back at the 2020 Virtual Ride.

30 LIVING WITH CANCER Randy Thompson has found meaning and hope through sharing his cancer journey with others.

32 RESEARCH ROCKSTAR Dr. John Lewis is leading a variety of clinical trials that promise game-changing treatment options for cancer patients.

35 MY LEAP Team Vermilion may come from a small town, but this team of six has donated big for the Enbridge Ride to Conquer Cancer.

FEATURES

18 EXPLORING SURVIVORSHIP For many Albertans facing cancer, their journey doesn’t end when treatment does. Cancer survivors and thrivers require specific care and support to help them navigate their new normal, and the Alberta Cancer Foundation helps fund many of these essential resources.

COLUMNS/DEPARTMENTS 6 FRONT LINE PhD candidate Julie Deleemans investigates the connection between gut health and chemotherapy.

Plus, meet a local artist who found inspiration through treatment.

11 YOUR DONATION MATTERS Your donations to the Alberta Cancer Foundation support Albertans facing cancer during COVID-19.

COVER: PHOTO COLIN WAY THIS PAGE: SPENCER FLOCK

12 WORKOUT Hit the road with ease with tips and tricks for how to prepare for a long-distance cycling event.

36 TRUE CALLING Social worker Tricia Hutchison practices care and compassion in all aspects of her role.

39 IMPACT Artist Rahmaan Hameed shares the story behind his painting Chadwick Forever.

14 FOOD FOCUS Curious about milk alternatives? We explore the potential benefits and things to consider when swapping out dairy.

40 WHY I DONATE Meet Gelaine Pearman, a member of the Alberta Cancer Foundation’s Board of Trustees and a passionate fundraiser.

16 EXPERT ADVICE Understanding the early warning signs of skin cancer and how to preserve fertility during cancer treatment.

42 GAME CHANGER Through its drive-in movie event, ENMAX joined forces with the Alberta Cancer Foundation to celebrate its employees and raise funds for Albertans facing cancer.

myleapmagazine.ca SPRING 2021 LEAP 3

MESSAGE

TRUSTEES

Dr. Chris Eagle (Board Chair) Cathy Allard-Roozen Brian Bale Dr. Stanford Blade Dr. Heather Bryant Dr. Charles Butts Rajko Dodic Brenda Hubley Dr. Dianne Kipnes Chris Kucharski John Lehners Brian McLean Dr. Don Morris Dr. Matthew Parliament Gelaine Pearman Rory J. Tyler (Vice Chair) Tom Valentine Heather Watt Mark Zimmerman

GET YOUR FREE ISSUE!

Collective Impact It has been exactly a year since we all scrambled to set up home offices, changed the way our businesses operated, postponed weddings and cancelled vacations. Once we ushered in a global pandemic and adapted to deal with it, it was a whole new world.

COVID-19 put many things on hold. Cancer wasn’t one of them. Like other regions, Alberta has seen a drop in the number of cancer diagnoses during the pandemic. Unfortunately, that’s not good news.

Cancer hasn’t gone away, but the pandemic has heightened gaps in cancer diagnosis.

Prior to the pandemic, about 2,000 Albertans were diagnosed with cancer every month.

That number decreased by as much as 30 per cent during the first wave of COVID-19.

Putting screening services on hold plays a part in these delays. Health-care leaders also observed that, understandably, people weren’t leaving their homes as much to see their doctors or checking on symptoms in the middle of a pandemic.

To address this, the Alberta Cancer Foundation partnered with Cancer Care Alberta to launch a public awareness campaign in late 2020 to remind Albertans to listen to their bodies and seek medical attention if something is wrong. The health-care system is fully open and ready to help.

There’s also some good news when it comes to cancer. Canadians facing cancer today have a much greater chance of survival than ever before (from 25 per cent survival rate in the 1940s to 63 per cent in 2020).

Philanthropy plays a critical role in advancing research, transforming cancer care and saving

lives. We consider it the third leg of the stool that has supported this continuous improvement: foundational government funding, immensely talented teams, with donors who support that margin of excellence. Donors and philanthropists should be proud of the roles they have played in changing these cancer outcomes by always pushing to have the very best right here in Alberta and translating that commitment into impact.

The Conference Board of Canada recently released a report on cancer mortality, and the numbers are encouraging. While the report examined the combined mortality of over 100 types of cancer, it focused on the mortality rates for three common types: lung, colorectal and prostate. These three cancer types combined account for over 40 per cent of mortality due to cancer.

Canada’s rates are improving, yet the report still suggests we need a diverse approach to improving oncology outcomes, including prevention, early detection, and better access to treatments. Alberta, B.C. and Ontario consistently perform better than other provinces (with Alberta just trailing B.C. on combined mortality rates).

Thank you for changing these stats and, more importantly, for saving lives.

VISIT

a/leap/ albertacancer.c n leapsubscriptio DR. CHRIS EAGLE, BOARD CHAIR ALBERTA CANCER FOUNDATION WENDY BEAUCHESNE, CEO ALBERTA CANCER FOUNDATION

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ALBERTA CANCER FOUNDATION EDITORS Phoebe Dey and Christiane Gauthier MANAGING EDITOR Meredith Bailey ART DIRECTOR Kim Larson STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Jared Sych CONTRIBUTORS Tsering Asha, Mecoh Bain, Andrew Benson, Rachel Beyer, Colleen Biondi, Bluefish Studios, Diane Bolt, Charles Burke, Rachel Beyer, Scott Carmichael, Alicia Chantal, Elizabeth Chorney-Booth, Jennifer Dorozio, Spencer Flock, Jennifer Friesen, Colin Galant, Nathan Kunz, Fabian Mayer, Karin Olafson, Aaron Pedersen, Ryan Parker, Paul Swanson, Keri Sweetman, Debby Waldman, Colin Way PUBLISHED FOR Alberta Cancer Foundation Calgary office Suite 300, 1620 29 St. N.W. Calgary, Alberta T2N 4L7 PROVINCIAL OFFICE 710, 10123 99 St. N.W. Edmonton, Alberta T5J 3H1 Tel: 780-643-4400 Toll free: 1-866-412-4222 acfonline@albertacancer.ca PUBLISHED BY Redpoint Media & Marketing Solutions 100, 1900 11 St. S.E. Calgary, Alberta T2G 3G2 Phone: 403-240-9055 Toll free: 1-877-963-9333 Fax: 403-240-9059 info@redpointmedia.ca PM 40030911 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to the Edmonton address above.

PRESIDENT George Achilleos CEO Pete Graves CLIENT RELATIONS MANAGER Anita McGillis

myleapmagazine.ca SPRING 2021 LEAP 5

FRONTLINE FRONT HEALING THE GUT | INSPIRING ART | WALKING FOR A CAUSE

BRIGHT MIND

Julie Deleemans’ cancer journey guides her research linking chemotherapy, the gut and mental health

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cancer diagnosis is life-altering at any age, but being diagnosed as a teenager can upend one’s entire future. Julie Deleemans knows that first-hand. Today, Deleemans is a cancer researcher and PhD candidate at the University of Calgary, but her journey to get there started with her own diagnosis.

In 2006, Deleemans was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer of the larynx — she was 18 years old. Her treatment consisted of chemotherapy, radiation and the removal of her larynx (known colloquially as the voice box), thyroid and surrounding lymph nodes. The treatments were successful but left Deleemans unable to speak, forcing her to re-evaluate her future.

“My dream had been to take over [my family’s] farm and be a professional show jumper, riding instructor and horse trainer, but cancer changed all of that,” writes Deleemans in an email. “I didn’t know who I was, where I fit in or what I was supposed to do with my life.”

Deleemans initially used a tracheoesophageal voice prothesis to communicate but it stopped working due to tissue damage from radiation treatment. Today, she largely communicates by email, text or with a soft whisper when in one-on-one conversations or with small groups. >

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JULIE DELEEMANS IS A PHD CANDIDATE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY

DELEEMANS IS EXPLORING THE CONNECTION BETWEEN CHEMO, THE GUT AND MENTAL HEALTH

Advisors told Deleemans that post-secondary education would be difficult due to her disability. She felt lost, and didn’t know what to do next.

She also suffered from anxiety, PTSD, depression and gastrointestinal issues as a result of her treatments. Eventually, Deleemans made what she calls one of the best decisions of her life.

“I thought, ‘I’ll go to school and figure out how to fix myself,’” says Deleemans. “My only regret was that I listened to [those advisors] and doubted myself for so long.”

With her goal in mind, and four years after finishing treatment, she enrolled at Brescia University College, an affiliate of Western University, in London, Ont., to study psychology.

There, Deleemans first fell in love with research. She finished her bachelor’s degree a year early and immediately started a master’s degree in behavioural and cognitive neuroscience at Western University.

Despite academic success, Deleemans was still living with her mental health and gastrointestinal problems.

Meanwhile, she was learning about the ecosystem of microorganisms that exist in our digestive tract, collectively known as the gut microbiome.

Deleemans learned that the wrong foods or environmental factors can disrupt the gut-microbiota-brain axis — a link thought to exist between gut health and proper function PHOTOS JARED SYCH

of the brain. Like any good scientist, she decided to run an experiment.

“I cut out processed sugars and as much processed food as I could. I began practicing yoga, exercising and practicing mindfulness. I switched to a vegetarian diet for two years and limited my dairy intake.

I also started taking a daily probiotic and turmeric supplements. My goal was to reduce the systemic inflammation in my body, which I suspected to be the cause of the prolonged depressive symptoms,” says Deleemans. “After making these changes, my gastrointestinal health improved a lot, and within six months I was able to go off of my anti-depressant medication.”

With her master’s degree completed and personal insight into how important gut health can be in overcoming the lingering effects of cancer treatment, Deleemans was ready for the next chapter. In 2017, she began her PhD in medical sciences, specializing in psychosocial oncology at the University of Calgary. Roughly a year in, she had a eureka moment as she connected ongoing studies to her own experiences. She no longer had any doubts — she knew what she wanted to study.

Deleemans’ PhD research project, the Chemo-Gut project began recruiting in September 2019. It is funded by the Enbridge Research Chair in Psychosocial Oncology and the Alberta Cancer Founda-

tion. It uses three approaches to assess the potential links between chemotherapy, the gut microbiome and mental health: a literature review will look at studies that have investigated the role of pre/ probiotic interventions in treating psychological, cognitive and/or gastrointestinal issues; an online survey of Canadians who have completed cancer treatments will determine what gastrointestinal and mental health issues survivors typically deal with and for how long; and finally, body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio measurements and collection of hair and fecal samples will be analyzed to establish the

long-term effects treatment has on patients’ gut microbiome.

Participants will also complete self-reported measures for an array of mental health and GI health outcomes.

Supported by mentorship from Dr. Linda Carlson and Dr. Raylene Reimer, Deleemans is hopeful the Chemo-Gut project will have a profound impact on fellow cancer survivors.

“I hope that through my research, we will know when and how to intervene earlier to heal the gut microbiota and hopefully prevent or reverse some of the adverse long-term effects of treatment,” says Deleemans. LEAP — FABIAN MAYER

myleapmagazine.ca SPRING 2021 LEAP 7

FRONT LINE

ARTIST AMY REDING DONATES A PORTION OF HER ART SALES TO ALBERTANS FACING CANCER

Flowers in Place of Scars In times of struggle, two-time cancer survivor Amy Reding finds beauty through art ONE OF AMY REDING’S ART PIECES

is of a woman overtaken by blooming flowers of hibiscus and Hawaiian ginger rooted in her neck and chest.

The figure is inspired by Reding herself, who faced Hodgkin’s lymphoma — which

metastasized in her neck and chest — twice.

“You feel like your body let you down,” she says. “I just looked at [the drawing] and it brought me some level of peace.”

Reding was 25 and working remotely as a writer in Hawaii when she began PHOTOS MECOH BAIN PHOTOGRAPHY

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experiencing fatigue and a long-lasting cough. After a friend pointed out swelling in her neck, she decided to get checked out. An x-ray soon revealed a mass in her chest.

Within days, Reding flew home to Calgary and received her diagnosis of stage 4 Hodgkin’s lymphoma on June 27, 2019.

“I was in shock,” says Reding.

She began chemotherapy immediately, which shrunk the mass in her chest.

Treatment was a success. Just a month and a half after Reding began chemo, her doctors told her she was cancer-free. She threw a celebration in December before heading back to Hawaii.

ROUND TWO

With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, Reding came home to Calgary again following the call for Canadians to return from abroad.

In April, she felt a new lump atop her lymph node scar, and a doctor’s visit confirmed her cancer had returned.

“My heart just broke,” says Reding. “It was such a grieving process for me.”

Chemotherapy this time was much more intense, with new long-term risks including possible impact on her fertility.

She stayed at the Foothills Medical Centre through much of August and September.

It was a lot to process, and typically Reding would turn to journalling to make sense of things. But when that felt like too much, she began doodling. That’s what

led to her first cancer-inspired piece of the woman in bloom.

While she’s always dabbled in art, her cancer-inspired work was Reding’s first venture into selling it. Buyers responded to her art and her pieces began to sell.

Proceeds were initially meant to help offset Reding’s fertility treatment costs associated with possibly freezing her eggs, but they have since become a way to help her support herself during the pandemic.

Reding also decided to donate 25 per cent of sales to the Alberta Cancer Foundation’s Patient Financial Assistance Program (PFAP), through which Albertans undergoing treatment can receive relief for expenses like rent and transport costs.

While Reding didn’t access PFAP herself, she says she related to the cause after her own financial concerns.

So far, Reding has raised more than $600 for PFAP, with matching donations

from the Alberta Cancer Foundation bringing the total above $900.

ART AS THERAPY

Reding’s drawings have since expanded into a collection called “Superwoman,” still featuring women and flowers, and often inspired by cancer. One print is dedicated to an aunt. Another highlights the difficult treatment choices patients make.

Reding received the news that she was cancer-free again in October 2020. She says her second round of cancer was a lesson in gratitude and acceptance.

“One of the best things I’ve learned is [asking myself], ‘What can I do with what I have around me right now?’” says Reding. “‘What can I create?’” LEAP — JENNIFER DOROZIO

Amy Reding’s art can be found at theupside-down.com myleapmagazine.ca SPRING 2021 LEAP 9

FRONT LINE

THE FIGHT AGAINST CANCER EVENT RAISED FUNDS FOR THE CROSS CANCER INSTITUTE

The Fundamentals of Fundraising Amar Randhawa and his family raised more than $50,000 for the Cross Cancer Institute during a global pandemic by focusing on the quality of their community connections over the quantity of donations AMAR RANDHAWA IS NO ROOKIE

when it comes to fundraising for cancer.

The 42-year-old Edmontonian has participated in numerous bike rides over the years, individually raising over $10,000 in support of the Cross Cancer Institute.

Randhawa’s passion for giving back stems from a personal connection. His sister and uncle both passed away from cancer and Randhawa’s mother, Gurmeet Randhawa, was diagnosed with kidney cancer a few years after the family emigrated from India to Edmonton in 1995.

On May 19, 2020, Gurmeet died peacefully in her sleep. To honour her, the Randhawa family was inspired to organize a fundraiser in her name. “[With] mom passing, it really hit me that we need to do more,” says Randhawa.

A few days later, Randhawa and his family began planning a virtual walk and run 10 LEAP SPRING 2021

event for September 19, 2020 — benefiting the Alberta Cancer Foundation and in support of the Cross Cancer Institute — called the Fight Against Cancer.

The family had already been impacted

by COVID-19 restrictions in coordinating family visits to the hospital and making funeral arrangements. But Randhawa says they were undeterred by those challenges in planning the event. His mother was always a positive and grateful person, and she instilled those traits into her children and grandchildren.

“She left a big impact on us, the way she raised us. It [was] always, ‘be positive, be thankful,’” says Randhawa.

The family used that positive attitude to set an initial fundraising goal of $25,000. Randhawa was optimistic that number was attainable if everyone took a personal fundraising goal to their own

social circles, relying on his family members’ positive relationships in their own communities.

Just before fundraising began, the family decided to raise the bar even higher, setting a new goal of $50,000.

Instead of a mass call-out for financial support, Randhawa spent time writing individualized emails to his friends and acquaintances and asked his family to do the same. Along with donations from people Randhawa hadn’t spoken to in years, donors also shared their personal stories and experiences with cancer.

“It was a private email going to every person, personalizing it to them, and it was overwhelming hearing [their] stories,” says Randhawa In two short months, the Randhawas raised a grand total of $53,035 for the Cross Cancer Institute. The grassroots campaign goal was achieved by donations that came via word-of-mouth messaging, support from friends and co-workers and a commitment to match donations up to $10,000 from Randhawa’s long-time employer, Durabuilt Windows & Doors.

In the end, the fundraising campaign received nearly 300 individual donations in total from across Canada.

On the day of the event, participants walked and ran in their homes or outside on their favourite trails, in Edmonton, Kelowna — where Randhawa’s sister lives — and beyond, sharing photos and videos with each other throughout the day.

Randhawa took part with a group of about 15 family members and close family friends in person in Edmonton, adhering to physical distancing guidelines, while bonding over memories of their matriarch.

“She always had a smile on her face,” says Randhawa. “She wanted to be with the family all the time and she always kept on smiling, even till the last minute.” LEAP — TSERING ASHA PHOTOS JARED SYCH

5 WAYS

5 Ways Your Donation Has Supported Albertans Facing Cancer During COVID-19 The coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) has changed the world more than we could have ever imagined. Thanks to the generosity of donors like you, the Alberta Cancer Foundation can invest in promising research and programs that seek to ease the burden of COVID-19 for Albertans facing cancer. Here are some examples:

TEXT4HOPE In 2020, Text4Hope, a free SMS-subscription service, helped thousands of subscribers develop healthy coping and resiliency skills in response to the global pandemic. The program sent out daily messages written by mental health therapists using cognitive behavioural therapy methods, easing Albertans’ cancer journey.

HEALTHY EATING AND ACTIVE LIVING (HEAL-ME) HEAL-ME is a virtual version of the Alberta Cancer Exercise Program.

This free, group-based e-health program has rapidly responded to the wellness needs of Albertans facing cancer during COVID-19.

With over 200 cancer-specific exercises and nutrition, physiotherapy and stress reduction modules, HEAL-ME delivers personalized programs to improve cancer-related symptoms and increase well-being.

EMERGENCY VOUCHER PROGRAM During the pandemic, some Albertans facing cancer have had to deal with sudden job loss and financial strain on top of their diagnosis. The Emergency Voucher Program is available at each cancer centre in the province, meaning immediate financial support is provided to patients in need of gas, groceries or assistance with travel to medical appointments.

PATIENT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (PFAP) This program, fully funded by donors, is often an option of last resort for Albertans in need of financial support. Those who qualify receive assistance as they undergo treatment so they can focus on what matters most – healing. Last year, nearly 1,000 patients accessed this resource.

Learn more about how you can support the Alberta Cancer Foundation at albertacancer.ca

COVID-19 BIOREPOSITORY This biobank gives Alberta’s researchers local access to biological material, allowing them to take a deeper dive into COVID-19. Building a safe biorepository helps advance research to better understand COVID-19 and enables Alberta to better respond to future outbreaks.

The creation of a COVID-19 vaccine has been a global effort, and a Canadian team has added its expertise to the endeavour. Read more about promising news regarding a COVID-19 vaccine on page 32.

myleapmagazine.ca SPRING 2021 LEAP 11

WORKOUT

So You Think You Can Bike?

With the 2021 Alberta Ride event just a few months away, we ask the experts for tips and tricks to guarantee a smooth ride

by KARIN OLAFSON SINCE 2009, the Enbridge Ride to Conquer Cancer has benefited the Alberta Cancer Foundation in a significant way, raising millions of dollars that directly support Albertans facing cancer.

In response to COVID-19, the 2020 Ride went virtual, but passionate cyclists still collectively raised $1.9 million.

The Alberta Ride is only a few months away, and whether you’re dusting off your bike for another cycling season or preparing for your first-ever endurance event, there’s still time to get training.

We’ve asked three experts for tips to help you prepare for this year’s Ride.

1.

TRAIN SMART Edmonton’s Velocity Cycling Club has been training recreational and experienced cyclists since 1981. Velocity’s head coach, Kevin Rokosh, has more than 30 years of experience as a cyclist and has coached others for more than a decade.

Here, Rokosh offers some training tips: BE CONSISTENT ”Start with 30-minute rides at a steady pace, three times a week to get into the habit,” says Rokosh. “Then, after three or four weeks of building a base, add 15 minutes to each ride.”

Rokosh recommends you plan to train consistently for at least three months.

However, a four-month training period is ideal. That way, you’ll still have time to get into shape even if you have to miss a day once in a while. Rokosh suggests increasing your cycling time to two rides of at least one hour each during the week, with at least one longer ride on the weekend to build up endurance.

“Athletes should get close to 100 kilometres for their longest training ride, and do it a couple of weeks before the event,” says Rokosh.

are passing another rider. And don’t ride too close to other riders — I always tell people to imagine there’s a bubble around your front wheel.”

BE SAFE If you’re riding in a group, make sure you’re comfortable riding near other cyclists.

“Ultimately, when you’re riding around other cyclists or, of course, in traffic, know that the safest cyclist is a predictable cyclist,” says Rokosh. “Ride in a straight line. Use your voice to indicate if you

JOIN A CLUB Rokosh says joining a club connects new cyclists to a network of experienced riders who know great training routes, including which roads have wide shoulders and less traffic. But it is also an opportunity for newer riders to get tips and tricks from veterans.

ILLUSTRATION RACHEL BEYER

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2.

GEAR UP

Albert Nguyen knows what it’s like to spend long hours on the bike. He’s logged endurance rides for more than 14 years and is currently the president of the Edmonton Road & Track Club, which offers supportive group rides to cyclists of all abilities. Nguyen shares the essential gear riders need for long cycling days.

CYCLING SHORTS AND JERSEY Nguyen says padded shorts will make long hours on the saddle more comfortable, while a jersey, with the pockets on the back, makes it easy to carry food or a light jacket.

THE “RIGHT” HELMET According to Nguyen, making sure your helmet fits properly is the most important consideration here, rather than brand or style.

MUST-HAVE GEAR When out on a long training ride, Nguyen recommends cyclists always carry their phone, a patch kit, a multi-tool and mini pump in case of a flat tire, and enough food and water.

3.

RIDE WISELY When Liann Cameron registered to complete her first Enbridge Ride to Conquer Cancer in 2012, she did not consider herself a cyclist. But the spirit of the event ignited a passion, and now, Cameron has participated in seven Rides — six in Alberta and one in B.C. She shares her go-to tips here:

TIP #1

DON’T FORGET TO EAT “Don’t skip breakfast in the morning. And eat as you ride. Bring along food in your jersey pockets, or add drink mixes into your water to get those calories.”

TIP #2

PACE YOURSELF “Don’t go out too quickly and blow all your energy in the first few kilometres. Find a steady, consistent pace, and you’ll be able to keep the legs moving.”

TIP #3

EMBRACE THE CHALLENGE “Yes, it’s hard. But remember it will never be as hard as the journey your friend or family member goes through after being diagnosed with cancer.” LEAP

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FOOD FOCUS

Milk with that?

Exploring dairy alternatives and how to use them by ELIZABETH CHORNEY-BOOTH OVER THE LAST DECADE OR SO,

grocery store shelves have become packed with a wide variety of dairy-free milk alternatives aimed at vegans, people with milk allergies and anyone else looking to avoid dairy. The sheer range of choices can be daunting, especially when the differences between milk-like soy or almond beverages and regular cow’s milk aren’t always clear to the consumer.

When choosing a milk alternative, consumers should first consider if cutting dairy out of their diets is a good idea in the first place. While plant-based “milk” may be the only choice for those with dairy intolerances or people adhering to a vegan diet, others may be attracted to dairy alternatives due to their shelf stability and convenience or because they’re often marketed as being a healthier alternative. Kristyn Hall, a consulting dietitian and registered nutritionist with Energize Nutrition, says that while non-dairy products sometimes have fewer calories than cow’s milk, there’s no conclusive evidence that avoiding dairy reduces the risk of cancer. Also, many of the nutrients found in dairy can contribute to better overall health and cancer prevention.

“If someone is going through a cancer journey, having a fear of dairy is not necessary nor is it supported by evidence,” Hall says. “That being said, if people want to take dairy out of their diet, it’s important to replace the total nutrient package with other alternatives.”

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Those who do turn to alternative milk beverages need to look at labels carefully to make sure that they’re choosing something that will act as a healthy stand-in for milk. Hall warns that even though soy, almond and oat milk are frequently lumped together in a single category, their nutritional makeup varies wildly. Soy, for example, is usually the only option with a significant amount of protein.

Flavoured almond milk often contains an excess of added sugar, and coconut milk may have a higher fat content than expected.

Hall also recommends choosing products that include vitamins D and B12, both of which are typically found in cow’s milk. When swapping out cow’s milk to a non-dairy alternative, it’s important to take stock of what dairy-related nutrients might be missing and make up for them with other foods or vitamin and mineral supplements as needed. Hall takes no issue with people opting for non-dairy, provided that they take the bigger nutritional picture into account.

“Dairy can be like a fast food in that it’s really nutrient-rich, with more than just calcium to offer,” Hall says. “But some people do not want to have cow’s milk for a variety of reasons, which is fine because we have all of these other options. You just have to be mindful that they’re not 100 per cent comparable, so it’s important to make informed choices.” LEAP

CHOOSING THE RIGHT “MILK” In addition to different nutritional properties, each non-dairy alternative has a unique texture and flavour.

Here are some to consider:

ALMOND MILK

Similar in consistency to skim milk, almond milk’s taste can be sweet with a hint of nuttiness. Use it with cereal or in baking.

SOY MILK Thicker than many dairyalternatives, soy milk goes well with coffee, which tends to mask its somewhat chalky flavour.

OAT MILK Naturally thick and slightly sweet, oat milk is a favourite of latte drinkers and also works in soups and baking.

COCONUT MILK BEVERAGE Coconut beverage (found in cartons) is different than canned coconut milk used for cooking. More watery and lacking that strong coconut flavour, the beverage version is suitable for use with coffee or cereal.

RICE MILK One of the first dairy substitutes on the market, rice milk has a neutral flavour and can have a thinner consistency than dairy.

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EXPERT ADVICE

We ask the experts about the early warning signs of skin cancer and how to preserve fertility during treatment by JENNIFER FRIESEN

Q: What are some of the typical symptoms of skin cancer?

DR. THOMAS SALOPEK

UNDERSTANDING THE EARLY WARNING SIGNS OF SKIN CANCER Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer worldwide, and more than 80,000 Canadians are diagnosed with it every year. Fortunately, with early detection, most skin cancers can be treated effectively, which is why it is so important to know what to look for. Dr. Thomas Salopek, a professor in the University of Alberta’s Division of Dermatology, describes some of the early warning signs of skin cancer.

Most skin cancers are devoid of symptoms. It is only when they become a non-healing sore that patients present to their doctors. To help the public recognize early skin cancer, we encourage patients to self-examine [or] SCAN their skin. This handy acronym stresses importance of self-examination of the skin with each letter highlighting a warning sign of skin cancer. “S” is for sore, which is a spot that is scaly, itchy, bleeding or tender, that does not heal. “C” is for changing. “A” is abnormal relative to the other spots/growths on your body and “N” is for new.

notoriously difficult to diagnose from a lay person’s point of view, which is why you should always see your doctor if you notice any changes. Nonmelanoma skin cancers make up the majority of diagnoses and are usually curable if caught early. The two classic nonmelanoma skin cancers are squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma. The latter almost invariably presents as a non-healing sore, but it can also be pigmented or look like a mole.

Whereas squamous cell carcinoma usually starts as a rough patch that becomes thicker.

Unfortunately, melanoma at its earliest stage, when it’s potentially curable, may just look like a discoloured patch and could be easily overlooked. It is only over time that one sees the features suggestive [of] cancer: asymmetry, irregular borders, colour variation, diametre greater than six milimetres (roughly the size of a pencil eraser), and evolving — the ABCDEs of melanoma.

Q: Where does skin cancer tend to develop?

Melanomas can occur anywhere on the body, but are predominantly seen in sun-exposed areas. In contrast, nonmelanoma skin cancers, squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma are rarely seen in non-sun exposed areas. They are predominantly seen on the head/neck area, scalp (in bald individuals), upper extremities extending from the back of the hands to where your short-sleeved shirt typically ends.

Q: Are there common skin abnormalities to look out for?

Q: Who is most at risk for skin cancer?

One of the most common things that people will present with is an age spot, which typically starts to develop in people around 40 years of age. But, if a spot or growth is abnormal looking to you, talk to your doctor, especially if it’s changing.

In general, fair-skinned people are most at risk for skin cancer; it is very rare in people of colour. People with lots of sun exposure who burn easily and tan poorly are at risk for skin cancer. To minimize your risk of sun damage and thereby skin cancer, we encourage people to be prudent about sun exposure. When possible, avoid peak hours of sun exposure, [wear] protective clothing and regularly apply sunscreens of SPF 30 or higher throughout the day.

Q: Are there certain types of skin cancer that are more difficult to diagnose?

The nonmelanoma skin cancers are

ILLUSTRATIONS CHARLES BURKE

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Q: What cancer treatments have the biggest effect on fertility?

DR. SHU FOONG

HOW TO PRESERVE FERTILITY DURING CANCER TREATMENT There are more cancer survivors today than ever before, with survival rates jumping nearly 10 per cent since the 1990s. With the emergence of the oncofertility specialty, a medical field that merges oncology with reproductive medicine, more focus has been placed on helping people preserve their ability to have children following cancer treatment. Dr. Shu Foong, medical director at the Regional Fertility Program and clinical assistant professor at the University of Calgary, explains how this is done and why it’s so vital.

Cancers involving the reproductive system that require surgical removal of the organ, such as ovarian or testicular cancer, would usually pose the biggest risk. However, cancer therapies, like systemic chemotherapy or radiation, could also affect a person’s fertility. Such treatment could damage the finite number of eggs in women, or destroy the germ cells from which men grow sperm, resulting in the inability to make sperm. The oncology team will select the best treatment protocol for the specific cancer, but it is important to note that not all radiation protocols or chemotherapeutic agents will affect fertility in the same way.

Q: What are the options for preserving fertility in women?

The main option for fertility preservation in women is cryopreservation of eggs or embryos. This is commonly referred to as “freezing,” but the science is more advanced and does not involve traditional freezing techniques. These procedures take approximately two weeks and are preceded by ovarian stimulation that can be started at any time in a woman’s menstrual cycle. In certain radiation protocols, a surgical procedure can be done to move

the ovary out of the field of radiation.

There may also be medications that can be taken to protect fertility during the course of chemotherapy, but the efficacy of these medications are more limited.

Q: What are the options for preserving fertility in men?

Sperm cryopreservation (freezing) can be performed on ejaculated or surgically obtained samples. This is widely available and can easily be arranged by self-referral.

Sperm cryopreservation does not require medications to be taken ahead of time.

Q: Are there other factors that affect fertility?

We need to consider all factors in a patient’s medical history that can lead to an increased risk of infertility, such as the age of the patient, family history of early menopause and other co-existing medical conditions. We also need to consider the delay in conception from the time needed to complete cancer treatment and the recommended cancer-free period before an individual should consider having a baby. It is very important to get an early referral to a fertility specialist to allow for a complete evaluation of your individual situation and have all options presented. There needs to be hope. LEAP

DID YOU KNOW? The term “oncofertility” was coined by Dr. Teresa Woodruff, an adjunct professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern University, in 2006. Oncofertility is an interdisciplinary field, including doctors, researchers, scientists and more that addresses the reproductive health of cancer patients.

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EXPLORING S U RV I VO R S H I P WE INVESTIGATE SOME OF THE LATEST RESOURCES, STUDIES AND SUPPORTS HELPING CANCER SURVIVORS AND THRIVERS NAVIGATE THEIR NEW NORMAL

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DR. MAY LYNN QUAN

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KATE BILSON, BREAST CANCER SURVIVOR

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PREPARING TO SURVIVE

A new study addresses the specific challenges faced by breast cancer patients under 40

by E L I Z A B E T H C H O R N E Y- B O OT H p ho t o g ra p hy CO L I N WAY

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DR. MAY LYNN QUAN Having a doctor deliver a cancer diagnosis can be a devastating experience no matter your age, but it can be especially difficult for young women with breast cancer. Not only do women often have worse outcomes when they’re diagnosed before the age of 40 but having to undergo treatment on the cusp of starting a relationship, raising a family, or building a career can be a very different journey with a diverse set of challenges compared to breast cancer patients over 50.

Dr. May Lynn Quan, a Calgary-based cancer surgeon at the Foothills Medical Centre and researcher at the University of Calgary, treats many young women with breast cancer. Over the last five years her research has focused on a study called Reducing the Burden of Breast Cancer in Young Women (RUBY) that addresses the specific challenges younger breast cancer patients face.

Launched in 2015, RUBY is a panCanadian study with a network of 30 clinics, cancer centres and other institutions where breast cancer patients have surgical complications. Currently, RUBY has a cohort of more than 1,200 breast cancer patients under 40 who have agreed to share their medical trajectory with Quan’s team, including things like treatment response, as well as their personal experiences, with the goal of improving outcomes. Cohort members are also donating blood and tissue samples, which will allow the team to test for any genetic components linked to their cancer. Last year, Quan received additional funding from a partnership between the Alberta Cancer Foundation, Canadian Cancer Society and Canadian Institutes of Health Research to extend that research further in a project currently dubbed Preparing to Survive: Improving Outcomes for Young Women with Breast Cancer.

“The average age of a woman with breast cancer is mid-50s,” Quan says. “The life stage that these younger women are at is usually different than the vast majority of women with breast cancer. When they look for resources online most of it isn’t referrable to them. There’s not a lot of information on how to deal with your toddler when you’re having chemotherapy.”

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“ I WA N T TO FO C U S O N T H E P E O P L E T H AT W E ’ R E T R E AT I N G A N D T RY TO S U P P O RT T H E M . ” — D R. M AY LY N N Q UA N

The new study is focused on identifying and addressing unmet needs and challenges faced by young breast cancer patients and will have three prongs. Firstly, patients from across Canada are currently participating in interviews. The information they provide will help Quan and her team understand the unique needs they’ve experienced through treatment. From there, the team, which includes medical professionals as well as patients who have had breast cancer, will develop a virtual self-management tool to help patients better cope with their breast cancer treatment. Finally, Quan will share the tool with half of the RUBY cohort, while the other half will receive standard of care. The two groups will then be compared to determine how well the tool works.

The tool itself will be modelled after an existing resource aimed at more generalized cancer patients. Quan says this is a skeleton starting point and hopes this process will allow her team to co-develop a unique tool with patient input. Quan envisions it as an online interface that women can access to help them cope, deal with and manage whatever they’re going through. Various modules will give users exercises to work on through their journeys. Patients would ideally be referred to the tool upon diagnosis so they could easily access the supports throughout treatment at their own pace without needing a referral from their oncologist.

“We want to empower women to help themselves and see that the first step is to manage the diagnosis and the challenges that come with it,” Quan says. “The study is about understanding exactly what these young women with breast cancer are going through to allow us to tailor it specifically to their needs.”

What makes RUBY and Preparing to Survive special is that both projects were born out of Quan’s direct experience with the patients she treats. She saw that those patients’ needs weren’t being met and wanted to do her part to support their holistic health and also help them establish a good quality of life both during and after treatment.

“It’s my privilege to treat breast cancer patients,” Quan says. “I want to focus on the people that we’re treating and try to support them, not only from a cancer outcomes perspective, but for their whole selves to allow them to have a stronger, more positive survivorship.”

KATE’S STORY Diagnosed with breast cancer in 2019 at the age of 47, Calgarian Kate Bilson doesn’t qualify to be part of Dr. Quan’s study, but as one of Quan’s patients at the Tom Baker Cancer Centre, she knows the importance of receiving emotional and mental health support throughout a cancer journey. As a busy lawyer, parent to a pre-teen son, and socially active person, Bilson’s cancer diagnosis shook up her life considerably.

But the diagnosis didn’t come as a complete surprise to her. Bilson has a history of breast cancer in her family and her father passed away from brain cancer at the age of 49, when Bilson was a teenager. Those experiences created a unique level of anxiety as she worried about how her illness would affect her son, knowing how difficult her father’s diag-

“ F I N D I N G T H E T H I N G S T H AT H E L P YO U M A I N TA I N S O M E P O S I T I V I T Y I S R E A L LY I M P O RTA N T. ” — K AT E B I L S O N

nosis had been for her. She even subjected herself to very painful cold cap therapy so that she could keep her hair through chemotherapy to create a sense of normalcy for her family.

In addition to receiving thoughtful emotional support from her doctors, Bilson was encouraged to seek out resources like the Alberta Cancer Exercise program and a variety of classes, workshops and discussion groups through Wellspring, an organization that offers community support for cancer patients, which helped her build a network she could lean on. Now through chemotherapy, surgery and radiation, and well into her recovery, Bilson recommends that other patients with breast cancer try to find similar activities that will soothe their minds and help them connect with others.

“I would encourage any cancer patient, but certainly young women going through this experience, to try out the different resources that exist to find something that speaks to them,” Bilson says. “Finding the things that help you maintain some positivity is really important.”

Bilson considers Quan along with her medical oncologist, Dr. Marc Webster, her superheroes. Their sensitive understanding of the emotional side of a cancer diagnosis was tremendously helpful. Recognizing that not all patients have the benefit of having such emotionally intuitive physicians, Bilson wanted to pay a bit of her good fortune forward by making a financial donation towards the Alberta Cancer Foundation in support of Quan’s RUBY study. Knowing how much Quan’s experience helped her through her own feelings of fear, anxiety and fatigue, Bilson is hoping she can play a small part in paying it forward to other patients.

“The primary reason for the donation was wanting to find a way to say thank you to the cancer care community at the Tom Baker, particularly for all the help, the care, and the compassion and getting me through one of the worst years of my life,” Bilson says. “I received a level of care that I want to thank them for properly. I don’t think I’ll ever find a way to do that, but I felt that this was a place to start.” LEAP myleapmagazine.ca SPRING 2021 LEAP 21

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REACHING REMOTE SURVIVORS Recent funding has allowed an Alberta-based study and exercise program to be scaled up, ensuring cancer survivors living in rural and remote locations across Canada can also access supportive wellness programs by K A R I N O L A F S O N DR. NICOLE CULOS-REED BELIEVES THAT MOVEMENT IS MEDICINE. The professor in the faculty of kinesiology at the University of Calgary wants to see an evidence-based exercise program as part of standard cancer care. She explains exercise can reduce the negative side-effects of cancer treatment, like cancer-related fatigue and muscle weakness, and can also improve other patient-reported outcomes.

That was the motivation behind the Alberta Cancer Exercise (ACE) program that Culos-Reed co-leads. Launched in 2017, ACE is a five-year study and free 12-week community exercise program for both cancer survivors and people currently in treatment. But Culos-Reed knows ACE isn’t reaching all survivors. Many are unable to access this type of programming simply because of where they live.

“ACE runs across many Alberta cities — but they are still cities. We’re not getting that cancer survivor who lives in smalltown, rural Alberta,” says Culos-Reed.

So, when the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Canadian Cancer Society put out a call for applications for a Cancer Survivorship Team Grant, CulosReed contacted colleagues across the country. By working together, Culos-Reed hoped to scale up ACE and deliver exercise programs to cancer survivors living all over Canada.

The grant, which includes additional illustration SCOTT CARMICHAEL

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AN EXCEL SNAPSHOT

funding from the Alberta Cancer Foundation, was collectively awarded to Culos-Reed, Dr. Margaret McNeely from the University of Alberta, Dr. Melanie Keats from Dalhousie University and Dr. Daniel Santa Mina from the University of Toronto, as well as a team of clinical, research and community-based organizations, colleagues and trainees. And, in September 2020, Exercise for Cancer to Enhance Living Well, or EXCEL, launched.

“The goal with EXCEL is to make sure we can offer the same exercise oncology cancer care resources to rural cancer survivors,” says Culos-Reed, EXCEL’s lead. “It’s about improving access to physical activity because there has been a disparity in reaching people that are outside of major centres.”

EXCEL works much like ACE. After a baseline fitness assessment, participants join in group-based, hour-long circuit-style training sessions twice a week, for 12 weeks. Participants do a variety of aerobic, strength training, balance and flexibility exercises, all of which can be modified for their fitness level. The classes are led by fitness professionals, who the EXCEL team has trained to work with cancer survivors. And, as it is a study, the team collects data at the end of the program to determine whether participants’ fitness has improved and whether the program delivery is effective.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all assessments and programming are delivered via Zoom — participants log-in and work out remotely.

Culos-Reed hopes that delivery will expand to rural community and fitness centres when it’s safe, although EXCEL will always have an online component.

“Before launching, we knew we couldn’t have a community-based exercise program at every single site where a rural cancer survivor lived.

Economically, that’s just not feasible,” says Culos-Reed. “We’d always planned for an online component, to reach more people faster.”

EXCEL was launched in rural communities in Alberta this past fall. In January, Keats, Santa Mina and their teams brought EXCEL to survivors living in remote parts of Nova Scotia, and the program is expanding into Ontario this spring. EXCEL leads are currently doing increased outreach to recruit cancer survivors living in remote areas of B.C. and Saskatchewan.

EXCEL is still in its infancy, and data collection is ongoing, but participants’ feedback already highlights its effectiveness.

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30 individuals participated in the first-ever EXCEL program, which ran September to December 2020.

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Participants in the first EXCEL cohort were mostly from Camrose, Canmore and Drumheller.

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27 fitness instructors received formal training from EXCEL leads in the summer of 2020.

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EXCEL has 3 funding partners: The Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Canadian Cancer Society are EXCEL’s primary funders, while the Alberta Cancer Foundation provides additional funding.

Learn more at thriveforcancersurvivors.com

“I am very grateful for the EXCEL program because, as a rural cancer survivor, I have limited access to supports,” says Judy, an Alberta-based participant. “It’s an opportunity for me to become more active while connecting with other people in a similar situation. I have come to have a stronger commitment to my own well-being as I recover because of this amazing program.”

Going forward, Culos-Reed says the team is looking into adding fitness tracking tools, like the Alberta-based digital journal ZoeInsights, funded by the Alberta Cancer Foundation. Additionally, they hope to recruit thousands of participants and also create a network of trained exercise professionals across the country.

“Our big goal is for Canadians living outside of cities to find out about EXCEL right away,” says Culos-Reed. “And that they feel very supported and have wellness opportunities throughout their cancer journey.” LEAP myleapmagazine.ca SPRING 2021 LEAP 23

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FACING CANCER IN UNCERTAIN TIMES A new nation-wide study examines how COVID-19 is impacting cancer patients and survivors by J E N N I F E R F R I E S E N

There’s no question that 2020 was a challenging year. Today, the effects of COVID-19 continue to echo around the world, impacting people’s lives, livelihoods and social connections.

In addition to navigating all this global uncertainty, an estimated 225,000 Canadians also faced a cancer diagnosis last year.

The Supportive Care Committee of the Canadian Cancer Trials Group (CCTG), a cooperative oncology group that designs and administers clinical trials in cancer across Canada, began asking questions about how the pandemic would affect cancer patients’ and survivors’ lives as soon as the first round of lockdowns started in Canada in March 2020. By April, the committee had the ball rolling on a quality-of-life study called Living with Cancer in the Time of COVID-19. The study focuses on adults who either have cancer or have had cancer in the past 10 years to better understand how the pandemic is affecting their care and mental health.

“When the pandemic started, we knew this was going to affect cancer patients in many different ways,” says Dr. Linda Carlson, a professor in the departments of oncology and psychology at the University of Calgary and Enbridge Research Chair in Psychosocial Oncology. Carlson is also a member of the CCTG’s Supportive Care Committee. “We just didn’t know in how many different ways. Some things are potentially positive for patients because they can get care at home and travel less, but there are drawbacks, too. Treatments and surgeries were delayed, and there was a lot of talk about being at higher risk of death or complications if they were to get COVID.” In August, the CCTG launched a website and began recruiting participants from cancer centres across

Canada and through social media.

Carlson and her colleague, Dr. Mohamad Baydoun, a postdoctoral fellow from the U of C, are the local leads in Alberta for the trial, and received a $20,000 grant from the CCTG to support study recruitment in the province.

Currently, around 115 people have responded to recruitment requests from across Canada, but Carlson says the goal is to reach 1,000 participants over a six-month recruitment phase. Over the course of a year, starting from when they first respond, these participants will complete five online questionnaires measuring their emotional and physical well-being, including questions about the quality of their cancer care, emotional distress and anxieties about COVID-19.

“Cancer patients will often [jokingly] say to me, ‘Now it’s like the whole world has cancer,’” says Carlson. “With cancer treatment, you don’t really know if the treatments are going to work, what the side-effects will be or if you’re going to be cured. It’s the same with the pandemic: is it going to get worse before it gets better? How many people will die? And what does this mean for people with cancer to have all these uncertainties piled on top of what they’re already dealing with?”

By taking a deep dive into how the pandemic is affecting the quality of life and health care of cancer patients and survivors, Carlson hopes they can make positive changes in the future.

“The goal is to get a better picture of what it’s like for people going through this so we can develop the kinds of services they need,” she says. “We’re asking people what would be helpful and finding out from them what the hardest part of this experience is and how we, as a health-care system, can better plan and prepare for future pandemics.” LEAP

“ T H E G OA L I S TO G E T A BETTER PICTURE O F W H AT I T ’ S L I K E FO R P E O P L E G O I N G THROUGH THIS SO WE C A N D E V E LO P T H E K I N D S O F S E RV I C E S T H E Y N E E D. ” — D R. L I N DA C A R L S O N

illustration SCOTT CARMICHAEL

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A NEW NORMAL Defining survivorship Dr. Linda Watson, scientific director of Applied Research and Patient Experience, Cancer Research and Analytics at Cancer Care Alberta, has worked with Albertans with cancer and studied their experiences for over 30 years. She is familiar with the successes and challenges of diagnosis, treatment and recovery.

Here, she discusses the complex notion of survivorship.

Q: What is survivorship?

There is no single definition for survivorship. A common one is the state after primary treatment, where people are in a recovery phase. The focus of care in survivorship is on how to help them live as well as possible and adapt to a new normal.

Q: Is it a new term?

It was first coined by Dr. Fitzhugh Mullan in 1985. In his article “Seasons of Survival: Reflections of a Physician with Cancer,” in The New England Journal of Medicine, Mullan discusses three “seasons” of survivorship. The acute phase is when the individual is dealing with the [diagnosis] and treatment. The extended phase includes the fear of recurrences and recognition of long-term treatment implications, such as cognitive decline. The permanent phase is a period of stability, where the likelihood of cancer returning is small.

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the unique support needed for this stage of cancer care and for a programmatic response to the needs cancer patients have in the survivorship phase.

Q: Are there disadvantages to the term?

There are limitations with the term survivorship. Some individuals object because the term sounds like the bare minimum.

They don’t want to simply survive; they want to thrive and live their best lives after cancer. Many also reject “battle metaphors” like killing cancer or surviving the war against cancer. Cancer is made of our own cells – it is not a foreign invader. Being at war with yourself can bring a lot of negative energy. Some prefer a more positive paradigm, a more harmonious perspective. It is very personal, and we will never find the perfect one-size-fits-all word. LEAP

SURVIVORSHIP RESOURCES 1. Cancer Care Alberta’s “After Treatment” self-management booklet covers areas like recovery, relationships and more 2. Follow-up medical guidelines at albertahealthservices.ca can help direct conversations with your family doctor 3. Psychosocial and rehabilitation oncology services like counselling and group support are available at the Tom Baker Cancer Centre in Calgary and the Cross Cancer Institute in Edmonton 4. Community agencies like Wellspring offer a variety of educational and support programs

Q: What are the benefits of naming survivorship?

Historically, we have put our energy into how to treat cancer. But as treatments got better and people were surviving longer, survivors started telling us how hard it was to return to their lives after treatment – physically, emotionally, socially and psychologically.

We realized these issues were not well understood or conceptualized. Also, medical management was needed to deal with residual effects of the different treatments, such as cardiac implications following certain breast cancer chemotherapy treatments. This is all fairly new – we struck a provincial steering committee to examine how to address these needs in 2013. Putting a name to this concept has allowed us to investigate illustration SPENCER FLOCK

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DR. JANA RIEGER

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EMPOWERING PATIENTS Mobili-T, a wearable exercise technology, helps head and neck cancer survivors take ownership over their post-treatment rehab

by D E B BY WA L D M A N ph otog rap hy RYA N PA R K E R

THE 14 YEARS AFTER EILEEN RATTNER WAS TREATED FOR HEAD AND NECK CANCER WERE AMONG THE MOST CHALLENGING OF HER LIFE. She was grateful to the medical team at the Tom Baker Cancer Centre in Calgary that helped make her cancer-free, but the treatment’s side-effects were debilitating.

Once an active woman who loved family activities, cooking, baking and singing in the church choir, Rattner, who was diagnosed in 2005, was often unable to speak clearly, let alone sing. Dysphagia (the name for swallowing difficulties) had become not only painful but dangerous.

Because Rattner choked and coughed at almost every meal (and aspirated twice, leading to pneumonia), she felt anxious and fearful about eating. Limited to a diet of soft foods and liquids, she lost interest in cooking and baking.

Rattner’s experience isn’t unique. Dr. Jana Rieger has seen countless patients with dysphagia at Edmonton’s Misericordia Community Hospital, where she has worked as a rehab medicine specialist for more than 20 years.

Currently the director of research at the Institute for Reconstructive Sciences in Medicine (iRSM) and a professor in rehabilitation medicine at the University of Alberta, Rieger’s background has helped guide the development of a device to help resolve the difficulties many patients face.

A DESIRE TO MAKE THINGS BETTER IS what led Rieger and two colleagues to develop Mobili-T. A pocket-sized biofeedback device, Mobili-T helps strengthen swallowing muscles and, consequently, aims to improve a patient’s quality of life.

“Eating is something we do every day. It keeps us alive and provides us with a lot of pleasure,” Rieger says.

“For [head and neck cancer] patients, all of that is taken away and replaced with the fear that every time they eat something or drink one of their blended meals, they’re going to choke and get food in their lungs and not be able

to breathe. And, if it gets bad enough, they may have to have a tube in their stomach to receive nutrition.”

Head and neck cancer affects approximately 500 Albertans annually. Treatment usually includes surgery and radiation, both of which can damage the 30 pairs of muscles that enable normal swallowing.

Like Rattner, many survivors go on to be cancer-free but must learn to live with the ongoing debilitating effects of dysphagia.

Around 12 years ago, Rieger set up a research protocol to provide intensive therapy to help patients strengthen those muscles. Three times a week for about three months, patients came to the clinic and were hooked up to a machine where they could observe their muscle function while performing swallowing exercises.

The trial didn’t last long: nobody could commit to thrice-weekly hospital visits.

Sending patients home with exercises didn’t work, either: there was little motivation when they couldn’t see what they were doing. Most gave up.

At the time, Rieger’s staff included two biomedical engineers and a speech-language pathologist, the latter of whom proposed making a small, mobile version of the machine. The team got to work. In 2014, the Alberta Cancer Foundation provided them with funding for the device that eventually became Mobili-T. In 2019, the team began an Edmonton-based feasibility study to see how it worked with patients.

Rattner had long since resigned herself to living with a significant swallowing disability when she learned about the > myleapmagazine.ca SPRING 2021 LEAP 27

study in Edmonton. Her post-treatment rehab had not significantly improved her dysphagia, so she leaped at the opportunity to fly to Edmonton to pick up a Mobili-T, learn to use it, and bring it home to test it out.

“Mobili-T was a life-changing therapy for me,” she says. “The specific exercises target the muscles that you use in swallowing. It’s easy to use. The biofeedback technology immediately gives you information with each and every swallow, so you can practice and gradually strengthen your swallow.”

Mobili-T is about the size of a thumb drive and weighs 15 grams. It attaches under the chin with adhesive strips and works in conjunction with a mobile phone or tablet. The software sets daily targets for users and also tracks and stores information in the cloud for clinicians.

Rattner was guided through the program

by Gabi Constantinescu, the speech-language pathologist who completed her PhD work on the device. Her encouragement motivated Rattner, who likened the experience to being “part of an exercise class and having others with you.”

That kind of motivation is key to getting people to use a device, says Rieger. By the end of the trial, which wrapped up in February 2020, almost 80 per cent of the participants had done their exercises 100 per cent of the time, which is rare. “Typically, only about 20 per cent of patients do that,” she says.

Mobili-T became available in the United States in September 2020.

Because Canada has a different regulatory structure, the device isn’t yet on the market here. Rieger says a larger, Alberta-wide clinical trial is in the works, but the pandemic has pushed back the start date.

Although Mobili-T was designed for head and neck cancer patients, Rieger is optimistic that it can improve the quality of life for elderly dysphagia patients, people who have had strokes, and those with Parkinson’s disease, ALS, MS and brain injury.

While waiting for the Alberta trial to get underway, Rieger and her team at True Angle, the company she formed with Constantinescu and biomedical engineer Dylan Scott, continue to improve the Mobili-T software. They are looking forward to collecting data from users in the United States: the more information they have, she says, the better the device will be.

“It will change the way we understand patients who have dysphagia and how exercise helps them. That is really exciting for us — it’s the most exciting thing about this.” LEAP 28 LEAP SPRING 2021

“IT WILL CHANGE THE WAY W E U N D E R S TA N D PAT I E N T S W H O H AV E DY S P H AG I A A N D H OW EXERCISE HELPS THEM.” — D R. JA N A R I E G E R

HAVE BIKE, WILL RIDE The 2020 Enbridge Ride to Conquer Cancer may have gone virtual, but hundreds of people from across the province still rose to the challenge to raise funds for Albertans facing cancer. Here, from solo rides to family cycles, we share images of some of the inspiring moments and memories from the 2020 Virtual Ride.

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1. Tracy Gibson from Edmonton rides to honour her sister.

2. Jaqueline Pina Mendez from Sherwood Park rides for hope.

3. The 2020 event was Calgarian Adriana Aranguren’s first Ride.

4. Veenu Narula rode with his extended family in Calgary.

5. Edmontonian James Anderson rides to raise awareness.

6. John Kyle from Calgary celebrated his seventh year riding.

7. The 2020 event was Calgarian Ron Maltman’s sixth Ride.

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8. Calgarian Kent Peters cycled a 120 km loop around the city.

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IN OUR ONGOING PHOTO SERIES, WE CAPTURE THE BRAVERY, STRENGTH, HONESTY, HOPE AND RESILIENCE OF ALBERTANS LIVING WITH CANCER

PHOTO JARED SYCH

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LIVING WITH CANCER

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RANDY THOMPSON As told to NATHAN KUNZ

Shortly after Randy Thompson was diagnosed with stage 4 rectal and liver cancer in March 2020, he made a list of all the things that brought him joy, along with all the things that made him upset.

The 55-year-old Calgarian realized he couldn’t change what was happening to him physically, but he could manage what was happening mentally. This practice included focusing on hope and visualizing himself being well again.

Thompson, a social worker by trade, says his experiences with mental health care have helped guide his cancer journey so far, and sharing his story has offered him a chance to practice openness and positivity in a meaningful way.

IN HIS OWN WORDS:

“I felt like I really needed to focus on my treatment and on staying positive — purge my life of anything negative, which includes people, situations and all the things that I can control.

“I’ve worked in mental health for 30 years. I know that giving back does a lot for people and certainly volunteering does a lot for me. I work in suicide prevention, so I felt that there’s a way I could combine both suicide prevention with a terminal illness diagnosis and find opportunities to speak to it to give others hope, which in turn gives me hope.

“I use social media as an outlet, and I’ve been able to also speak many times. I’ve done a number of interviews as well for magazines, for websites, etc. People now seem to be reaching out to me, and it is doing tons for my own recovery.

“What I did was I made that conscious decision around becoming an ambassador of hope, purging the negative and finding ways to sustain myself.

“For me it’s all about my family, and the dedication and support they’ve shown me. They’ve been just amazing through this. My family is really enough to sustain me for life.” LEAP After speaking with Leap, Thompson underwent a successful double surgical extraction to remove his existing tumours at Calgary’s Foothills Medical Centre.

Today, his prognosis is good, and he’s on the path to recovery.

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by KERI SWEETMAN photography AARON PEDERSEN

DR. JOHN LEWIS IS LEADING MULTIPLE CLINICAL TRIALS THAT PROMISE GAME-CHANGING TREATMENT OPTIONS FOR CANCER PATIENTS DR. JOHN LEWIS IS THE DEFINITION OF A MULTI-TASKER.

Lewis holds the Alberta Cancer Foundation Frank and Carla Sojonky Chair in Prostate Cancer Research at the University of Alberta and he leads the Alberta Prostate Cancer Research Initiative, a province-wide research program. He’s overseeing two major clinical studies in 2021 — one assessing a promising prostate cancer diagnostic test and the other involving an exciting gene-based cancer therapy.

Outside of the U of A, Lewis is founder, CEO or chief scientific officer of six spin-off companies — yes, six — based in Edmonton, Seattle and San Diego, developing treatments for cancer, infectious diseases and age-related diseases. He’s also at the forefront of pandemic research: his biotechnology company, Entos Pharmaceuticals, is currently doing human trials on a DNA-based vaccine for COVID-19. Working with an international multi-disciplinary team, including Entos Pharmaceuticals, the Lewis lab has been awarded $4.225 million from Canadian Institutes of Health Research to bring a COVID-19 vaccine to phase 1 clinical trials. >

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6 QUESTIONS WITH DR. JOHN LEWIS 1. Describe what you do in 10 words or less.

We bring innovative technologies from the laboratory to benefit patients.

2. What’s the biggest misperception about what you do?

The speed at which we can move. Even for a monumental academic discovery to make it into clinical practice, it takes an average of 12 years.

3. Where do you get your best ideas?

My wife deserves a shoutout. We discuss everything and she has some fantastic ideas. And my kids, too.

(Lewis and his wife have four.)

4. If you weren’t a scientist, what would you be?

A barista. I love coffee and we have tons of coffee machines everywhere.

5. What motivates you?

Taking the amazing technology we have in the lab and using it to help people.

6. Why does your research matter?

We can impact Albertans’ everyday lives and make them healthier and happier.

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HOW DOES HE SLEEP AT NIGHT?

“There’s a lot going on,” he admits. “[But] I have a very big and very capable team.”

Lewis has almost 100 scientists, trainees and staff working in Edmonton in his lab and on related projects.

Lewis grew up in Owen Sound, Ont., and did his undergraduate degree in genetics at the University of Western Ontario in London. After graduation, he spent four years working as an income tax consultant before moving to B.C. to attend the University of Victoria to pursue a PhD in biochemistry and microbiology. He finished his doctorate in 2003. Next, he went to the Scripps Research Institute in San Diego for two years of post-doctoral studies in nanotechnology and imaging.

After spending time in Halifax while his wife, Natalie, attended medical school, Lewis was recruited to his alma mater, the University of Western Ontario, where he spent five years as chair in prostate cancer research. The U of A came calling in 2011 with an opportunity to chair its prostate cancer research program. The chair position came with generous resources to fund a laboratory, but the opportunity to build a province-wide prostate cancer network and research program was the deciding factor for Lewis “We’ve been able to create a cohort that wouldn’t be possible anywhere else,” he says. “It was an ambitious plan, and we couldn’t have made it a reality without the support of the Alberta Cancer Foundation.”

Since 2012, the principal goal of Lewis’s laboratory has been to develop therapeutics that block the spread, or metastasis, of cancer. The stakes are high because metastasis kills 90 per cent of cancer patients. Using advanced imaging techniques, the team has discovered more than two dozen genes involved in cancer cell metastasis.

This year, using gene therapy developed in the lab with Alberta Cancer Foundation funding, Lewis is overseeing a phase 1 clinical trial at the Cross Cancer Institute involving patients with advanced or metastatic prostate, colorectal, lung and pancreatic cancers. Lewis says this will be the first time anywhere that this type of gene therapy is being used in cancer treatment. Put simply, the goal is to use a genetic software program 34 LEAP SPRING 2021

that targets every cell in the body, including cancer cells, and tells the cancer cells to die off (a process called apoptosis). The hope is that the gene therapy treatment will reduce or eliminate patients’ disease, while avoiding most side-effects.

If the treatment works as well on humans as it did in the lab, phase 2 and 3 trials will follow. Lewis hopes the therapy might be approved for general use within five years.

That isn’t the only cancer clinical trial on his plate this year. Lewis’s lab has also developed a more accurate blood test that can be used as a second-step diagnostic tool for prostate cancer, the most commonly diagnosed form of cancer in men. Standard prostate cancer screening involves a PSA (prostate-specific antigen) test, but it is unreliable and results in many men undergoing unnecessary biopsies.

Using samples from the Alberta Prostate Cancer Repository (a biolab storing blood, urine and semen from more than 4,500 prostate cancer patients), Lewis’s team used the new test as a follow-up diagnostic tool for patients who had received a positive PSA test. They found that the new test could reduce 40 per cent of unnecessary biopsies.

Fewer biopsies would also save the Alberta health-care system about $4 million a year.

The clinical trial will involve almost 3,000 patients from Alberta, the Yukon, Florida, Texas and other North American sites,

including the renowned Johns Hopkins University in Maryland. The team hopes it will answer the question, “If we use this test on top of the PSA test, how many biopsies can we avoid?”

Lewis is optimistic the new test will soon become a standard screening tool. “By the end of next year, we could be doing thousands of these tests in doctors’ offices.”

Thanks to events from across the province, including the Cross Cancer Institute Golf Classic, as well as support from thousands of donors and loyal stakeholders such as the Bird Dogs and Sojonky family, an incredible $13 million has been raised for prostate cancer research in Alberta.

Lewis’s ability to successfully lead multiple teams is part of why he’s a research rockstar, says his colleague Catalina Vasquez, COO of Nanostics, Inc., a biotechnology company that Lewis founded.

“He has an ability to form teams with diverse skills and backgrounds to accomplish innovative projects that aim to improve the health of humankind, and he trusts and empowers these teams, so we are at the heart of the project,” says Vasquez.

Optimism pervades all his research ventures, including his team’s DNA-based COVID vaccine. “It’s absolutely well within human beings’ ability to solve these things,” Lewis says. “It’s just a matter of a ton of hard work and investment to get there.” LEAP

MY LEAP

TEAM VERMILION CONSISTS OF PAST AND PRESENT VERMILION LOCALS

The Community Connection Team Vermilion shares what inspires them to keep riding

by ALICIA CHANTAL

THE ENBRIDGE RIDE TO CONQUER CANCER MAY HAVE LOOKED

different in 2020, but one team’s commitment to raising money for cancer treatment, research and care was unchanged.

The Ride has been the Alberta Cancer Foundation’s largest annual fundraising event where thousands of participants take part in the endurance cycling event.

In the face of COVID-19, the 2020 Ride was held virtually, and participants were invited to choose their own fundraising and distance goals.

Team Vermilion, named for the small Alberta town of Vermilion, rode a modified 100-kilometre route around the community. The group consists of past and present Vermilion locals including team captain Darren Bratrud, Dean A. Barr, Craig Brown, Terry Duncan, Scott Webb and Joe Zeller. In spite of the challenge of not being able to hold community fundraisers, like barbecues and pizza nights, because of health and safety precautions due to the pandemic, Team Vermilion raised over $32,000 for the 2020 event.

The team credits its close-knit community as an advantage in achieving that level of support during challenging times.

“Our team has a network throughout our community. [We’re] long-term members and I think [that] is what drives it,” says team member Craig Brown, who has good friends with family members who have undergone cancer treatment. “People know us and know people going through [cancer] and want to support the cause.

It’s personal.”

The team members also committed to donating their own money to the Ride as part of their 2020 fundraising efforts. “As a team, all of us agreed we should make a [personal] donation,” Brown explains. “We felt if [we’re] out there fundraising it’s important to be able to say [we] actually donated, too.”

That personal connection to cancer is what inspired team captain and founder Darren Bratrud to first participate in the 2018 Ride. He was motivated after losing several loved ones to cancer, including a friend who had been undergoing treatment when Bratrud first signed up for the event.

“I honestly believed that maybe he’d be at the finish line,” he says, “[but it] didn’t work out that way.”

In 2019, Bratrud recruited several of his friends to join the cause and Team Vermilion was born. That first year, the team raised around $52,000 to support Albertans facing cancer.

When it comes to clocking the endurance distance the Ride requires, the team finds inspiration on the trail itself when riding alongside participants with yellow flags, a signal the rider has cancer or is a survivor.

“You’re sweating it out up a hill, and you see a yellow flag and you think, ‘This isn’t so bad. I can do this,’” says Brown.

As for tips for new riders, the team believes that anyone who is thinking of participating will find inspiration and motivation simply by being part of such an important cause. That, in combination with a little practice, will help them go far.

“You really feel like you’re part of something and doing your little bit to help,” says Brown. LEAP myleapmagazine.ca SPRING 2021 LEAP 35

AS A SOCIAL WORKER WITH CANCER CARE ALBERTA, TRICIA HUTCHISON PROVIDES SUPPORT TO PATIENTS ACROSS THE PROVINCE

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TRUE CALLING

COMPASSION AT THE FOREFRONT Throughout her career, Cancer Care Alberta social worker TRICIA HUTCHISON has emphasized meaningful connection, whether with patients, colleagues or the rural and remote communities she serves

by NATHAN KUNZ photography PAUL SWANSON

T

RICIA HUTCHISON’S DRIVING

principles of compassion and care predate her career in oncology. Today, Hutchison provides support to Albertans throughout rural and remote areas of the province as a social worker with Cancer Care Alberta.

However, her initial connection to the work began close to home.

Hutchison was raised in Drumheller, Alta., where her mother worked in an administrative role for social services. Her father volunteered in addiction recovery programs and helped establish Drumheller’s Grace House, a facility that opened in 1990 and offers residential drug and alcohol programs. At home, the family took in foster children and, at one point, housed a Cambodian refugee. Hutchison recalls a family friend on her way to becoming a social worker discussing her education as an early spark in potentially pursuing a career in the field herself.

“I grew up believing that when there are other people out there that need help, you do what you can to offer support,”

says Hutchison. “Sometimes, people just need that kindness and that outreach.”

Despite the early draw of social work, Hutchison first pursued a career as a dental assistant. While she enjoyed helping people, she felt a lack of deeper connection with patients — conversations proved difficult, she says with a laugh, when patients couldn’t converse during their visits.

Deciding to pivot, Hutchison completed a diploma in social work at Mount Royal College (now Mount Royal University) before graduating with a bachelor of social work from the University of Calgary in 1993.

Following graduation, she returned to her hometown, headed to what was then the Drumheller Hospital, and asked to pioneer a social work position — a job that previously didn’t exist at the hospital. Inspired by a knowledgeable social worker mentor and a positive experience on a surgical unit during her practicum at Calgary’s Rockyview General Hospital, she was determined to add another dimension of care to what was offered in her community.

“They took me up on it, and the rest is history,” says Hutchison. “I’ve worked for health services for 28 years.”

SUPPORT ACROSS HEALTH CARE As the sole social worker at the hospital, Hutchison provided support through resource and emotional counselling across departments, from connecting with those experiencing child loss and being at the bedside of dying patients to helping patients navigate health systems. Hutchison also discovered a passion for palliative care during that period, and her experiences in bringing support to patients and families during difficult times stand out as profound memories of her early work.

While alone in title, Hutchison says collaborating with doctors, nurses and other hospital staff created an environment of support within which she was able to grow.

In 2007, Hutchison and her family moved to Red Deer when her husband, Kelly, was transferred there for work.

Hutchison decided to pursue a master of social work from the University of Calgary > myleapmagazine.ca SPRING 2021 LEAP 37

through a two-year distance program.

During her degree, she completed a practicum with the then-Alberta Cancer Board. Working with supervisor Vivian Collacutt, a mentor of Hutchison’s who would later serve as her manager, she helped create networks of health-care professionals and resources across community cancer centres to enhance care closer to home.

After graduating from the master’s program in 2010, she was hired into a provincial coordinator position, which evolved into the role she holds today with Alberta’s community cancer centres.

“It felt very positive to me to be able to provide something that would help alleviate some stress for patients,” says Hutchison of the early draw to oncology. “[Through support], they can focus on their treatment, their recovery and time with their family and friends.”

A NETWORK OF SUPPORT Today, Hutchison’s day-to-day involves connection in all facets. Operating out of the Central Alberta Cancer Centre in Red Deer, she belongs to a team of cancer care social workers that offer services across the province. Hutchison provides support for the eight community cancer centres and surrounding areas between the Red Deer, Northwest Territories, British Columbia and Saskatchewan borders.

The role includes practical support, such as helping patients address issues like financial stress and advocacy, as well as connecting patients to community resources and providing emotional support, offered through direct counselling to patients and families. She lists her current supervisor, Dr. Jill Turner, the supportive

care lead north for Cancer Care Alberta, as a modern mentor, offering a unique outlook on care through her perspective as a psychologist.

Hutchison says collaboration has been essential to her success in the role.

“I really think that the collaborative and patient-centred approach has just made a huge difference. Working closely with psychosocial colleagues, navigation/nursing, admin, the Alberta Cancer Foundation, physicians and allied health colleagues across the province is vital to the success of working with patients in their cancer experience,” she says.

Over the past decade, Hutchison has worked closely with the Alberta Cancer Foundation. Through assisting with the administration and implementation of the Patient Financial Assistance Program (PFAP), Hutchison helps Albertan cancer patients who qualify access funds for their daily needs outside treatment, such as transport, medication, accommodation and more. She has also helped facilitate the Emergency Voucher Program, which provides vouchers for immediate needs like gas or groceries to help ease the financial strain so patients and their families can access care.

Elsewhere with the Foundation, Hutchison has chaired the Dr. Solomon Levin Memorial Award, which bestows annual funding for further oncology education to cancer care staff. Her position allows her to continue working with regional and community cancer centres supporting communities of practice where she meets with health-care staff and community stakeholders to identify goals, build on strengths and address needs identified in

the community to build local capacity.

Alberta Cancer Foundation’s chief operating officer Theresa Radwell has worked with Hutchison for several years, most closely in connection to PFAP. Radwell says the first-hand experience Hutchison brings to the Foundation is invaluable in offering better help to patients.

“She cares deeply about the people she sees and often works tirelessly as an advocate to get the support needed for the patients,” says Radwell. “With Tricia’s advocacy, the Foundation is able to make sure that [the PFAP] truly can support all Albertans.”

CARE AND COLLABORATION In all facets of her life, Hutchison says practicing care and compassion is a guiding principle she abides by.

Outside of work, she says she strives to follow the same advice she offers to patients on tough days — try to find the positive, confide in someone you trust and find comfort in doing things that bring you joy. As a mother of two sons, Luc and Tommy, and a daughter, Alex, she says finding time to spend with family is also a priority.

Through collaboration, care and the expertise she’s gathered over nearly 30 years in health care, Hutchison’s commitment to offering support has driven the province-wide difference she’s made.

“I think that’s just what we do as humans as we find our place in the world — we do our best to help out people. Not just because it might be us one day, but because it’s the right thing to do,” says Hutchison.

“It’s what makes the world a kinder, gentler place.” LEAP

TRICIA HUTCHISON’S CAREER HIGHLIGHTS (1994-2007; 2016-2020) Development of palliative care programs (Health Authority 5, ‘94-’07) and providing education for palliative care volunteer programs (Red Deer Regional Health Complex ‘16-’20)

38 LEAP SPRING 2021

2010-present Cancer Care Alberta social work liaison work with the Alberta Cancer Foundation regarding PFAP and Emergency Voucher Program

2012-present Project Coordinator and continued work with communities of practice to help meet the needs of Albertans with cancer closer to home

2017 Received the AHS Spirit Award of Excellence for Outstanding Achievement for Innovation for work in communities of practice

IMPACT

ARTIST RAHMAAN HAMEED IN HIS STUDIO IN EDMONTON

Celebrating Heroes Artist Rahmaan Hameed reflects on his late father and what inspires him to give back as told to COLIN GALLANT

In 2012, Rahmaan Hameed was 20 and close to graduating from the University of Alberta with a bachelor’s degree in psychology when doctors found a tumour in his father’s brain.

His dad, Badar Hameed, lived for 18 more months, and the grace he carried through his cancer journey left a lifelong impression on Rahmaan. Badar’s commitment to his family and his work inspired Rahmaan to pursue his passion for art.

Today, Rahmaan splits his time as a personal banker and successful artist. Recently, he created a piece called Chadwick Forever. The painting depicts actor Chadwick Boseman in costume as Marvel superhero Black Panther, the name of the film in which he starred. Boseman passed away from cancer in 2020, but his resilience in the face of the disease reminded Rahmaan of his dad.

Chadwick Forever sold for $3,500 within minutes of being posted on Rahmaan’s website. He donated half of those proceeds to the Alberta Cancer Foundation in support of the Cross Cancer Institute, where Badar received treatment.

Here, Rahmaan reflects on his father’s cancer journey and what inspires his art.

“It was in late 2011 or early 2012 when [my father] was first diagnosed. That day was the first-ever experience with any kind of tumour or cancer type for our immediate family. Somehow, someway, it propagated and became lung cancer. He was told he only had six months, but he pulled out a year and a half. The treatment he received at the Cross Cancer Institute was absolutely incredible. It was a very supportive environment, and that’s all you can hope for.

“With my dad, if you met him on the street you wouldn’t be able to tell he had cancer. He kept his weight, he was still eating and doing whatever he wanted to. He had more energy than our entire family combined. He kept telling us: ‘I’m going to live my life the way I’m going to live it.’ And that’s exactly what he did — he worked until his very last day.

“I thought ‘If he can do this, if he can fight this and still be himself, with honour and nobility, then I can do that with anything.’ That’s what really pushed me to focus on my art.

“When I heard that Chadwick Boseman died of cancer, I thought, ‘Really? Was it stage 4? What kind of cancer did he have?’ He had just done Black Panther, Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: End Game — [was it] all while battling cancer? As soon as I read the story, I’m like, ‘This reminds me exactly of my dad.’ The day I found out that he passed away, I thought, ‘I have to do a painting.’

“I had no idea where the painting was going, but it all came together perfectly. The chaos in the background didn’t take away from the beauty of the foreground.

Similarly, the chaos of cancer didn’t take away from the beauty of his craft or what he was able to give to his fans. I realized that I had to do something meaningful with it. I read more about his story and how he lived his life, and I was like, ‘That’s exactly how my dad did it.’ I decided to donate half the proceeds to the Cross because of everything they did for my dad. It just felt right.” LEAP Prints of Chadwick Forever continue to be sold in support of the Cross Cancer Institute, and you can find them at rahmaanhameedstudios.com

PHOTO BLUEFISH STUDIOS

myleapmagazine.ca SPRING 2021 LEAP 39

WHY I DONATE

Championing Patient Care As a member of the Alberta Cancer Foundation’s Board of Trustees, GELAINE PEARMAN is passionate about giving back by DIANE BOLT

PHOTO JARED SYCH

40 LEAP SPRING 2021

FOR GELAINE PEARMAN, DONATING HER

time and money to causes close to her heart, including supporting cancer patients, feels like a meaningful and practical way to give back.

Pearman’s connection to cancer is personal. Her parents both passed away from the disease when she was in her early twenties, leaving her and her four siblings to care for each other. Her husband, Cam, is currently receiving treatment for colorectal cancer, and Pearman was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2007. At the time, she was given around a 55 per cent chance of surviving beyond five years.

Fortunately, she is defying the odds, and then some.

Over the years, Pearman has been actively involved with several not-for-profit boards in Calgary. She served as chair of the Breast Cancer Supportive Care Foundation for three years, an organization providing leadership in developing and delivering supportive care to people diagnosed with breast cancer. And, in 2016, Pearman was appointed to the Alberta Cancer Foundation Board of Trustees.

“I believe in being involved and active in my community. I’ve had lots of cancer in my world, so I have seen the dramatic difference in cancer care now, compared to when my parents went through it,” she says. “We’ve advanced through research and also by listening to the patients’ needs — we have a fantastic cancer-care system in Alberta.”

Pearman knows first-hand that a cancer diagnosis can be a stressful time from both a financial and emotional standpoint.

She recalls feeling alone as her family navigated her parents’ cancer diagnosis but is inspired by the advancements and level of support available to patients and their families today.

“The Patient Financial Assistance Program came from the grassroots level; from hearing the needs of the patients and their families, saying, ‘I’m struggling to put food on the table and to make it to my appointments.’ But there are also programs to help with psychosocial support for patients and their families, too,

“BIG OR SMALL, WHATEVER PEOPLE CAN AFFORD, WHETHER THAT IS TIME, MONEY OR BOTH, IT MAKES A BIG IMPACT.” — GELAINE PEARMAN

and that is hugely impactful because if the patient passes on, it’s the family that’s left behind,” she says.

Pearman holds a master’s degree in healthcare management from the University of Toronto and a BSc nursing degree from the University of Calgary. She has worked as a critical care emergency trauma nurse and in hospital management, so she brings a unique perspective to her role as Foundation Trustee.

“I understand how complex and diverse the health-care system is,” she says. “[We] need to be a close partner with Cancer Care Alberta, as they are responsible for delivering cancer care to Albertans, but at the heart of it all is the patient and their families, so there’s a lot on the line.”

Over the years, Pearman has donated to and supported many initiatives and community events, including the Enbridge Ride to Conquer Cancer, an annual summer cycling event in support of the Alberta

Cancer Foundation that raises funds for cancer research, treatment and care.

Most recently, Pearman has contributed to a matching gift as part of the Foundation’s 2020 end-of-year campaign. Her funds have been put towards a range of investments from supporting emerging priorities to rural cancer centres throughout Alberta.

“We want to ensure that we have representation from rural and smaller centres, not just Edmonton and Calgary, so we are truly a provincial organization,” says Pearman.

While some donors direct their funds to specific programs, research, clinical trials or treatments, Pearman provides support to wherever the need is greatest, giving the Foundation the flexibility to invest money where it is needed most.

“Big or small, whatever people can afford, whether that is time, money or both, it makes a big impact. The innovations and research [projects] are so inspiring. It just gives me hope.” LEAP myleapmagazine.ca SPRING 2021 LEAP 41

GAME CHANGER

ENMAX’S REWIND AND BE KIND DRIVE-IN EVENT FEATURED RETRO MOVIES ON THE BIG SCREEN

Movies for a Cause ENMAX and the Alberta Cancer Foundation partner to raise funds for Albertans facing cancer

by DIANE BOLT

ENMAX HAS A LONG HISTORY OF GIVING BACK TO ITS COMMUNITIES.

Last year, the Alberta-wide power utility, which is headquartered in Calgary, contributed over $1.2 million to local agencies and took active steps to support its customers and the community in response to COVID-19.

This past summer, the Calgary Stampede, a long-term partner of ENMAX, introduced it to the Alberta Cancer Foundation. The Foundation was exploring the possibility of hosting a movie event called Albertans Helping Albertans Drive-in for Charity at the Stampede grounds to safely engage with the community during COVID-19 and raise funds and awareness for Albertans facing cancer. At the same time, ENMAX was exploring options with the Calgary Stampede as a potential venue for an employee event and saw an opportunity for the events to align.

“Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, our traditional employee events pivoted in 2020 to a virtual format. This event enabled us to safely bring employees together for the first in-person event of the year,” says Kara Kingston, director of Brand and External Relations at ENMAX. “It was a chance for us to celebrate all the hard work our team has been doing in providing an essential service during challenging times, and to also recognize the family and friends who support them — all while enjoying classic movies and contributing to a great cause.”

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In the final week of the event, ENMAX partnered with the Foundation and used the venue to host four movie nights for its employees. ENMAX saw this partnership as an opportunity to support the community, while also celebrating its team.

ENMAX’s Rewind and Be Kind Drive-in event, named as a nod to the retro-theme of the films and good cause, hosted a total of 230 vehicles on the Stampede Infield from Sept. 17 to 20. The retro movies were a big hit with employees; some even kitted out the backs of their trucks with mattresses and tucked into candy and popcorn while watching family favourites such as the 1980s classic E.T. Since this was the first in-person employee event ENMAX had organized during COVID-19, and the first drive-in style event, a lot of care and detail went into the planning process to ensure a safe and seamless experience for everyone who attended.

“It’s so important right now to continue to find ways to connect, safely, with family and friends, and ENMAX was proud to partner with the Alberta Cancer Foundation to create an opportunity for people to come together while raising money for a very worthy cause,” says Kingston.

In total, through sponsorship and ticket sales, ENMAX’s Rewind and Be Kind Drive-in raised $20,000 for the Foundation. Proceeds were directed towards the Albertans helping Albertans fund, which supports priority projects such as the Patient Financial Assistance Program, an initiative that helps Albertans in need who are undergoing treatment.

“While in many ways the world is on pause, we know that the needs of our community are not, and we’re committed to continuing to support our communities going forward,” says Kingston. “The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us the importance of in-person interaction, and ENMAX was grateful for this unique and safe opportunity to bring our team members and their families together — from a safe distance — while raising awareness and funds for the Foundation.” LEAP