QEII Times - Fall 2022

‘Leading the nation in surgical robotics’

How the QEII is making history with Canada’s first spinal robot for patient care

By Nicole Topple

This past July, healthcare history was made as the QEII Health Sciences Centre became the first Canadian hospital to perform a patient procedure using the MAZOR X spinal robot. This first-in-Canada procedure was performed by Dr. Sean Christie, QEII neurosurgeon, solidifying the QEII’s place as a national leader in spinal surgery and robotics.

But for the patients who are directly benefitting from this advanced technology, this innovative milestone is also life-changing — providing access to some of the country’s most personalized surgical care.

No longer a futuristic notion, robotics is rapidly transforming the delivery of health care around the world; the QEII is no exception. This summer, the MAZOR X became the fourth surgical robot to call the QEII home.

This cutting-edge technology combines an innovative robotic arm with an advanced surgical navigation system to facilitate some of the most precise, personalized surgeries possible.

The QEII Foundation is on a mission to raise $3 million to fully fund the robot and contribute to the accompanying research and evaluation. It’s a prime example of the QEII Foundation’s $100-million We Are campaign at work, which aims to revolutionize health care in our region through philanthropy.

The QEII’s new MAZOR X spinal robot uses 3D cameras to develop a 3D simulation of the robotic procedure, which can be planned and visualized prior to the actual surgery or in real-time in the OR. This planning allows the surgeon to completely tailor the procedure to the patient and, in some cases, operate in smaller,

more precise areas of the spine.

“When it comes to the spine and spinal cord, millimetres can literally mean the difference between someone walking and someone bedridden,” says Dr. David Clarke, head of QEII neurosurgery. “What the robot gives us is solid guidance that we’re not half a degree off. That precision is unmatched.”

It’s one of the many benefits echoed by Dr. Christie, who’s thrilled that the QEII’s spine program can begin introducing robotic-assisted procedures to select spinal patients.

“This increased precision can result in shorter hospital stays, less impact on healthy tissues, quicker recoveries and less pain — all of which can have an immeasurable impact on the patient,” says Dr. Christie.

He adds that early data in the U.S. suggest there’s a significant reduction in the number of patients who, long-term, require a revision or second surgery following their robotic-assisted procedure.

“Not only is this a huge advantage to the patient, but it will improve waitlists and the healthcare system in general,” he says.

This leading-edge technology, which is controlled and guided by the surgeon at all times, holds significant promise for transforming spinal surgery.

“In the last two decades, there has been a number of pivotal advances that really changed the way we practice, and this is definitely the most significant of those,” says Dr. Christie. “This milestone is really just the beginning of what’s possible, and it’s exciting to be on the leading edge of that.”

Being the first Canadian centre to use the MAZOR X spinal

This increased precision can result in shorter hospital stays, less impact on healthy tissues, quicker recoveries and less pain — all of which can have an immeasurable impact on the patient.

– Dr. Sean Christie

robot for patient care ignites opportunities to lead best-in-class research.

Through a collaborative research program and with Nova Scotia Health’s Innovation Hub at the helm, QEII teams will assess the feasibility, efficacy and safety of robotics in Canadian spinal surgery. At its heart, the initiative will explore the role robotics can play in improving health outcomes for Nova Scotians and, ultimately, patients from coast to coast.

“Our teams will be part of world-leading research that’s happening in collaboration with industry partners and other Canadian centres,” says Dr. Clarke.

For Dr. Gail Tomblin Murphy, vice president of Research, Innovation and Discovery with Nova Scotia Health, it’s one of many examples of how the QEII and Nova Scotia Health are setting standards and benchmarks for our province, as well as globally.

“Bringing this technology to the QEII, before anywhere else in the country, is enabling Nova

Scotians to receive the most innovative surgical care,” says Dr. Tomblin Murphy. “Nova Scotia Health is leading the nation in surgical robotics, and the addition of the MAZOR X is just the beginning of what we envision for this program.”

According to Dr. Clarke, being involved in the development, innovation and research of this technology not only elevates the care the QEII is able to offer but also “helps us to attract and retain the best surgeons, teams and trainees to our province.”

It’s why he feels the $3-million initiative will resonate with potential donors.

“Individuals can know with confidence that their donation will have a significant impact on the lives of patients and the evolution of spinal surgery in our region,” says Dr. Clarke.

This historic milestone and the innovations that happen next wouldn’t be possible without donor generosity.

“Their investment allows our teams to not just keep pace with the latest technology but pave the way,” says Dr. Christie. “Robotics is the wave of the future — we’re on the front of that wave.”

To learn more about the QEII’s new spinal robot or to donate today, visit QE2Foundation.ca/ spinalrobot.

Members of the QEII’s spinal program performing Canada’s first spinal robot patient procedure at the QEII Health Sciences Centre in Halifax, N.S. The QEII Foundation is actively raising funds — $3 million in total — to fully fund the robotics technology and help fuel the accompanying research and evaluation. Nova Scotia Health

A word from the QEII Foundation

A QEII Foundation publication in association with The Chronicle Herald, QEII Times is designed to shine a light on the QEII Health Sciences Centre community.

Editors

Caleb Freeman, Sarah Poko Communications, QEII Foundation Jenn Coleman-Ford Senior Graphic Designer Julia Webb

Contributors

Allison Lawlor, Brandon Young, Caleb Freeman, Fallon Bourgeois, Jason Bremner, Joey Fitzpatrick, Michele Charlton, Nicole Topple, Sarah Marshall, Sarah Poko, Susan Mullin

Photographers

Caleb Freeman, Darren Hubley, Mike Tompkins, Owen Egan, QEII Foundation, Nova Scotia Health

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QEII Foundation

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Charitable Business No: 88646 3496 RR0001

By Susan Mullin, president & CEO, QEII Foundation

Family is a theme that often surrounds a healthcare journey.

From blood-relations to chosen family, these are the people that lift patients up and are with them during their toughest times. We know a healthcare journey is not one you take alone.

This September, we celebrated one truly remarkable family who made a legacy gift to the

QEII Foundation. A gift from one family to help many, many families.

The MacDonald family came together to honour their late parents, Colin and Belle MacDonald, with a transformational $20-million gift — the largest, single donation ever received by the QEII Foundation.

From humble beginnings, Colin and Belle taught their seven children the importance of giving back and caring for each other and for the community. A family motto that is often spoken is that one’s true wealth is family and that family is everything.

The MacDonald family gift will help transform cancer care at the QEII Health Sciences Centre. It will be the catalyst for enabling future innovation and discovery opportunities to happen sooner for cancer care. These developments will help contribute to delivering care differently, improving access and patient outcomes, reducing wait times, and attracting and retaining the brightest minds in medicine.

The family is also supporting advanced cancer care technology, such as personalized radiotherapy, a world’s first cancer-fighting technology being developed at the QEII.

In honour of their late parents, Colin and Belle MacDonald, the MacDonald family’s tribute gift will name the new cancer care centre being developed as part of QEII New Generation.

Accessory to kindness

With a vision of integrated, advanced care delivered in a supportive, healing environment, the new cancer centre will be a beacon of hope for patients and families and exemplify the commitment to deliver compassionate, innovative health care. The MacDonald family shares a similar commitment, as healthcare connections run deep in their family.

The matriarch of the family, Belle, was head nurse for many years at the former Halifax Infirmary hospital. Her strength, perseverance, and giving nature was instilled in the seven MacDonald children, who are proud to honour both of their parents with this gift.

Family and steadfast commitment was also on our minds this fall, with the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. The QEII Health Sciences Centre was named after Her Majesty during her three-day Royal Tour of Nova Scotia in 1994.

As I reflect on her decades of commitment to service, I take inspiration for our work and for connecting with our community to advance care at the QEII.

Student organization leads large clothing drive to benefit Clothes City

By Brandon Young

It’s no secret — when you look good, you feel good.

Regardless of what we’re going through, moving through life with a little style can make a world of difference in our confidence and overall mood. Realizing this simple but powerful truth, a group of Dalhousie Medical School students recently organized a clothing drive in support of Clothes City at the QEII Health Sciences Centre during a challenging period for the service.

Led by Romy Segall and Kaylee

Jabbour, founding members of the new Dalhousie University chapter of the Federation of Medical Women in Canada (FMWC), the group capitalized on the spring-cleaning season by soliciting clothing donations from their fellow students.

“The goal of FMWC is to connect female physicians and advocate for women’s health and other important health issues locally, while collaborating with the national organization,” says Romy, a third-year medical student. “We decided to go

ahead with the clothing drive for Clothes City as one of our first initiatives.”

Clothes City assists patients who arrive at the QEII with limited access to clothing or who arrive unexpectedly. Located at the QEII’s Abbie J. Lane building, Clothes City’s headquarters is familiar to medical students completing their clinical placements at the facility, so the prospect of helping came naturally.

“People were really excited to give back. It’s important to

help our patients from a social perspective in addition to the medical care we are part of providing,” says Romy. “We definitely see the difference it makes for patients — it’s nice to be a part of that.”

The drive collected donations from June until the end of August and was certainly appreciated by Clothes City, which, like many charitable efforts, was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“As soon as COVID started, there were a lot more restrictions

Jeff Cooke / Cooked Photography

Kindness

Continued from Page 2

on the hospital,” says Jennifer Barnes, Nova Scotia Health occupational therapist and Clothes City volunteer coordinator. “We were limited for a while with donations because we weren’t sure, in terms of restrictions, if we could take clothing.”

With spring bringing about more pandemic freedoms, FMWC took advantage of the moment to execute its clothing drive, which paid off.

“It’s had a huge impact on us, and it was great the students were able to think of our patients here in the hospital — it really made a big difference for all of them,” says Jennifer. “It’s nice to see people in the community pulling together and helping out Clothes City.”

Jennifer is grateful to the students for their action, noting the smiles she sees every day are the greatest accessories to the donated apparel.

“Sometimes, we’ll take our patients to pick out some things, and you can see it on their face — it helps with their confidence to have nice, clean clothing. It has a big impact on many patients,” she says.

While the clothing drive was a benefit for QEII patients, for volunteers of the initiative, it provided joy — offering an opportunity to reconnect with the community after years of isolation.

“It was fun to work with our peers again to support an important initiative,” says Romy. “The best part is seeing the results. Often, you don’t get to see the results immediately but Clothes City is something that we see benefiting our patients every

day, and we know is meaningful.”

“We’re very grateful to the QEII for opening their doors and letting us take part,” adds Romy. “We hope to continue this in future years — maybe have it as an annual event — and get involved with other initiatives they have.”

Although the student-led drive is over for this year, Clothes City always welcomes all donations of gently used, odour-free, clean clothing from the greater community — any individual or group can donate. Jennifer says the service usually needs casual sneakers and casual clothing (particularly men’s), which can be dropped off at the small donation box at the front door of the QEII’s Abbie J. Lane building.

“It’s a very worthwhile cause,” says Jennifer. “There’s a lot of people that could benefit from the clothing, especially during COVID times, and it’s rewarding to help people in the community.”

Meanwhile, with even more acts of community giving in the works, Romy and FMWC are grateful to all who participated in the organization’s latest benevolent endeavour.

“I am thankful to all the people who donated and took the time to bring their stuff during summer vacation — thank you so much for being so generous; all the time and effort you’ve put in is much appreciated,” says Romy. “We’re very lucky to have such a wonderful community who loves to help and support each other.”

‘All of us have personal connections to cancer’

Local business invites community members to step up in support of cancer care

By Sarah Poko

This fall, the BMO Ride for Cancer was back and bigger than ever, with cyclists and partners of the initiative gearing up to support cancer care in our region.

Hosted by the QEII Foundation and considered the largest cycling fundraising event in Atlantic Canada, the occasion is meant for riders of all levels to connect as a community, enjoy picturesque Nova Scotian coastlines and stay active, all while contributing to a first-in-the-world cancer-fighting technology — called personalized radiotherapy — at the QEII Health Sciences Centre.

One rider who was excited to participate in this event is co-owner of Evolve Fitness, Mathew Benvie, who partnered with the QEII Foundation again this year. He recalls his mother losing her best friend to cancer and the rippling effect that grief and loss had on his family.

“All of us have personal connections to cancer in one way or another,” says Mathew. “We have many clients — or their families and friends — that have been impacted by cancer. It's something that our community connected with as well, so we got on board.”

This was Mathew’s third time

participating in the BMO Ride for Cancer, with his team being the largest to participate in terms of the number of riders for all three years. They were also the top fundraising team in 2020 and 2021.

“It’s been really cool to see people who were super nervous at first get back on a bike,” he says. “It is such a great event that aligns with helping get people active, which aligns with our own health and fitness values at Evolve.”

Although Mathew is relatively new to the BMO Ride for Cancer, giving back to the community is a trait that he wants to cultivate. His gym has organized toy drives, created health challenges with proceeds going to local charities, and hosted events for local centres and shelters in the area.

“We have a platform where people trust us,” he says. “So, I felt you can do good with that, or you can do nothing. And it’s important to us that we do as much good as we can.”

Mathew’s spirit of giving has also inspired many of his clients to participate in the event. In fact, Mathew’s generosity is one of the reasons Susan

Mullin, president and CEO at the QEII Foundation, decided to become a member of Evolve Fitness.

“When I moved to Halifax in 2020, I was looking for a new gym and went to Evolve Fitness because of their support of the BMO Ride for Cancer,” says Susan. “As I’ve gotten to know Mathew and the team, I’ve seen how much they truly care about the health of Nova Scotians, how they support local businesses and the incredible impact they have made by supporting causes like this one.”

The BMO Ride for Cancer took place on Saturday, Oct. 1. Bikers began in Bayers Lake, with designated turnaround points, pre-assigned pit stops and numerous routes ranging from 25km to 160km on the trail and road.

“As a fitness professional, I know that biking, walking, strength training and other forms of exercise reduce your overall risk of developing many long-term chronic conditions, including cancer,” says Mathew.

“By promoting physical activity and being outside, we hope to have an impact on peoples’ lives and wellbeing,” he adds.

Mathew praises the QEII Foundation

for its unwavering dedication to helping others live a healthy life, and for going above and beyond to ensure their partners, like Evolve Fitness, succeed in any way they can. He wants to encourage those who are hesitant about joining the BMO Ride for Cancer event to give it a try in 2023.

“People might feel like they can’t bike 25 kilometres but there are many ways that you can fundraise,” he says. “Getting out of your comfort zone is always good for you; you're going to meet more people that are like-minded and you're going to be in a group of incredibly supportive people.”

At the time of printing, the 2022 BMO Ride for Cancer event has raised more than $2 million (net) and counting.

While many riders will soon tuck their bikes away for the winter, Evolve Fitness continues to support healthcare professionals and the health of their community. Until Nov. 10, 2022, Nova Scotia Health employees have access to special membership promotions, both virtual and in person, including a $100 first month promotion where the full $100 is donated to BMO Ride for Cancer. Visit https://bit.ly/evolveride22 to learn more.

Hydrate. Move. Laugh. Eat well. And sleep where it suits your fancy.

Sleepfoptions rom

Romy Segall (left) and Kaylee Jabbour (right), Dalhousie Medical School students and founding members of the new Dalhousie University chapter of the Federation of Medical Women in Canada, organized a clothing drive to provide much needed clean used clothing for Clothes City at the QEII. Clothes City assists patients who arrive at the QEII with limited access to clothing or who arrive unexpectedly. Contributed

Mathew Benvie (left) and his brother, Mitch (right), co-founders of Evolve Fitness, share their passion for helping others and partnered with the QEII Foundation for this year’s BMO Ride for Cancer. Contributed

To learn more about Clothes City or organize a larger donation, contact Jennifer Barnes at Jennifer.Barnes@nshealth.ca

TRANSFORMING HEALTH CARE

While COVID-19, and in particular the omicron variant, continued to present its challenges this past year, the QEII Foundation boldly stepped forward in January 2022 and formally launched our We Are campaign. It will be no small feat. A $100-million campaign — the largest healthcare fundraising campaign in our region — to tackle some of the pressures and needs facing our system.

New, advanced equipment — including world’s firsts, being led by our talented QEII teams. Technology that allows minimally-invasive surgeries, helping patients get home faster and recover with fewer side effects. Patient care support to help with the essentials needed during a healthcare journey. All woven together with research and innovation in the driver’s seat. Our donors have already responded to the call and are impacting care right now throughout the halls and care areas of the QEII.

The stories shared here are just a small glimpse of the impact made possible by QEII Foundation donors in 2021-2022, showcasing philanthropy at its best.

As we reflect on the last year, we’re grateful for our healthcare teams, who continue to show extreme perseverance and grit. Never backing down or giving up and pushing through many pandemic-induced pressures. While health care continues to experience its challenges, the stories I hear of team members stepping up and supporting each other to ensure our loved ones are taken care of, are the stories that will stick with me.

If all this can be achieved while learning to live within a pandemic environment, just think what is possible in the years to come.

Dorothy got it right when she said, ‘there is no place like home’ and I am truly grateful to each and every donor who makes health care here at home a priority. You are seen and appreciated, and you make me proud of what this province can achieve, together.

SUSAN MULLIN President & CEO, QEII Foundation

A total of 28,000 CT, ultrasound and MRI appointments were cancelled in the months after COVID-19 hit the province. Although urgent and semi-urgent appointments including cancer care were not cancelled, the wait times for scheduled scans increased. Donor support allowed appointments to be opened to patients on weekends and until 11 p.m. on weeknights, with as many as 275 patients a week now receiving their diagnostic scans.

$1.2 million committed for more appointment times and increased access.

QEII FOUNDATION 2022 COMMUNITY REPORT

$4 million raised for the Stewart E. Allen Hybrid OR

More than 200 donors came together to fund $4 million-worth of best-inclass technology within the QEII’s new Stewart E. Allen Hybrid OR. One of the most technologically advanced operating suites available today, it allows QEII surgical teams to perform diagnostic imaging, minimally-invasive procedures, and complex, open surgeries all in the same room, at the same time. By eliminating the physical divide between the OR and real-time imaging, patients will no longer need to be transferred to different floors for their imaging needs.

The first patient procedures were performed in the QEII’s Stewart E. Allen Hybrid OR in October 2022.

With $11.7 million provided to the QEII in 2021-2022, these featured stories highlight some of the advances made possible by QEII Foundation donors this past year.

Three mothers from the Muslim community were inspired to start Barho Friends to honor the Barho family by raising funds to renovate a family room in the QEII’s intermediate care unit (IMCU).

$436,054 raised by community fundraising in 2021-2022.

The QEII Patient Essentials Fund – a first-of-its-kind program developed by the QEII Foundation – is helping ease the financial burden by providing gift cards to patients for urgent, essential needs during their care journey.

$52,240 in gift cards provided to patients for gas, groceries and personal care items.

Since 2018, donors are furthering education for both current and emerging healthcare professionals through the QEII Foundation Diversity in Health Care Bursary, which has supported 97 students on their learning journey in the healthcare system.

$973,987 donated for education support in 2021-2022.

The Barho Friends organizers worked in collaboration with the Ummah Masjid and Community Centre to improve comfort for patient families.

We Are delivering impact through our donors, healthcare teams and community.

Serving our service members

Local Royal Canadian Legion branches help support veterans care at the QEII

By Caleb Freeman

For healthcare workers at the Camp Hill Veterans Memorial Building at the QEII Health Sciences Centre, providing the best care possible to residents is always front of mind.

To ensure that veterans receive the high-quality care they deserve, the team at Camp Hill works hard to maintain services while also investing in innovative new equipment and enhancements to improve residents’ quality of life. Oftentimes, these investments are possible only through the generosity of community members and organizations.

Among these donors, the Royal Canadian Legion (RCL) and its local branches have been crucial. Over the past 30 years, 81 branches of the RCL have contributed more than $370,000 to veterans’ care and services at the QEII.

Joyce Pitcher is President of RCL Branch 95 in Bedford, which has been a contributor to Camp Hill and the QEII. Joyce, who served in the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) from 1959 to 1964, explains that Legion branches are responsible for working on the ground, providing direct assistance to local veterans and liaising with community resources like Camp Hill.

“We look after our own little neighbourhood,” she says. “Our primary goal is the support and care of veterans and their families because the families are the main support for the veterans themselves.”

This support includes funding not only equipment such as patient lifts and a new bladder scanner but also recreational programming for veterans and their families, comfort items, and other integral parts of Camp Hill, like the Veterans Memorial Garden.

Since it was constructed 20 years ago, the garden has become a special part of Camp Hill, serving as a gathering place for its 175 residents and their family members.

For residents, the garden is an important contributor to mental, physical, and social well-being. It is a space for remembrance and reflection, a venue

for things like concerts and gardening activities and a monument to the contributions of service members, with a poppy fountain and a walk of honour for veterans who have passed away.

“It is a safe, outdoor sanctuary for veterans and residents to enjoy,” says Heather White, director of Camp Hill Veterans Services. “It’s a beautiful spot to be outside and enjoy all the benefits that nature brings to people. That’s been so helpful during the pandemic when outdoor activities have been safer for us to hold.”

The garden is just one of the many aspects of Camp Hill that are integral to the care and well-being of residents.

The multidisciplinary team works closely with each veteran and their family — along with volunteers and community organizations — to best support the needs of the veterans.

“It’s focused as a whole team in understanding what the veterans’ interests and goals are, and how we can best support them and their care needs,” says Heather. “We are all striving to work together to make their experience living here at Camp Hill the best that it can be, and that truly requires a team effort on multiple fronts.”

Donald Bishop and Allen Hopkins, two residents of Camp Hill, are among the veterans that the RCL has impacted through its support. Donald, who recently turned 98-years-old, joined the RCAF when he was 18, at the beginning of the Second World War. Allen, 91, joined the army at 19, during the Korean War, and served until the age of 42.

“I think it forms you when you’re at a young age,” Donald says of his time in the service. “You learn discipline — you learn that pretty quick because if you don’t, you're in trouble. It has a bearing on your life, makes you a better person and to think of others.”

For Donald, a Legion member since 1990, and Allen, a Legion member since 1985, the importance of taking care of neighbours — whether through time,

Pro-pronouns

By Brandon Young Words matter — particularly in health care.

For doctors and medical staff, knowing the proper terminology for various ailments, anatomy and equipment is an essential occupational requirement. Differentiating between osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, the spleen and the spine, and scissors and forceps can mean the world to suffering patients.

However, when identifying patients by their pronouns, gender identity and name, the correct words can often be assumed, leading to discomfort for those seeking medical services.

“Almost everybody uses pronouns,” says prideHealth coordinator Garry Dart, who identifies with he/she/they pronouns and has worked for years to reduce stigma and barriers to health care, including HIV advocacy. “Some people don’t, but most folks do, whether they realize it or not.”

In a world that increasingly embraces new and emerging identities, Garry works to improve access to safe, coordinated, comprehensive primary health care for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, and believes the health care world should follow suit.

“If a trans or gender non-conforming person is

misgendered right from admin, it’s going to bring up other times that they were treated negatively in the health system,” says Garry.

“They might not come back or have anxiety accessing health care.”

As with all change, it begins with education and awareness. In June, prideHealth began a pronoun campaign to increase 2SLGBTQIA+ clients and patients’ comfort, care and safety in healthcare settings.

Distributing nearly 140 packages throughout the QEII with colourful informational stickers and posters about pronouns — including genderneutral Mi’kmaq and French pronouns — the organization’s campaign aims to help 2SLGBTQIA+ folks feel seen, increase patient comfort in coming out to their providers and create safer spaces of belonging through inclusivity and care.

“The discussion around pronouns is about awareness, teaching and education, but it’s also about creating those spaces of belonging,” says Garry.

“When I feel like I belong in a space, I feel safe and included, like I have a voice that is going to be respected, honoured and believed.”

Having a person’s gender identity affirmed, recognized, and validated is a determining factor in patients seeking medical help

donations, or another form of generosity — was an important lesson from their days in the service.

“I realized what a diversification there is in the world,” says Allen. “Each of those points should be thought of in the sense of our neighbour.”

Robert Pitcher, the Poppy Campaign Chairperson for RCL Branch 95, says that community support is necessary for supporting Camp Hill and other veterans’ services.

The annual Poppy campaign remains one of the biggest fundraisers for the Legion and takes place in the days

leading up to Remembrance Day. Last year, the campaign raised $50,000, funding projects at Camp Hill and other community hospitals, medical centres, PTSD groups and more.

“Without people, without the community supporting us, we won’t exist,” says Robert, who served in the RCAF for 31 years. “It’s not just money — it’s talent, it’s time, it's physical labour, it’s whatever you can provide. If you can help us and you want to help us, we’re here and we’ll work with you.”

and they benefit tremendously from this inclusive campaign.

“If we start asking for used names — rather than legal names — and pronouns used by the patient from the get-go, in admin spaces through to clinical spaces, patients will realize that staff have received training and maybe feel comfortable asking about gender affirming-hormones, PrEP (PreExposure Prophylaxis for HIV prevention), and other important treatments,” says Garry.

While the campaign serves as a welcoming gesture for trans and gender non-conforming people, it also prompts doctors, nurses, and other staff to brush up on their knowledge — creating a comfortable atmosphere for colleagues and patients.

“As we normalize these conversations, it’s going to change how people access health care,” adds Garry.

Since debuting in June, prideHealth’s pronoun campaign has been nothing short of a success. In fact, the QEII, the IWK Health Centre, and hospitals beyond Halifax have approached prideHealth to ask about how they can create their own similar resources.

“I’ve been blown away by the number of people who want to learn,” says Garry. “People are getting the information; they want training, resources, posters and stickers — they’re willing to

As a small-scale organization, prideHealth’s mission wouldn’t have been possible without the support of the QEII Foundation Comfort & Care grant program.

Funded by generous donors, QEII Foundation Comfort & Care grants were established in 2005 to support healthcare projects that show a direct benefit to patients and their families but don’t typically receive funding from health centre budgets.

“When we got the funding, I was so excited because we see such a huge need,” says Garry.

“Without this grant, we would have never been able to do something like this,” he adds. “It has not only had a massive impact on the 2SLGBTQIA+ community but the healthcare system as a whole. It’s creating conversations and opening people’s eyes to something that they maybe

hadn’t thought of before.”

Garry says the conversation and education surrounding 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals in the healthcare system is a continuum.

Having surpassed its initial goals, prideHealth continues to educate through the pronoun campaign — which it hopes to make multilingual — while expanding the organization’s team and reach.

For now, Garry is nothing but appreciative for how far their simple but impactful, initiative has come and those who have helped to spread the message.

“I really want to uplift the voices of the community into our healthcare spaces,” says Garry. “Thank you very much to the QEII Foundation for being an actionable ally to the 2SLGBTQIA+ community — it means a lot.”

For more information about prideHealth’s resources, visit

QEII Foundation Comfort & Care grant helps 2SLGBTQIA+ patients feel seen in healthcare spaces

prideHealth coordinator Garry Dart works to improve access to safe, coordinated, comprehensive primary health care for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. With funds received from a QEII Foundation Comfort & Care grant, Garry was able to launch an educational and awareness pronoun campaign to increase 2SLGBTQIA+ clients’ and patients’ comfort, care and safety in healthcare settings. QEII Foundation put in the effort and money to do that for their hospitals and clinics. It’s been so heartwarming to see that.”

Earlier this year, Robert Pitcher, Poppy Campaign Chairperson for the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 95, presented a cheque to Heather White, director of Veterans Services, at the QEII’s Veterans Memorial Garden. Over the past 30 years, 81 branches of the Royal Canadian Legion have contributed more than $370,000 to veterans’ care and services at the QEII. QEII Foundation

Donald Bishop (left) and Allen Hopkins (right) sit in the gardens at the Camp Hill Veterans Memorial Building at the QEII Health Sciences Centre. Caleb Freeman

Supporting critical technology

New CT simulation technology will impact approximately 3,000 QEII patients each year who require radiation as part of their cancer treatment

By Fallon Bourgeois

Cancer rates in Nova Scotia are high — some of the highest in the country. Each year, 7,000 Nova Scotians are diagnosed with the disease, with one in two Nova Scotians facing cancer in their lifetime.

“These are our family members, our friends, our communities who are affected by cancer,” says Dr. Helmut Hollenhorst, senior medical director, Provincial Care Program at the QEII Health Sciences Centre.

Every person diagnosed with cancer faces a decision for treatment: surgery, radiotherapy or chemotherapy. More than half of those diagnosed will need radiotherapy — radiation — as part of their treatment plan. Radiation uses beams of intense energy to kill cancer cells, stopping the cells from multiplying.

According to Dr. Amanda Caissie, interim head of radiation oncology at the QEII, there are now many more reasons to use radiation to treat cancer than ever before, thanks to technological advancements and better tumour targeting.

“We’ve grown significantly in the types of cancer we can treat. Patients have a better chance of living longer with these treatments that even a few years ago we wouldn’t have been able to fathom doing,” says Dr. Caissie.

One critical piece of technology makes these life-saving treatments possible:

a CT Simulator. Before any cancer patient can begin radiation treatment, they must undergo special imaging in the CT Simulator — a machine that helps their cancer care team pinpoint the exact location and shape of their tumour. The CT Simulator is the heart of radiation therapy. Without it, radiation can’t happen.

The QEII Foundation is on a mission to raise $3.6 million to bring two new CT Simulators to the QEII Cancer Centre, the largest specialized cancer centre for Atlantic Canadians.

Today, the QEII has one CT Simulator. By purchasing a second CT Simulator and replacing the current outdated model, the QEII can increase capacity to see more patients each day. This means patients can start their radiation treatments on time.

“If donors want to impact each and every patient walking into our radiotherapy centre, the CT Simulator is the one piece of equipment that will touch so many patients and families,” says Dr. Caissie.

TIMING IS EVERYTHING

Not only will adding new CT simulation technology impact approximately 3,000 patients who need radiation each year, it will also help ensure that patients don’t face delays in treatment. This is critical because when it comes to cancer, timing is everything.

If donors want to impact each and every patient walking into our radiotherapy centre, the CT Simulator is the one piece of equipment that will touch so many patients and families.

— Dr. Amanda Cassie

“The other important piece is redundancy,” says Dr. Caissie. “If this one critical machine goes down, that limits the ability to proceed with radiation.”

A delay in radiation has a ripple effect on the entire system, including treatment delays, which can take an emotional toll on patients.

“If we have delays in radiation therapy, all the other pillars of cancer care are affected. A delay just exasperates the emotional burden on a patient with cancer and makes it intolerable,” says Dr. Hollenhorst.

LIFE-CHANGING TECHNOLOGY Technology is ever-changing and the CT Simulator is no different. With better technology comes better treatment. Adding new state-of-the-art CT simulation

technology means improved outcomes and higher cure rates for cancer patients.

“The way of the future is more individualized, high-precision radiotherapy — which means the better we can define the target we want to treat and the better we can spare healthy tissue, the higher dose of radiation we can deliver per treatment,” explains Dr. Hollenhorst.

“This requires careful planning that hinges on critical imaging, like new advanced CT simulation technology.”

The benefit of higher doses of treatment has a major impact on patient care.

“The CT Simulator helps create treatment plans that maximize doses, which means fewer side effects for the patient. For some patients, it means reducing the number of radiation treatments they’ll have to undergo,” says Dr. Caissie. “So, for example, a patient may need five to 10 treatments rather than 15 to 20, which is much more convenient for them. It’s a win-win.

“A gift to support new CT simulation technology is life-changing — it will result in better outcomes for our patients,” says Dr. Caissie.

To learn more about CT simulation technology, visit: QE2Foundation.ca/CTSim.

With the help of QEII radiation oncologists, Dr. Helmut Hollenhorst (left) and Dr. Amanda Caissie (right), the QEII Foundation is on a mission to raise $3.6 million to bring two new CT Simulators to the QEII.

cancer patient can begin radiation treatment, they must undergo special imaging in the CT Simulator — a machine that helps their cancer care team pinpoint the exact location and shape of their tumour. Darren Hubley

Championing innovative health care

New Innovator in Residence brings passion and drive to her new position

By Allison Lawlor

When Dr. Karen Cross arrived at Nova Scotia Health to take her new position as an Innovator in Residence, she hit the ground running. Her mission is to help build the foundation for new health technology enterprises in the province.

Dr. Cross is a board-certified surgeon and scientist with a specialization in advanced tissue injury and wound care. She is also the CEO and co-founder of MIMOSA Diagnostics Inc., a mobile health technology company aimed at revolutionizing skin imaging.

Driven to improve patient care and patient access to health care with technology, Dr. Cross worked with her co-founder and team to develop MIMOSA Pro, a portable non-contact imaging platform used to detect and monitor skin health problems like tissue injury and wounds. As an Innovator in Residence, she’s hoping to inspire other innovators to follow her lead.

“Nova Scotia Health is embracing innovation. To have the alignment of the government, the health authority and the people who are doing the work — it is an unparalleled relationship. You have everyone aligned; it

means everyone can move forward together,” says Dr. Cross.

“It is a new way of thinking, and it’s about breaking out and breaking down boundaries that have existed for people who are entrepreneurial or innovative.”

Born and raised in Newfoundland and Labrador, Dr. Cross relocated to Halifax from Toronto earlier this year when Nova Scotia Health launched an Innovation Hub, a first-of-itskind centre of excellence for health research and innovation in Atlantic Canada.

As part of the Innovation Hub, the new Innovators in Residence program was started to promote innovation, provide education and leadership to clinicians and administration and champion the clinical implementation of innovative technologies and solutions within the health system.

“Dr. Cross is a dynamic clinical leader, and she is so well-respected in her field,” says Doris Grant, senior director of innovation for Nova Scotia Health. “She is already driving significant change within Nova Scotia. She’s an entrepreneur, she’s a clinician, she’s a consensus builder. She is working hard

toward system-level change. She is an all-round superstar.”

In the Innovator in Residence program, Dr. Cross is joined by Dr. Michael Dunbar, an orthopaedic surgeon at the QEII Health Sciences Centre and a professor of surgery at Dalhousie University. He recently spearheaded a project using the Mako Smart Robotics system, a robotic arm controlled by a surgeon during hip and knee surgeries

“They’re both experts in their fields and so passionate about driving change,” says Doris. “They are true innovators and mentors.”

Dr. Cross’s innovation, MIMOSA Pro, is a tissue viability imaging platform designed to detect tissue injury before it is visible with the naked eye. The imaging device is small and fits into the palm of your hand, thereby bringing the technology to the bedside. Images can be processed in 750 milliseconds and provide results versus traditional technology, which takes 30-40 minutes. Images are then uploaded to a secure portal for remote viewing, which means patients can be monitored in their own cities and towns.

Advancing end-of-life care

Dr. Mary Ellen Macdonald appointed J & W Murphy Foundation Endowed Chair in Palliative Care

By Jason Bremner

More than just end-of-life care and pain management, palliative care can often be the forgotten or misunderstood tool in the healthcare system. As our province faces an aging population and the country’s highest cancer rates, and with grief amplified by the COVID19 pandemic, Dr. Mary Ellen Macdonald, the newly appointed J & W Murphy Foundation Endowed Chair in Palliative Care, has a simple message. “Death and dying, and even bereavement, do not have to be that scary.”

A medical anthropologist by training and a decorated scholar, Dr. Macdonald joins Dalhousie University, the QEII Health Sciences Centre and Nova Scotia Health with a clear mission: to provide leadership and mentorship to those involved in palliative care research in Nova Scotia and Atlantic Canada, and to establish an active research program that will stimulate evidence-based breakthroughs in the delivery of palliative care.

THE QUEST FOR BETTER

For Dr. Macdonald, who grew up in Nova Scotia, the pull to return home from McGill University was rooted in a deeply personal, yet not uncommon, experience with the healthcare system.

After two-and-a-half years with ovarian cancer, Dr. Macdonald’s mother was transitioned to palliative care. This meant moving from one side of the hall in a county hospital in Nova Scotia to the other, with the only

noticeable difference being a more spacious room with a small kitchenette that was available to the family.

In that moment, Dr. Macdonald was no longer a researcher or palliative care expert — she was a family member with questions and uncertainty.

“We had no bereavement follow-up, we had no end-of-life preparation from the team,” says Dr. Macdonald. “We literally had palliative care for 48 hours.”

Dr. Macdonald is quick to point out the exceptional care her mother received over the years, but unwavering about the essential role high-quality palliative care can play not only for patients, but their families and communities.

“I know how important palliative care can be, and I know how wonderful palliative care can be in Nova Scotia,” says Dr. Macdonald. “I want the best for all Nova Scotian families.”

A TRANSFORMATIONAL GIFT

The Murphy family, through the J & W Murphy Foundation, made a $3-million gift to the QEII Foundation to make this Chair a reality. Through their generous support, the newly established J & W Murphy Foundation Endowed Chair in Palliative Care ensures dedicated research dollars are available in perpetuity — helping to transform palliative care here at home and on a national stage.

The Murphys felt inspired to make a difference after they lost

three family members in quick succession, only a few years before they made the decision to give.

“It needs to be easy to talk about advanced care directives and end-of-life decision making, and hospice accessibility,” says Lisa Murphy. “Unless those conversations start early enough, it will always be a crisis situation. It has to be as easy to have that conversation as it is to talk about the flu shot.”

With the endowment, Dr. Macdonald will be able to fully dedicate her time to research that will influence palliative care policies and standards that improve the quality of life for individuals, families and communities facing serious illness, and those grieving losses.

“It means the world to me. It’s amazing that someone thought about protecting time for palliative care research,” says Dr. Macdonald. “I'm a researcher in my heart and this endowment means that I can do what I was trained to do — research. Talking to people and hearing their stories and being authentically engaged, and not working on what I love ‘off the side of my desk’.”

COMMUNITIES KNOW BEST

The topic of death and grief can be uncomfortable for many, specifically when discussing our own mortality. For Dr. Macdonald, the importance of learning from communities and putting a name to the work

MIMOSA aims to improve access to care by breaking down geographic boundaries and improving outcomes for patients by detecting changes earlier.

There is no technology designed to properly assess the physiology of the skin. Skin breakdown can lead to wounds, infection and sometimes require amputation or, in extreme cases, lead to death. Catching the wound at an earlier stage — sometimes even before it’s visible — means that treatment can start sooner, and severe outcomes can be avoided.

MIMOSA Pro is available for clinical use in the United States and Dr. Cross expects it will be available in Canada in 2023. While her company is still headquartered in Toronto, she

has opened an office in Halifax, hired three people locally and expects to hire more.

Meanwhile, Dr. Cross is also hard at work establishing a province-wide centre of excellence for wound care. She sees her role as being an advocate, bringing the expertise in Nova Scotia together, bridging gaps and finding the resources needed to create the best patientcentred care.

“We are setting the standards in the delivery of care,” says Dr. Cross. “It’s an honour and a privilege to work with nurses, doctors and healthcare providers in this province who have already done so much. Once we’re done and we have a system in place, Nova Scotia will be on the global stage in wound care.”

– Dr. Mary Ellen Macdonald

and after the death too; that’s what we also need to focus on.

Yes, death can be scary, but there are months on either side full of opportunities to support your neighbour. That's not scary, that's just being a good citizen.”

that is being done is critical. When someone is sick or dying, communities come together to help families and patients and to ensure their basic needs are taken care of. This could be as simple as mowing the lawn while someone is in hospital, preparing meals, or even offering a drive.

“From diagnosis through bereavement, that’s all palliative care,” says Dr. Macdonald.

“There's a lot of living that happens before the dying starts,

As an anthropologist and social scientist, Dr. Macdonald’s approach to palliative care research is one of appreciative inquiry. By looking through the lens of public health and analyzing how an institution fits into the community, rather than only at the bedside, she hopes to gain greater insight into what is already working well, and how can ‘the good’ be multiplied and operationalized.

More than anything, her approach is pragmatic.

“Everyone is going to grieve, and everyone is going to die. We could be doing both better.”

Dr. Karen Cross recently began her position as an Innovator in Residence at Nova Scotia Health’s Innovation Hub. Dr. Cross is on a mission to help build the foundation for new health technology enterprises in the province. Contributed

Dr. Mary Ellen Macdonald, the newly appointed J & W Murphy Foundation Endowed Chair in Palliative Care, will work to establish an active research program that will stimulate evidence-based breakthroughs in the delivery of palliative care. Owen Egan

I know how important palliative care can be, and I know how wonderful palliative care can be in Nova Scotia.

A tiny device could change the game in how brain cancer is treated

At the QEII Health Sciences Centre, Dr. Adrienne Weeks, neurosurgeon, uses new technology to perform surgery for a brain tumour. The device, created by Dr. Jeremy Brown, Nova Scotia Health affiliate scientist and biomedical engineering professor at Dalhousie University, is able to provide images that not only allow surgeons to follow an exact path to the tumour, but also help them avoid cutting into healthy tissue. Contributed

By Michele Charlton

Over 250,000 brain tumours are diagnosed across the globe each year. Although aggressive treatment options are available like surgery, radiation and chemotherapy, they can be dependent on the size and location of the tumour, and there is usually only a limited time estimate given to the patient to live.

Inspired by his PhD supervisor who was diagnosed with a brain tumour, Dr. Jeremy Brown was determined to create a better and more precise way to treat these tumours. And that determination led to the creation of a tiny device that could prove to be a game changer in how cancer is treated.

“My PhD supervisor, Dr. Geoff Lockwood, was one of the pioneers of ‘high-resolution ultrasound’ and sort of a world-renowned innovator in ultrasound technology,” says Dr. Brown. “After my PhD, he was diagnosed with a glioblastoma brain tumour and given just one or two years to live following surgery. When he told me that his cancer was terminal, I just couldn’t believe that there was nothing that could be done.

“As a result, I started to look into this particular pathology more and more to see where improvements in treatment and patient survival could be made,” continues Dr. Brown. “Inevitably, it led to a shift in my research focus as I saw there was an unmet need in this area.”

Dr. Brown is an affiliate scientist at Nova Scotia Health in the Department of Surgery, and a professor in Dalhousie University’s School of Biomedical Engineering and Department of Electrical Engineering. What he has created is the world’s first high-resolution endoscopic surgical and imaging probe. Only three millimetres by three millimetres in size, it uses an ultrafast imaging platform, which allows surgeons to use real-time, highresolution imaging to detect and reach brain tumours.

Currently,

And looking forward, Dr. Brown believes that the ultrasound device could also be beneficial for spinal surgeries. Since these kinds of surgeries require a slightly different angle than brain surgeries, he and his team have already re-designed and successfully fabricated a prototype of the probe.

“I’m working with Dr. Sean Christie, a spine surgeon with a dual appointment at Nova Scotia Health and Dalhousie University, to validate this pre-clinically and then on patients,” says Dr. Brown. “Since it is a very minor modification to the brain probe it should be straightforward to obtain approval for use during spine surgery as well.”

At publication, Dr. Brown and Dr. Christie are awaiting approval from Nova Scotia Health’s Research Ethics Board to use the modified probe for spinal surgeries. Dr. Brown expects up to 15 brain or spine surgeries to be completed with help of the device by the end of 2022.

It’s clear that this tiny device will have a huge impact on how surgeries on the brain and spine are conducted going forward.

“I think it will become an important and valuable tool in the neurosurgery toolbox. It was really exciting to use this for the first time on a patient in the operating room,” says Dr. Weeks.

relied upon to plan an accurate surgical route. While these are incredibly helpful, there are instances where the brain moves inside the cranium after the MRI has been taken, which can make the original image not as precise as needed. Dr. Brown’s device, inserted through a small keyhole created in the skull, is able to provide images that not only allow surgeons to follow an exact path to the tumour, but also help them avoid cutting into healthy tissue and determine if they have left any small pieces of the tumour behind.

Eventually these kinds of precise images could allow surgeons to adapt surgical plans on the spot, if needed, and provide them with a reliable way to confirm all cancerous tissue has been removed in the operating room.

The endoscopic and imaging probe was used successfully in the first two in-human surgeries at the QEII Health Sciences Centre earlier this spring. One of the surgeries was a resection of a brain tumour, and the other involved closing off a brain aneurysm.

“It has truly been a pleasure working with Jeremy and his team as they develop this novel ultrasound probe,” says Dr. Adrienne Weeks, a neurosurgeon with Nova Scotia Health and assistant professor in Dalhousie University’s Faculty of Medicine.

But that’s not all this device can do. It will also include a therapeutic tool that will non-invasively vaporize cancerous tissue (essentially turning it into gas bubbles) without the use of heat. This will save healthy tissue from potentially getting damaged and has also been proven to initiate a pretty substantial immune response.

“Essentially when tumours are disrupted, they release tumour antigens (essentially tumour debris) that trigger an immune response that ideally ends up with a variety of tumour-attacking T-cells infiltrating and clearing out the remainder of the tumour cells,” says Dr. Brown. “Histotripsy has been shown to trigger this response much more strongly than other tumour treatment methods. It’s widely thought that this is a result of the combination of non-thermal mechanical disruption of the tumour and the very fine scale of the particles in the debris left over.”

Dr. Brown and his team have already been conducting tests with this new tool in the lab and hope to roll it out soon.

the music you want to hear

are actively recruiting volunteers to help out with our radio station, NWBC

you love music and are interested in entertaining our aging community, we want to hear from you!

is a great opportunity for students looking for some experience or somebody who is retired and looking for a way to stay ac tive.

Needed!

more information, please contact Ruth Ellen Jackson

The right care at the right time Care Coordination Centre helps guide patients’ journeys at the QEII

By Joey Fitzpatrick

Managing modern health care is an information-intensive endeavour. Decisionmakers rely on data from a multitude of sources, including doctors, nurses, first

Danny McAloney QEII radiation therapist

responders, technicians, physiotherapists, social workers, occupational therapists and others, all working within a complex and interconnected system.

“For this to function well, it really requires a team-of-teams approach, with everyone working together to improve the patients’ journey,” explains Dr. Kirk Magee, chief, Central Zone Network of Emergency Departments, who works at the Halifax Infirmary site of the QEII Health Sciences Centre.

The Care Coordination Centre (C3) at the QEII is a Nova Scotia Health Innovation Hub initiative that falls within the provincial government’s Action for Health plan. With future plans to expand across the province, C3 is now playing a crucial role in the patient care journey, providing decision-makers with access to real-time data on access, patient flow and health system resources.

“The idea is to apply a command centre concept to health care,” says Gordon Peckham, senior director of the Care Coordination Centre Operations. “It gives us real-time, live data to help inform decisions around access and flow.”

The C3 team will help connect healthcare workers across the facility, better coordinating each patient’s journey from their first moment of contact with the healthcare system – whether through emergency services, a specialist referral, primary care clinic or another method — through discharge.

The need for the centre is clear, as delays at any step of this process can have negative consequences for patient outcomes, Dr. Magee points out.

“The most obvious example is in the emergency department,” Dr. Magee says. “Many of the treatments that we can offer are very time-dependent, so waiting in the emergency department is more than just an inconvenience. We know that the longer admitted patients wait, the worse the outcomes are.”

There is a requirement for patient care to be “coordinated and integrated,” Gordon explains. With the opening of the C3 earlier this year, the goal is to improve this integration and coordination.

“Sometimes access to that care and flow within the system was occurring independently from the requirements of other units, programs and services,” he says. “We didn’t have access to real-time information about what was happening across the system.”

As an example, there might have been available beds in one area, while another department was over-capacity. With no hub to coordinate the distribution of resources, the problem would remain unresolved.

Now, the C3 team provides realtime data on available beds, occupied

beds, predictive discharges, confirmed discharges and demand. This data will result in reduced wait times and improved access to care.

“Before C3 we did not have an automated view of the system,” Gordon says. “Patient flow managers were doing manual reports, unit by unit. By the time that data reached the leadership teams, there was a risk it was outdated. Now we can look at these data streams and understand what is happening in the system as we speak.”

The C3 process includes a daily meeting with all the stakeholders. At 10 a.m. each day, representatives from every department involved in access and flow — including emergency, surgery, medicine, geriatrics, diagnostic imaging, continuing care and rehabilitation — get together virtually. Meeting attendance expands and contracts daily, depending on the pressures of the day, Gordon explains.

“Each of these teams can help each other in different ways,” he says. “These meetings create a forum for all these different services to discuss various issues and problem solve together.”

Physician engagement is a vital part of the C3 process, Dr. Magee adds.

“We are helping get the physicians involved in making these changes to processes, and also letting them know how C3 will support the work that they are doing.”

The QEII serves a patient population across the province and beyond, and the C3 process will expand its reach going forward, both geographically and to areas beyond access and flow, such as quality of care and community outreach.

“We’re starting with access and flow at the QEII, but it will expand across the province and into other services,” Gordon says. “It’s about providing access to the right care, by the right provider at the right time.”

Doris Grant, senior director, Innovation, Nova Scotia Health, echoes the importance of the C3 process on patient care and highlights the impact on the future of innovation and research in our province.

“We are amongst the first hospitals in Canada to create a command centre within our healthcare system, and it is rapidly transforming the culture of innovation at Nova Scotia Health,” says Doris. “C3 is generating large volumes of real-time operational data that will create endless opportunities for research within Nova Scotia Health, as well as our innovation ecosystem.”

Dr. Kirk Magee (left), chief, Central Zone Network of Emergency Departments, and Gordon Peckham (right), senior director of the Care Coordination Centre Operations, are part of a team at the Care Coordination Centre (C3) at the QEII. With future plans to expand across the province, C3 is now playing a crucial role in the patient care journey, providing decision-makers with access to real-time data on access, patient flow and health system resources. QEII Foundation

‘Everyone is very grateful for the new space’ New cancer therapy preparation lab features cutting-edge technology

By Joey Fitzpatrick

Between 100 and 150 lifesaving doses of systemic therapy are prepared for cancer patients at the QEII Health Sciences Centre every day. Now, that crucial work is being done in a new, state-of-the-art cancer therapy preparation lab.

QEII Foundation donors and the BMO Ride for Cancer community stepped up, together contributing $2 million to completely fund the cutting-edge equipment and technology within the leading-edge space. It’s one of many care areas feeling the impact of the QEII Foundation’s $100-million We Are campaign — transforming health care at the QEII Health Sciences Centre and beyond.

The new lab began operations on July 11 after being relocated from the QEII’s Victoria Building to its new home in the Dickson Building. The new lab has significantly increased capacity, which means patients can spend less time waiting for treatment.

“We now have the capacity to double our output,” says Claudia Harding, clinical pharmacy manager for Oncology and Research.

A cancer therapy preparation lab is comparable to a kitchen in a restaurant, but with one crucial difference: No two dishes are the same. Each treatment is carefully calibrated for the individual patient based on numerous factors, including the type, stage and molecular or genetic features of the cancer as well as the patient’s height, weight, blood cell count and liver and kidney function.

While the previous lab had only two fume hoods — or biological safety cabinets — under which the therapy doses are prepared, the new facility has four. Completely funded by donors and BMO Ride participants, these new fume hoods allow the team of pharmacists and pharmacy practice assistants (PPAs) at the QEII to deliver the lifesaving doses faster and provide new care options for patients and their families.

Approximately 50 per cent of all cancer patients receive systemic therapy — drugs that spread throughout the body to reach cancer cells wherever they may be. Systemic therapy includes a vast array of treatments such as chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, immunotherapy and targeted drugs.

Claudia estimates that between 50 and 60 per cent of all systemic therapy doses delivered in Nova Scotia are prepared and delivered at the QEII.

“We’re the tertiary centre for the province, so patients who require specialized or complicated therapies that can’t be delivered closer to home will come here for treatment,” she says.

Accuracy is critical in systemic therapy, and the new lab will provide an additional layer of safety, with technologies like barcoding, remote cameras and automation.

Scanning the bar codes on every vial before preparation reduces the potential for human error.

“With chemotherapy, you are killing cells that are dividing very quickly, but because of that there are side effects like hair loss and nausea,” Claudia explains.

“That’s why it’s critical that the dosage is exactly what is needed, but no more.”

The new facility meets recently updated national standards for preparation labs. It also has improved the workflow, maximizing efficiency.

“When we only had two fume hoods, sometimes there would be bottlenecks,” recalls Jessica Randall, manager, Sterile Pharmacy Operations. “Eventually we would catch up, but it meant that patients would have to wait. The new system allows things to move much more efficiently.”

The new lab will also enable the QEII’s Cancer Centre to participate in new and additional clinical trials, testing more novel therapies to ensure patients in Nova Scotia have access to the latest groundbreaking treatments and opportunities.

“There is a lot of paperwork that comes with clinical trials,” Jessica says. “Everything has to be well-documented, so our new space and improved workflow will definitely increase our capacity to do clinical trials.”

The new, modular space and improved air conditioning have been welcome additions, both for pharmacy team members and staff in the various disciplines involved in preparation and treatment.

“We’ve received great feedback from porters and nurses,” Claudia says. “Everyone is very grateful for the new space.”

Between 100 and 150 lifesaving doses of systemic therapy are prepared for cancer patients at the QEII Health Sciences Centre every day. That crucial work is now being done in a new, state-of-the-art cancer therapy preparation lab — using donor-funded technology — that was supported by 14,596 donors to the QEII Foundation and BMO Ride for Cancer . The new lab has significantly increased capacity, which means patients can spend less time waiting for treatment. Mike Tompkins

A space for safety and healing

Community raises $450,000 to transform the QEII’s Psychiatric Emergency Care Suites

By Sarah Marshall

It’s a time for progress and hope for mental health care in our province, as an exciting transformation will soon begin for the QEII’s Psychiatric Emergency Care Suites, located at the Halifax Infirmary.

Though this essential mental health resource was once considered state-of-the-art, the facilities have worn down after years of heavy use. Thanks to the generous contributions of hundreds of QEII Foundation donors, including an inspiring matching gift of $25,000 from the Owens family, more than $450,000 has been raised to completely transform the current care area.

“Since the fundraising campaign to renovate the Care Suites kicked off, and especially since we reached our goal, there’s been palpable excitement amongst our QEII care teams,” says Matt White, interim director of Mental Health and Addictions Program for Central Zone.

“The idea that we could work with the QEII Foundation to help provide a more welcoming, safe space for our patients is something that I think everyone takes so much pride in.”

The upcoming renovation to the QEII’s Psychiatric Emergency Care Suites will completely transform the current mental health treatment area — which includes three treatment rooms and an isolation area.

Some of the planned features include weighted furniture and reinforced walls, which will greatly enhance patient safety, comfort and dignity. Dimmable lighting, soothing colours and a quiet atmosphere will also encourage a comforting environment where patients facing a mental health crisis can focus on healing.

Matt explains that this renovation means so much more than just a simple refresh to the space — it will go a long way in helping people be more comfortable during a time when they need it most.

“The newly designed suites have been planned through a lens

of healing, comfort and safety,” Matt explains. “This warmer care environment will help patients be more comfortable and receptive to receiving the mental health care they need.”

The QEII Psychiatric Emergency Care Suites treats between 200 to 250 patients a month, addressing any and all mental health concerns, and acts as an entry point for many people into Nova Scotia’s mental healthcare system.

With the suites accommodating adult patients from all backgrounds, a welcoming, safe and accommodating space is incredibly important to give those seeking mental health treatment the best experience possible on what could be one of the worst days of their lives.

Matt also explains that having a modern mental health care treatment area, like the soonto-be renovated Care Suites, helps destigmatize mental illness within our communities, which is incredibly important for those who may be hesitant or uncomfortable seeking care.

“When someone comes in for mental health treatment and sees things run-down, it can be very demoralizing and stigmatizing. These renovations are currently going to help that.”

With funds currently raised, the renovation process is now underway. Contracts are signed and materials have been ordered, with physical construction scheduled to begin in mid-fall. Professional artist renderings have also been drafted, which helps bring the soon-to-becompleted-space to life a little early.

Though Matt says the renderings look amazing, they can’t possibly demonstrate the true impact that the actual renovation will have in the lives of patients facing a mental health crisis.

“The renderings are so incredible, but the impact as a drawing on a page is understated,” Matt explains. “What people don’t yet see is

the security that those newly renovated rooms will provide for patients, and the real comfort and care they’ll receive in a moment of urgency.”

Matt and the healthcare teams involved extend their gratitude to the entire donor community who rallied to make this fundraising campaign such an amazing success.

“We have such overwhelming thanks for those that stepped forward and helped make this project a reality for our patients,” Matt expresses.

This warmer care environment will help patients be more comfortable and receptive to receiving the mental health care they need.

– Matt White

Natalie Owens, family representative for the Owens family, is also incredibly moved by the outpouring of community support for the QEII Psychiatric Emergency Care Suites. Together with the Owens family, hundreds of donors rallied behind their family’s $25,000 matching gift, bringing the $450,000 project to the finish line.

“On behalf of our family, we are ecstatic that our goal to gift match has been well exceeded with so many QEII Foundation donors joining in to help this incredible cause,” Natalie says.

“With new construction about to begin on the QEII’s Psychiatric Emergency Care Suites, we are so grateful to our community for pushing this impactful cause forward to provide a comforting environment for those in need of professional care.”

Need help now? The Provincial Mental Health and Addictions crisis line is always available at 1 888 429 8167.

Thanks to the generosity of QEII Foundation donors, more than $450,000 has been raised to completely transform the QEII’s Psychiatric Emergency Care Suites. The upcoming renovation includes three treatment rooms and an isolation area – for the 200-250 patients each month who receive care in this space. Artist renderings contributed by Nova Scotia Health