Clinicians from BCCA's Nursing and Patient and Family Counseling Service designed and delivered a full-day workshop to teachers and counselors of the Surrey School Board. The workshop was designed to teach school staff about cancer and practical techniques for helping elementary-aged children cope when a family member has cancer.  This workshop is being adapted for adolescence and will be presented throughout the province through partnerships with local school boards.  To organize a workshop in your community contact Gina MacKenzie, Professional Practice Leader, Patient and Family Counseling, Vancouver and Fraser Valley.

Reaching BC’s multiethnic community: The AMSSA Multicultural Health Fair AMSSA’s 2nd Annual Multicultural Health Fair kicked off BC’s Multicultural Week 2006 with great success. Hosted by Collingwood Neighbourhood House, the Multicultural Health Fair was a free community event put on by the Affiliation of Multicultural Societies & Service Agencies of BC (AMSSA). It provided health information, educational workshops, and interactive exhibits in 10 different languages for multi-ethnic individuals and families in the lower mainland. Through sponsorship from BCCA and BCCF, the SRC took part as an exhibitor and Dr. Maria Cristina Barroetavena was involved as a member of the AMSSA Multicultural Health Committee. AMSSA along with fair exhibitors like the BC Cancer Agency are committed to helping improve access to health care for BC’s multicultural community, and to encouraging the adaptation of healthier, more active lifestyles by all British Columbians. www.amssa.org

3.  Achieving Equal Access in Health Care

Dr. Maria Cristina Barroetavena worked as an advisory committee member for AMMSA' study Achieving Equal Access in Health Care. This study investigated the use of interpreters in health care settings throughout the British Columbia. It was found that communities outside the Lower Mainland have fewer requests for interpreters. Few requests for interpreters means that responsibility for interpretation is delegated to bilingual employees, family members or volunteers.  Health care professionals were unaware of the potential dangers of using untrained and informal interpreters.  Full report available at http://www.amssa.org/publications/healthacessreport.pdf]

4. Aboriginal Healing & Spirituality for Cancer

Old Hands, a member of the  Cwenegitel Aboriginal Society, presented to staff at BCCA cancer centres about the role of spirituality in coping with cancer.His presentation incorporated storytelling and drumming to talk about acceptance in palliative care and the passing process. A video and a DVD of this presentation is now available at the BCCA libraries in Vancouver, Surrey, Victoria, and Kelowna.

5. The Wellness Model for Electronic Support

6. The Young and the Breastless

At the (2005) 1st national conference for young women with breast cancer called The Young and the Breastless, Dr. Joanne Stephen facilitated a discussion with participants about using the meetings momentum to meet their psychosocial, practical and informational needs- steps were identified and articulated in the publication Abreast in the  West. Reflections on this conference "moving beyond pink ribbons awareness to bold, direct action" can be reviewed at the Canadian Women’s Health Network (CWHN). Since then women have started a new project that can be reviewed at breastcancernowwhat.ca

7. Success Strategies for Living Well with Lymphoma

Dr. Joanne Stephen made a special presentation to the Lymphoma Network Group at the BC Cancer Agency -Vancouver Centre.  Her presentation included practical tips for improving well-being and managing psychosocial stress associated with cancer treatment.

8. First National Workshop on Cross Cultural Cancer Research and Care. 

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The PSORC is comprised of BCCA's Provincial Leader for Cancer Rehabilitation, two research consultants from the SRC, and clinician representatives from Patient and Family Counseling.  It is responsible for the promotion of evidence based clinical practice and the identification of opportunities to enhance and develop psychosocial oncology research at BCCA.

2. Psychosocial Oncology Rounds & Research in Practice Seminars

Held monthly, BCCA's Psychosocial Oncology Rounds is a province wide learning circle for researchers and clinicians in psychosocial oncology.  Presentations are related to current issues in research and practice.  Past meetings have included presentations made by clinicians, guest researchers, as well as group discussions of journal articles.

3. Research in Practice Workshop

The Research in Practice Workshop is a full day of research training for clinicians interested in incorporating research into their clinical practice. 

2004 Dr. Leora Kuttner presented practical skills for clinicians to help children cope when a family member has cancer.

2003 Dr. Judith Globerman provided the methodological tools for single subject designs in psychosocial oncology research.

4. Culturally Responsive Health Care: Learning from patients and families - A lunch time Rounds Presentation by Dr. Joan Anderson Wednesday May 31, 2006 - BCCA CRC Lecture Theatre

Dr. Joan Anderson, PhD, RN a health and social scientist, has conducted extensive research in the areas of culture, gender, health and health care, during her tenure as a Professor in the School of Nursing and as a Health Research Coordinator in the Office of the Vice President Research at UBC.

The video-linked rounds presentation on cross cultural health care was based on 20 years of Dr. Anderson's extensive research and experience with different ethnocultural groups that have migrated to Canada. She discussed the concept of culture and cultural care in the health care system, and the challenges of providing culturally responsive health care, including ways in which people's everyday life situations influence the health care choices they are able to make and the health care they receive. Her main focus was to explore what health care professionals need to know, and how they can learn from patients and their families in order to provide competent, safe and equitable health care for all patients. Her knowledge and expertise in cross cultural health care was greatly appreciated by all health care clinical practitioners and researchers at the BCCA Vancouver, Fraser Valley, Victoria, and Southern Interior cancer centres & hospitals who attended.   For more information about Dr. Anderson's presentation or to contact her regarding her work please e-mail her at anderson@nursing.ubc.ca

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Student Training

1. Masters of Social Work Courses in Psychosocial Oncology

In collaboration with faculty at the University of British Columbia's School of Social Work and Family Studies, researchers and clinicians at the SRC and Patient and Family Counselling developed and delivered a master's level course in psychosocial oncology. Offered for the first time in Fall 2003, the MSW course includes modules on topics such as developmental stages and cancer, palliative care and survivorship, and symptom management, among others.  It is the first course of its kind in British Columbia. Gina MacKenzie, Patient and Family Counselling Servies Regional Practice Leader, and Dr. Maria Cristina Barroetavena, SRC researcher and epidemiologist, develop and teach a module on research for the course.   

2. Student Mentorship

The BCCA - SRC offers opportunities for graduate, doctoral and post doctoral students to complete thesis and project work four programs of research. These include psychosocial interventions, cross cultural, palliative care, and lifestyle. Students interested in mentorship can contact SRC to discuss current opportunities.

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