Nova Scotia Cancer Care Program

The Canadian Dermatology Association is kicking off the summer with National Sun Awareness Month! Check out the CDA’s site Sun Safety for Every Day - Canadian Dermatology Association for some great information. And stay tuned for tips from Sun Safe Nova Scotia!

May is National Sun Awareness Month! Join the CDA’s campaign to learn more
about sun safe habits and protecting children and youth from UV exposure.

Discover expert advice from Certified Dermatologists on incorporating sun
safe habits into your family’s daily routine, explore innovative and proven sun
protection strategies to embrace a healthier, more sun-conscious way of living as
we approach what is forecasted to be the one of the warmest summers on record.

Interested in what’s in store? Stay tuned for:
• Shade Structure Grant Program (Opens May 2)
• Check Your Skin Day on May 5 🤲
• Sun Safety Tips from our (May 13 - 17) 👩‍⚕️
• What youth outdoor workers need to know 👒
• And tons more! ✨

We have a new volunteer opportunity for Nova Scotians who are looking to share their cancer experiences.

See below for a new volunteer opportunity.

Cancer care leaders are recruiting volunteer patient, family, and community members to join the provincial Cancer Patient and Family Advisory Council.

The Cancer Patient Family Advisory Council (PFAC) was created to ensure patients, families, and communities are meaningful partners in cancer system improvements and that patient and family perspectives are identified and reflected in decision-making.

“The insights of patient family advisors are essential to us making our cancer care programs and services the very best they can be,” said Dr. Helmut Hollenhorst, Senior Medical Director, Cancer Care Program. “These individuals have first-hand or very close to first-hand experience with the services we provide. They know, better than anyone, what works and what needs work. Our provincial leadership council is looking forward to their insights as we continue our work to transform cancer care in Nova Scotia.”

PFAC members provide advice and insight to senior leaders, staff and physicians on policies, practices, planning, and delivery of patient- and family-centred care in the cancer system, with a focus on patient-reported outcomes and experiences. At meetings, members reflect on their own experiences, or those of their family members, to provide meaningful input to cancer care teams. The time commitment is about two hours per month to participate in council meetings. Most meetings will be held virtually. In-person meetings will be held once or twice a year. Expenses will be covered for these meetings.

“I have been volunteering with cancer care for seven years now, and the experience has been very rewarding,” said Joel Baltzer, Patient Family Advisor. “My ideas and suggestions are welcomed and respected and I feel I’m making things better for my fellow Nova Scotians who many need cancer care services in the future.”

Candidates should have the following qualifications:

• Personal or family/caregiver experience with Nova Scotia Health cancer care services.
• Be 18 years of age or older.
• Be able to look at issues from more than one point of view.
• Be able to share their viewpoint in an honest, respectful way.
• Be reflective of diverse populations and perspectives in our community.
• Be interested in making a positive contribution to cancer care.

Additional requirements:

• Be willing to sign a confidentiality agreement.
• Have or be willing to get a criminal background check.
• Declare any potential conflicts of interest.
• Be available to attend daytime and/or evening meetings.
• Be able to commit to attend regular meetings. (Note: Start date to be determined once application, interview and orientation process is completed.)

These are volunteer positions. Current Nova Scotia Health employees, community health board members and elected officials are not eligible to apply.

People interested in becoming a member of the Cancer Patient Family Advisory Council should complete an online application form: https://www.engage4healthnsh.ca/cpfn/surveys/pfac . They may also contact Leslie Hill, Engagement, Diversity and Vulnerable Populations Lead, by e-mail [email protected] for more information.

Applications will be accepted until April 9, 2024.

[ Nova Scotia Cancer Care Program ]

Thank you to everyone who donated their time and effort.

Due to the overwhelmingly positive and generous response, we have reached capacity for accepting lap-blankets from the Nova Scotia knitting, crocheting and quilting community. 😊

We will be looking to restock later this year (possibly summer/early fall) and will post another request at that time. Thank you all for your support!

📸 Photo of Erin Fair, Volunteer Services Coordinator Cancer Care and Palliative Care, with some of the many lapghans donated.

A new screening program will help save lives by preventing lung cancer and finding it earlier.

The Lung Screening Program, which includes clinical assessment and computerized tomography (CT) scans, targets people at very high risk of developing lung cancer. The program also provides information about lung health and help to stop smoking.

The Lung Screening Program is available now in the central health zone (Halifax Regional Municipality and West Hants) by calling 1-833-505-LUNG (5864). It will be rolled out across the province over the next two years.

Learn more here: https://news.novascotia.ca/en/2024/01/19/lung-screening-program-launches

On September 29, members of Nova Scotia Health’s Nova Scotia Cancer Care Program cancer screening team, their partners, government representatives and patient family advisors gathered for an afternoon of learning about Mi’kmaw history and culture.

The afternoon began with a smudging ceremony, led by Elder Geri Musqua-LeBlanc, who explained that four sacred medicines are used during smudging: Sage, cedar, sweet grass, and to***co. The spiritual ceremony is designed to cleanse participants and the space of any negative thoughts. All who were interested were invited to participate in the smudging ceremony.

This was followed by the Blanket Exercise, a learning opportunity to build an understanding of Mi’kmaw history. The blanket exercise was facilitated by the Indigevisor team Nadine Bernard, and Natasha Moore and supported by elder Geri. They shared personal stories of their lived experience which made the learning powerful and deeply impactful.

One participant commented, “Experiencing the Blanket Exercise was eye opening. It brought facts and real-life stories together that supported learning in a way that reading about the First Nations experience with colonialism alone cannot. Being taught in person by First Nations people - and being welcomed into their space as settlers for this purpose also helps to break down walls.”

📸 Photo courtesy of Natasha Moore, Indigevisor Ltd.

Nova Scotia Health oncology nurses share their expertise at recent national conference.

Nova Scotia Health oncology nurses were well represented at the Canadian Association of Nurses in Oncology (CANO) national conference, which was held recently in Niagara Falls.

Nineteen oncology nurses from Nova Scotia Health gave 12 oral presentations on topics including: building relationships between clinical trial and cancer care nurses to improve clinical trial recruitment, managing infusion reactions by optimizing the scope for timely intervention, and optimization of workup pathways to improve access to cancer care programs and patients’ experiences in rural and underserved communities.

In addition, one of our oncology nurses gave a poster presentation titled, “more than just chemo teaching: providing education to patients newly starting systemic therapy.” Two NS Health nurses co-led two half-day workshops. One workshop focused on using the CANO learning pathway and practice framework to design a resource for nurses caring for persons with cancer. The other workshop was a hands-on workshop to build leadership competencies.

Beyond this national conference, Nova Scotia Health nurses are sharing their expertise and insights by assuming leadership roles with CANO. Kara Jamieson is NS Chapter president and Director at Large for professional practice. Joy Tarasuk is Director at Large for Communications and Leadership, and Alison Avery is the co-lead for the Clinical Trials Special Interest Group.

Nova Scotia Health Cancer Care Program leaders acknowledge and thank oncology nurses working on teams across the province for their expertise and commitment to Nova Scotians. They also recognize and commend them for their contributions to sharing their knowledge and leadership with others across the country.

We're looking to add an Administrative Assistant to our team! See the Nova Scotia Health website for more information on this career opportunity. https://jobs.nshealth.ca/nsha/job/All-Locations-Administrative-Assistant-to-Director-Cancer-Program-of-Care-NS/568523317/

Join us for our 2023 two-day spring conference.
May 11-12, St. FX University, Antigonish.

A great opportunity to learn, network and reconnect. Learn about new palliative care aspects in Nova Scotia and grief and hope in different cultures.

Visit https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/navigating-hope-through-uncertain-times-tickets-600974901107?aff=ebdssbdestsearch&keep_tld=1

To book accommodations at St. FX Summer Hotel, call
1-877-782-9289 or visit https://hotel.stfx.ca/NSHPCA.bnb

If you have questions about receiving your Colon Cancer Prevention Program home screening kit please call us at 1-866-599-2267.

Colon cancer screening We speak with the medical director of the Nova Scotia Colon Cancer Prevention Program.

CLOSER TO HOME: More cancer care, less travel, for patients at Yarmouth hospital due to enhancements | SaltWire 'It’s estimated that 234 patients a year will benefit from decreased travel'

Planning to visit a loved one in hospital over the holidays? Nova Scotia Health issues policy reminders Read the full story and comment on CityNews Halifax.

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Picchione Lecture: How cancer care will be tailored to you: the reality and promise of precision medicine. Join speakers
Dr. Lillian Siu, Dalhousie University's Dr. Paola Marcato, Mr. Graham Wade and Nova Scotia Health's Dr. Ravi Ramjeesingh on Monday, November 7. This hybrid lecture is open to the public. Register by emailing: [email protected].

Nova Scotia gets cutting-edge cancer diagnostic, treatment machine | SaltWire HALIFAX, N.S. — Nova Scotia is now home to a cutting-edge new cancer imaging and treatment machine that combines incredible accuracy with artificial ...

Have you registered for CCRAN's Early Age Onset Colorectal Cancer (EAOCRC) Virtual Symposium yet?

Register now and join us on October 27-28, 2022! ➡️ https://www.meetview.com/CCRAN202210/

🚨 All Nova Scotians who are without a family doctor and are on the Need a Family Practice Registry can now get free online medical appointments through VirtualCareNS until they are placed with a doctor or nurse practitioner in their community. Previously, people needed an email invitation to use the service, but as of Aug. 31, anyone on the provincial waitlist can access it.

To use VirtualCareNS, you must live in Nova Scotia, be without a primary care provider and be on the Need a Family Practice Registry. To get on the registry, call 811 or visit https://needafamilypractice.nshealth.ca .

Once you are on the registry, visit https://virtualcarens.ca and use your Nova Scotia health card to book a virtual appointment. On the website, you can also watch a video that shows how virtual appointments work and find answers to common questions.

Primary Health Care is offering online wellness programs for adults of all ages. These programs will support individuals in the areas of Reducing Your Health Risk Factors, Healthy Eating, Physical Activity, Mental Wellness and Parenting.

The wellness sessions are offered in a virtual group setting using Zoom for Healthcare and are facilitated by trained health care professionals. By offering programs online, Primary Health Care can reach people from across the province. The programs are free and open for anyone who lives in Nova Scotia. A valid Nova Scotia health card number is required to register for most programs.

Visit www.HealthyNS.ca to see a full list of the online wellness sessions available and to register online.

Public Health measures will remain in place in Nova Scotia Health facilities after July 6 when COVID-19 community restrictions lift. These measures are essential to keeping patients and staff safe. Before visiting a patient at a Nova Scotia Health facility, please review the guidelines and expectations for essential care partners (support people, caregivers). Learn more: https://www.nshealth.ca/VisitorsDuringCOVID

Proof of vaccination is no longer required for approved essential care partners (family support persons/caregivers) at Nova Scotia Health facilities. Given the high level of vaccination rates in Nova Scotia, as well as other protective measures in place in health care facilities, Nova Scotia Health is changing its approach to allow more opportunities for essential care partners to support patients in hospital where it is feasible and safe to do so within public health guidelines.

Please find up-to-date information for essential care partners/support people at https://www.nshealth.ca/VisitorsDuringCOVID

There are early COVID treatments that may be helpful for people being treated for cancer. These are most effective in the first 5-7 days of symptoms. Visit this Nova Scotia Health website to learn about reporting your COVID status and treatment assessment. https://c19hc.nshealth.ca/self-report/index.php

Congratulations Dr. Manos!

Dr. Daria Manos, head of thoracic imaging at the QEII and president of Canadian Society of Thoracic Radiology, was recently inducted as a Fellow of the Canadian Association of Radiologists.

We'd like to extend a thank-you to Dr. Manos for her dedication and leadership and a huge congratulations on this well-deserved accomplishment.

Thank you to our oncology nurses for all they do to help Nova Scotians in their cancer journey.

Oncology Nurse Day 2022 -- Together Again: Connection, Reflection and Celebration Across Canada, it’s a day to recognize the incredible role oncology nurses play in our national healthcare system. Cancer affects people of all genders, nati...