POGO CEO Lauren Ettin Makes the Rounds
Since Lauren Ettin joined POGO as Chief Executive Officer in April 2024, she has been making the rounds, becoming familiar with the inner workings of POGO programs and services at our partner hospitals, and the unique nature of childhood cancer care and Ontario’s childhood cancer care system. Here’s what she shared.
Q: How has your experience and background prepared you for your new role at POGO?
Lauren: My career has been in health care across all sectors: public, private and not-for-profit, with the same vision of always improving the delivery of care for all Ontarians. I've worked in the Ontario government, consulting, in an association and led a not-for-profit.
My last role was my first in pediatrics and I was really struck that children are not little adults; delivering care for kids is distinct and unique. In Ontario, we have a remarkable childhood cancer care system—an actual cohesive system—established by visionary leaders and recognized as a national, if not international, leader in the healthcare field.
Q: In the last four months, you have spent a lot of time getting to know POGO’s partners and our various stakeholders. Why was it important to spend so much time in the community?
Lauren: In pediatric cancer, there are so many different lenses and perspectives. It was really important for me to spend time meeting our partners, building relationships with people and understanding their experience and vision for the system; where they see our collective strengths and opportunities—and then bringing that all back to inform POGO’s work and priorities.
There is exceptional pride in the quality and accessibility of Ontario’s childhood cancer care system. At POGO, we have an opportunity to build on our ability to bring people together to learn from each other, and plan, execute and spread in scale together—not only to other parts of Ontario’s healthcare system, but around the world.
Q: Describe what has stood out for you in your short time at POGO.
Lauren: What stands out most is how we put children and family at the centre of care, knowing a childhood cancer diagnosis impacts the child but reverberates more broadly. And the interprofessional healthcare teams are experts in supporting individual patients from diagnosis and treatment to survivorship, and sometimes, unfortunately, to end of life. POGO’s programs address their physical medical needs, but also their mental health and personal needs.
POGO also collects data on every child diagnosed to inform system planning. The research we do and the clinical practice guidelines we develop translate into better care and improved outcomes.
What’s more, we have incredibly supportive donors who share our vision for children's cancer care in the province.
This all makes POGO incredibly unique.
Q: September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. What do you want people to know or understand about childhood cancer in Ontario?
Lauren: Over the past 50 years, there have been dramatic improvements in childhood cancer care and fewer kids are dying of cancer. Today we expect approximately 85% of children who are diagnosed to be long-term survivors due to things like research and clinical trials. Still, with all this good news about increase in survivorship, cancer is still the most common disease-related cause of death in children over the age of 1 year.
Also, it is important to note that two of every three childhood cancer survivors are at risk of a late effect due to their cancer or its treatment, like second cancers or cognitive challenges. While surviving cancer is certainly the goal, it is not where the journey ends. The impacts of childhood cancer can last a lifetime.
Q: POGO will soon release a new Childhood Cancer Care Plan, developed in consultation with a wide range of stakeholders. What are two or three things that made a strong impression on you as you stepped into your role and worked to bring the Plan to completion?
Lauren: To address the unique complexities, ripple effects and long-term impacts of childhood cancer, POGO and its partners have built a system that provides wrap-around care and support for children and families at every stage of the journey. One of the things we heard from the consultations is that we're on the right path with opportunity for improvements, and the way to execute on the Childhood Cancer Care Plan is for all our partners, within their different roles, to work together to move the Plan’s goals and objectives forward.
Q: With all that you’ve seen and heard through your rounds what are you most excited about?
Lauren: I’m excited to build on POGO’s collaboration with current and new partners; to convene leaders and focus our attention on making tangible improvements in care that are aligned to the goals and objectives in the next Childhood Cancer Care Plan. I feel strongly that our intentional efforts are sure to reap great rewards. Ontario can continue to strengthen its world-class childhood cancer system so that patients and survivors can count on having the treatments, resources and supports they need today – and for life.
Related Content
Study Examines Late Effects and Treatment Protocols for Hodgkin Lymphoma in Children
Childhood cancer and its treatment come at a risk of late effects for survivors. In fact, the evidence shows that two of every three childhood cancer survivors are at increased risk of at least one late effect due to their cancer or its treatment, including heart disease, second cancers and cognitive challenges.
A recent study published in JAMA (The Journal of the American Medical Association) looks at the treatment of Hodgkin lymphoma in children and the resulting risk of cardiac disease to survivors.
POGO Medical Director, Dr. David Hodgson, is the lead author of the study titled Late Cardiac Toxic Effects and Treatment Protocols for Hodgkin Lymphoma in Children.
“Cardiac disease as a late effect of treating Hodgkin lymphoma is a serious risk that is well documented,” he says. “One of the challenges of improving treatment is that we don’t want to wait for over 20 years to observe the late effects of treatments we’re currently giving today. The goal of this study was to estimate the risk of late effects of current treatment to better understand how to advise current patients and families, and also explore what changes to treatment would have the greatest benefit to reduce these risks.”
Understanding the extent to which treatment can be modified for improved health outcomes is critical for several reasons.
- Reducing treatment intensity is a trade-off against the risk of relapse.
- Understanding which components of treatment can be adjusted, and to what extent, can lead to better decisions about treatment modifications.
- Care for survivors is based on their treatment exposure making the burden of follow-up care an important consideration.
The study evaluated the treatment of 2,563 patients with Hodgkin lymphoma treated in four consecutive Children’s Oncology Group clinical trials between 2002 and 2022. Patients were treated with different doses of radiation therapy and doxorubicin chemotherapy – both of which are known to increase the risk of cardiac late effects. Based on the doses of these treatments, the 30-year cumulative incidence of severe or life-threatening heart disease was estimated to decrease from 10% in the first trial to 6% in the last trial. The findings were favourable, suggesting that evolutions in treating Hodgkin lymphoma will lead to a net reduction in late cardiac disease. Moreover, findings suggest that for adolescent and young adult patients, increasing the use of “cardioprotective” medications during treatment would be one of the best ways to reduce this risk further, without compromising cure rates.
“While there is still work to be done to monitor the long-term gains in reducing cardiac toxic effects, this is encouraging news that bodes well for the quality of life of childhood cancer survivors,” says Dr. Hodgson. “And, as with every study, we need to ensure that the guidelines for follow-up care of survivors, particularly in POGO AfterCare Clinics, are updated to reflect the latest evidence.”
Read the study here.
Related Content
Freedom International: Childhood Cancer Champion Since 2016
Freedom International Brokerage Company (Freedom) is one of Canada’s leading full-service, Inter-Dealer Brokers—providing electronic brokerage services to wholesale capital market participants in Canada and globally.
Since 2016, Freedom has been a committed corporate partner to POGO, demonstrating their shared vision of making a difference in the lives of children battling cancer through substantial financial, in-kind and volunteer contributions.
Freedom’s involvement began when Kevin Kirby, President and CEO, joined POGO’s Development Cabinet, a group tasked with growing POGO’s fundraising revenue. Recognizing their values aligned with POGO’s mission, Freedom quickly became a valued partner and has contributed $302,500 over the last nine years in support of POGO's programs and signature events that raise critical funds for childhood cancer research, financial assistance to families, and school and work supports for survivors.
Tim Anastakis, Vice President at Freedom, underscores the significance of their partnership with POGO, stating, "Knowing that I work for a company that prioritizes children's charities makes me proud," a sentiment that is echoed amongst Freedom employees.
In addition to their financial support, Freedom goes above and beyond by providing coveted tickets to Toronto Blue Jays and Toronto Maple Leafs games—offering families the chance to have happy moments together at a time that is typically filled with hospital visits and days at home sick.
"It's a pleasure knowing Freedom ticket donations help towards brightening a child's life even for a small moment." – Andrew Cooper, FX Forward Broker, Freedom International
PARTNER WITH POGO
Corporate partners play a critical role in helping POGO transform the childhood cancer care system and enable POGO to deliver care and support to children, youth, survivors and their families affected by childhood cancer.
POGO offers a portfolio of sponsorship opportunities that can enhance your brand, raise your community profile, and help you achieve your marketing and promotional goals.
How Slushies and Red Lights Provide Supportive Care for Childhood Cancer Patients
About a decade ago, I sat in a hospital in Leeds, Yorkshire, discussing with the parents of one of my young patients their high-dose chemotherapy treatment, including the risks of severe infection, liver and lung problems. “And,” I added as an aside, “there’s a chance of mucositis, which is a sore mouth, like a mouth ulcer.”
Three weeks later, and the child could hardly open their mouth—with lips cracked and bleeding, spitting out small pieces of the lining of their mouth, unable to eat or even swallow their own saliva. The lack of attention I had paid to mucositis up to that point struck me hard. And back then, there was very little we could do to prevent or treat it.
POGO Guidelines Offer New Approaches to Mucositis Care
Fast forward to mid-2020s when the POGO Clinical Practice Guideline update to Prevention of oral and oralpharyngeal mucositis in pediatric cancer and hematopoietic stem cell transplant patients summarized the most effective—and importantly the ineffective—therapies and approaches to prevent and treat mucositis in children and young people.
The POGO guideline gave us some new approaches to try, and, as it was an extremely well-produced and high-quality international guideline, the leverage to kick some of these approaches into action.
Why is it important that the guideline marks out ineffective treatments?
1) There's the hassle of taking medicines when they don't do anything.
2) There's the side effects, including stinging and bad tastes.
3) There's the unnecessary costs to the health service.
Slushies Bring New Meaning to Cold Comfort
One approach suggested in the guideline was "cryotherapy." You might have heard about cryotherapy for freezing off veruccas (warts) on your feet, or maybe with respect to Walt Disney freezing his body after death, but the phrase just means "treating with cold." In the case of mucositis prevention, this means the patient holding ice chips in their mouth. It's meant to reduce the amount of blood flowing to the delicate layers just inside the mouth, and so reduce the amount of chemo passing there to cause damage. In the UK, we struggled with the technical troubles of how to exactly procure, store and regulate popsicles within our hospital system, but this has been spectacularly and tastily overcome at McMaster Children’s Hospital in Hamilton, Ontario, with an in-unit slushie machine. Choosing which slushy you can have with chemo seems much more appealing than holding an ice cube in your mouth until it melts!
Shining a Red Light on Healing
The other main approach in the guideline was photobiomodulation. This is the use of a special wavelength of red (or infra-red) light to encourage the cells of the mouth lining to heal faster. Working with a hugely enthusiastic pair of dentists, and in collaboration with our local hospital charity, we acquired an LED-based photobiomodulation system. We put together detailed information on how to use it, how to clean it, and (after a beautiful bit of co-design and qualitative research from Dr. Claudia Heggie), a film made with young patients to explain it.
Now, despite my slight incredulity that shining what looks like a fancy red torch on someone would make them feel better, we use it frequently. We’ve massively reduced the severity of mucositis in our transplant unit and reduced the numbers of patients who've needed TPN (all your “food” fed through your central line). We’ve had patients travel from long distances to get some red light magic to feel better. We’ve seen requests from around the country asking how other units in the UK can get it going. Which makes us sound great, but it should be noted that this only got going because the POGO guidelines were there. Not wishy washy “expert” statements from the manufacturers of these devices, but guidelines with solidity and seriously interrogated evidence. This quality of document helps us persuade the administrative teams who need to control the finances of our hospitals that the intervention is truly likely to help our patients, and maybe even save money.
POGO’s Impact Immeasurable
These guidelines, the creation of a team based in Ontario, has spread good things much, much further. POGO, please listen to me, as a “come from away”: your work has power. POGO should be extremely proud of the guidelines they develop, nurture, help to create and support the uptake of. The impact they have around the world is immeasurable.
By Bob Phillips, BMBCh, PhD
Professor of Pediatric Oncology and Director, Candlelighters Supportive Care Centre,
University of York/Hull-York Medical School, UK
Dr. Bob Phillips is a Senior Academic at the Centre for Research and Dissemination and Hull York Medical School and an Honorary Consultant in Pediatric/ Teenage-Young Adult Oncology at Leeds Children's Hospital. Bob is a respected global leader in supportive care management. He spoke at the 2023 POGO Symposium on Childhood Cancer.
POGO Welcomes New CDO, Shannon Caskey
POGO is pleased to welcome Shannon Caskey as our new Chief Development Officer, with oversight for POGO’s fundraising and communications teams, starting April 1, 2024. Shannon succeeds Lynn Wilson who retired from POGO in March and whose outstanding leadership helped raise millions of dollars that have impacted and benefited childhood cancer care in Ontario.
Shannon is a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) who was recently awarded as Best Individual Fundraising Professional by Charity Village. She holds a graduate certificate in Corporate Communications, an Honours BA in English Language & Literature and has work experience at SickKids Foundation, Right to Play Canada and True Patriot Love Foundation.
For the past six years Shannon has served as the inaugural Director of Development at The Darling Home for Kids, where she established an excellent team and developed their fundraising strategy, resulting in significant growth in donors and doubling annual revenue. Shannon was the overall lead on the strategy and execution of The Embrace Campaign, the organization’s largest capital campaign in its history.
Having worked predominantly in organizations supporting children, Shannon is excited to bring her development expertise to her new role at POGO: “To step into the role of POGO’s Chief Development Officer is a true honour. I have long admired the accomplishments of the organization in their mission to achieve the best childhood cancer care system for everyone affected. I look forward to working with the amazing POGO team, donors, volunteers and supporters to continue making an impact to help ensure access to the best care our province can provide.”
Please join us in extending a warm welcome to Shannon.
POGO Welcomes New CEO, Lauren Ettin
POGO is pleased to announce that Lauren Ettin will be joining POGO as our new Chief Executive Officer, beginning April 29, 2024. After an extensive search, Lauren emerged as the ideal candidate to lead our organization into the future. She succeeds Jill Ross who has served admirably in the role since 2018, leading the organization through a critical time and delivering on our commitments to families and children.
"Lauren’s diverse background and wealth of experience across the healthcare system and in pediatrics uniquely position her to lead POGO toward continued excellence and innovation," says James Scognack, POGO Board Chair. "She has a vision for the organization that we share, strong connections with the pediatric community, and a passion for supporting children, youth, and their families, which, among other attributes, make her ideally suited to the role."
Lauren’s career has spanned the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. She has proven herself to be a strategic and entrepreneurial leader, with her most recent role as the founding Executive Director of Kids Health Alliance. In this role, Lauren forged relationships and formal collaborations with and between children’s and community hospitals, associations, and government. In addition, she was instrumental in the work of the Children’s Health Coalition, bringing together a collective voice for the pediatric sector, which resulted in a historic investment of $330M for programs and services across Ontario.
Prior to her time with Kids Health Alliance, Lauren served as the Director of Policy and Member Relations with the Council of Academic Hospitals of Ontario, worked in consulting and spent time in management roles in the Ministry of Health and Cabinet Office.
Lauren shares her excitement about joining the POGO team: “This is a dream opportunity to bring my experience in pediatrics to an organization of such high esteem. I am honoured to be the successful candidate and I look forward to working with the incredible childhood cancer community and all those who so generously invest their resources to ensure everyone affected by childhood cancer has access to the best care and support.”
Please join us in extending a warm welcome to Lauren. We are excited about the future and look forward to the positive impact that Lauren will undoubtedly make as she builds on POGO’s 40-year foundation to further the organization’s mission and vision.
Outstanding Leadership from Our Partner Bruce Power
In 2019, Bruce Power made a five-year pledge of $300,000 to POGO initiatives. The financial investment demonstrated their commitment to provide children and youth with cancer, survivors and families with access to ongoing treatment, care and financial support. But it is the activity that ensued that illustrated their true dedication to champion childhood cancer care.
From catalyzing more champions for POGO, to supporting the ongoing professional development of our healthcare professionals, to delighting our young patients and their families with some extra special fun activities, Bruce Power’s outstanding leadership has distinguished them as a true POGO partner—here for kids with cancer. For now. For life.
Watch this animated video for a snapshot of Bruce Power’s support of POGO.
Forty Years of Progress in Childhood Cancer Care Focus of 2023 POGO Symposium
In 2023, rather than homing in on one specific disease group, we took the opportunity to look broadly at POGO’s 40-year history, and the significant changes in childhood cancer care over four decades. With this broad appeal, more than 215 participants joined the POGO Symposium with representation from nursing, pharmacy, physicians, students, government, allied health and community supporters; a testament to the true team effort required to care for our patients.
Dr. Mark Greenberg, POGO co-founder, opened the two-day event by guiding us from POGO’s inception and the many challenges faced, and the incredible successes along the way, to the important work that remains to be done. It was clear that POGO’s early achievements required tremendous persistence, tenacity and optimism by the founders, and led to POGO becoming a Ministry of Health-funded contributor to the childhood cancer care system. Our respective institutions and the children of this province are so fortunate for the work that has gone into creating and building POGO from the ground up and the vast improvements in childhood cancer care that POGO has facilitated.
A Comprehensive Approach to Childhood Cancer Care
One of the loudest themes that reverberated through this year’s event was the recognition that the best possible cancer care system moving forward will take a holistic approach to treating the child and supporting the family.
We heard about inspiring advances in therapeutics and how novel drugs such as blinatumomab, and entirely new classes of drugs, are showing promise to cure previously incurable cancers. Across all sessions, led by national and international experts, we reflected on improvements in outcomes and strategies for the future across many forms of childhood cancer, including acute lymphoblastic leukemia, neuroblastoma, Hodgkin lymphoma and solid tumours. Taking a step further into the future, Drs. Malkin and Shlien described incredible new technologies that bring together advances in molecular genetics and artificial intelligence, holding the promise to better elucidate the biological differences in seemingly similar tumours and more accurately target treatment to specific biological subtypes.
However, we also had the opportunity to acknowledge that cancer-directed therapy is not the totality of childhood cancer care, and that there are critical elements of high-quality treatment whose value is too often under-appreciated. Dr. Bob Phillips took us on an adventure through the world of supportive care and strategies for implementing clinical practice guidelines, POGO’s included. Dr. Kira Bona discussed the often overlooked and vital need to recognize and intervene on health disparities affecting our patients and their families. Food insecurity and material deprivation can have as big an impact on treatment outcome as many of the conventional prognostic factors we use routinely in clinical practice. Dr. Fiona Schulte spoke about the imperative need to provide psychosocial supports and measurable interventions for our patients, and Maria Talotta shared new opportunities for mental health supports for our patients and their families through Ontario’s Youth Wellness Hubs. As adverse social determinants of health become increasingly prevalent in Canadian society, it is more urgent than ever that we develop methods and infrastructure to reduce their impact on children with cancer.
We must also keep at the forefront of our minds that cure is not where our patients’ cancer journey ends. Many patients are left with late effects, and excellent survivorship care is paramount. Dr. Jennia Michaeli and Stacy Whiteside brought light to the importance of establishing fertility preservation for our patient population as standard of care. Finally, we heard through multiple sessions the inherent value in ensuring that our patients have a voice in their own decision making, and how best to enable this.
Childhood Cancer Survivors Thriving in the Medical Field
We had the pleasure of watching several digital stories from childhood cancer survivors who shared pieces of their journey. Each of these incredible individuals also shared how they were inspired by members of their care team to work in health care, in such roles as a nurse, physician, child life specialist, and program assistant. These stories remind us about the importance of the role we, as care providers, each play in the lives of our young patients.
The Path Ahead
We had the incredible opportunity to hear from a diverse panel about where the next healthcare dollars should be spent in improving care. We heard about the importance of integrating health disparities studies and interventions into our frontline trials, the need for improved psychosocial supports for patients and families, and the future potential of gene sequencing for both early detection and targeted therapy in childhood cancer. Chantelle Bacon and Iain Macri of Fight Like Mason Foundation and Mason’s parents, emphasized the need to provide education and support to physicians in recognizing red flags to enable earlier suspicion and diagnoses of childhood cancers. At the end, it was clear that a comprehensive approach that encompasses all of these elements is imperative.
POGO has shown us over 40 years that we are better together and that our collaboration and collegiality is what builds our successes. Cheers to 40 years of POGO and to the successes to come!
By Dr. Jennifer Seelisch, Director, Pediatric Undergraduate Medical Education, Children’s Hospital, London Health Sciences Centre. Dr. Seelisch was the 2023 recipient of the inaugural POGO Early Career Professional Award.
POGO Pre-Symposium Nursing Seminar Amplifies Nursing Perspective on Childhood Cancer Care
By Denise Mills
On Thursday, November 2, POGO’s 2023 Pre-Symposium Nursing Day presented a rich offering of niche programming that attracted more than 130 nurses and other allied healthcare professionals from across Canada.
Dr. Kitty Montgomery set the stage by discussing Patient Reported Outcomes (PROs), a theme that resonated throughout the entire Symposium. She highlighted how nurses are uniquely positioned to help children voice their symptoms, which is critical to patient-centred care. In her presentation on bioethics at the bedside, Dr. Kim Pyke-Grimm brought the issue of moral distress to the forefront and provided examples of ethics liaison programs.
We heard from many of Ontario’s skilled nurse practitioners as they shared their knowledge and leadership in such areas as late effects of neuroblastoma, skin care for patients receiving MEK inhibitors and providing care with blinatumomab.
The importance of supportive care was a central theme of the day. Dr. Lindsay Jibb shared her findings from her study on “Parental Distress and Trauma in Parents of Children Diagnosed with ALL.” We were also transported into the world of preventing and managing mucositis and how nursing can play a role in implementing clinical practice guidelines. We learned about the role that nurses play in providing care and discussing sensitive topics when caring for adolescent and young adult cancer patients and survivors, and we explored essential knowledge and skills to bring into practice when caring for children with cancer and autism.
Nurses comprise the highest number of healthcare professionals working in pediatric oncology, and this day was important in bringing these clinicians together from across Ontario and beyond to share and discuss nursing practice in caring for patients and families faced with a childhood cancer diagnosis.
Congratulations to the 2023 POGO Recognition Awards Recipients
On Friday, November 3, Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario celebrated the recipients of the 2023 POGO Recognition Awards at a Celebratory Dinner. Established in 1999, the awards acknowledge significant contributions of Ontarians to the field of childhood cancer care in Ontario and beyond. Award recipients work in POGO partner hospitals and demonstrate POGO’s core values of partnership, collaboration and excellence. Congratulations to the 2023 recipients!
POGO Champion Award
The POGO Champion Award acknowledges excellence, leadership, innovation and collaboration in the field of childhood cancer care by an individual over the course of a career. Recipients have a strong history of participating in POGO initiatives, programs or services in a POGO partner hospital. They have demonstrated an exceptional commitment to achieving the best childhood cancer care system through their work within Ontario, for the benefit of children and youth with cancer, survivors, and/or their families in Ontario or beyond.
Elizabeth Cairney, MD, FRCPC
Medical Director, Pediatric Oncology AfterCare Clinic, Children’s Hospital, London Health Sciences Centre
In recognition of her career devotion to pediatric oncology, exceptional leadership, and commitment to excellence and quality care that has benefited patients and families, those she mentors and all with whom she collaborates, in Ontario and beyond.
POGO Visionary Award
The POGO Visionary Award acknowledges an individual or team for an outstanding specific/single contribution to advancing the childhood cancer care system in Ontario for the benefit of children and youth with cancer, survivors, and/or their families. Recipients are agents of change whose work, as part of a POGO initiative, program or service in a POGO partner hospital, exemplifies the visionary efforts that led to POGO’s creation in 1983.
Paul Nathan, MD, MSc, FRCPC
Head, Solid Tumour Section & Director, AfterCare Program, The Hospital for Sick Children
In recognition of his outstanding contributions to clinical research, teaching and program development in the field of childhood cancer survivorship, which have had sustained impact in Ontario and beyond.
Tejinder (TJ) Bains, BSc (Pharm), ACPR
Oncology Pharmacist, Oncology Pharmacy Team Lead and Beacon Business Systems Analyst, CHEO
In recognition of her exemplary contributions, resourcefulness and tireless dedication to the care of childhood cancer patients, in Ontario and beyond.
POGO Nursing Leadership Award
The POGO Nursing Leadership Award recognizes an individual in the field of pediatric oncology nursing who demonstrates passion, vision and energy for childhood cancer care, and a commitment to a patient-family-survivor-centred approach. Recipients show leadership in ensuring the nursing perspective informs various aspects of childhood cancer care, which may include service delivery, system planning, quality improvement, knowledge transfer, professional development and/or research. Recipients have participated in POGO initiatives, programs or services, and/or work in a POGO partner hospital. They are well respected by hospital healthcare teams, patients, families, survivors and administrative leaders.
Vicky Wilton, RN, BPHE
POGO Interlink Nurse, Northeast Cancer Centre, Health Sciences North
In recognition of her role as an outstanding leader, mentor, advocate, clinician and partner in the evidenced-based nursing care of those impacted by childhood cancer, throughout all stages of their journey, in Northern Ontario, and beyond.
POGO Early Career Professional
Recognizes an early-career professional of any discipline who has demonstrated outstanding dedication, commitment and leadership as part of a multidisciplinary team caring for children and youth with cancer, survivors, and/or their families. Recipients work in a POGO partner hospital and go above and beyond to exemplify POGO’s commitment to achieving an excellent childhood cancer care system by contributing their expertise in a voluntary capacity.
Jennifer Seelisch, MD, MSc, FRCPC (Pediatric Hematology/Oncology)
Director, Pediatric Undergraduate Medical Education, Children's Hospital, London Health Sciences Centre
In recognition of her outstanding commitment and contributions to childhood cancer care that have positioned her as an emerging thought leader in pediatric oncology, in Ontario and beyond.
POGO Community Partner Impact
Recognizes outstanding philanthropic contributions to advance POGO’s mission and vision. Recipients demonstrate a commitment to charitable responsibility and their altruism and leadership may have inspired others to give back to POGO.
Kate, Jack & Meghan Beswick
In recognition of their outstanding and steadfast philanthropic leadership that has inspired a new generation of donors, connections and community in support of POGO’s mission and childhood cancer care.
“The 2023 POGO Recognition Awards is a very important night to the community of pediatric oncology. For the Children’s Hospital, LHSC team tonight is especially significant. Dr. Cairney was my mentor as a medical student. To have her receive the POGO Champion Award, truly a lifetime achievement award, with me as the Division Lead, on the same night I am honored to be presenting an Early Career Professional Award to Dr. Jennifer Seelisch is so very humbling. The London Children’s Hospital team is just so proud.”
Dr. Alexandra Zorzi, Children's Hospital, London Health Sciences Centre
POGO Announces CEO Search
Message from POGO Board Chair James Scongack
The team at the Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario (POGO), along with our many dedicated partners, continues to work as hard as we can every day to ensure everyone affected by childhood cancer has access to the best care and support. The organization has continued to make substantial progress in many areas and we are committed to building on this going forward.
This progress and passion doesn’t happen without strong leadership and dedication. Jill Ross has served as the CEO of POGO since 2018 and has been instrumental in this progress as a true champion and leader of this important work. Jill has informed us of her intention to step down as the CEO after a very successful tenure. Jill remains wholeheartedly committed to POGO’s mission, and to her ongoing work with you, our partners in childhood cancer care.
The Board has commenced a formal search process for Jill’s successor. This process is being led by a Board-appointed CEO Search Committee and we’ve retained Boyden, given their extensive experience in executive search and the health/not-for-profit sector, to advance this important process in a comprehensive manner. Following consultation and incorporating feedback from the Board, senior staff, partners and other stakeholders, the posting for this role has been made public and can be found here. Questions about the posting can be addressed to Boyden.
Through this process, we will take the time to ensure we find a CEO that meets the needs for the future of POGO and will update you when this process is completed.
In the meantime, it's business as usual for POGO. We will continue the important work to move the organization forward, advancing the supports, engagement and actions to achieve an excellent childhood cancer care system for children, youth, survivors, and their families and healthcare teams, in Ontario and beyond.