In the News Archives

Nurse Practitioner is POGO’s Provincial Lead in Pediatric Oncology Nursing

Posted on November 8, 2021 by Claire Slaughter

Denise Mills is a Master of Nursing, Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, who began her nursing career over 20 years ago. She is one of those rare people with a true passion for what she does. In fact, when asked about her work, she says, “it’s a privilege to care for a child with cancer.” More than likely, it is this enthusiasm and her significant training, experience and expertise that, in 2018, led to Denise being chosen as POGO’s provincial clinical lead in pediatric oncology nursing.

Denise’s strong interest in multidisciplinary pediatric oncology education ensures the nursing perspective informs all aspects of POGO’s work in system planning, service delivery, quality improvement, education and research.

“I am proud of the work I have been able to participate in at POGO that contributes to our mission,” Denise says. “This includes partnering with Camp Oochigeas to host a retreat for pediatric oncology healthcare professionals across the province to share and learn about resilience; and bringing the nursing voice to POGO’s organizational strategy, programs and work on clinical practice guidelines as a member of POGO’s supportive care committee. I am also humbled to work closely with the POGO Interlink Nurses across Ontario who care for and support patients, and their families, throughout their cancer journey.”

Since her first introduction to POGO in the mid-1990s, Denise has been an avid member of several POGO committees and contributor to many POGO initiatives. She has been actively involved in the planning committees of several POGO multidisciplinary symposia on childhood cancer, including the 2018 Pre-Symposium Nursing Seminar, and has been a member of the POGO Board of Directors. Denise now co-chairs the POGO Nursing Committee with Brennah Holley, a nurse educator at CHEO. In 2020, the Nursing Committee presented two webinars: Supporting Children through COVID-19 and Good Grief! Fostering Healthy Grief in Ourselves and Those We Support.

Denise’s research interest is in patient/family education and she is a recipient of a POGO Seed Grant that funded her published study (2021) Improving Quality and Consistency in Family Education Prior to First Discharge Following a Pediatric Cancer Diagnosis. Denise has contributed to quality improvement and innovation projects, she sits on many prestigious committees, including the Children’s Oncology Group’s (COG) Nursing Steering Committee as the chair of the education sub-committee, and is a protocol nurse for the COG Neuroblastoma and Renal Committee. She has addressed delegates at numerous conferences, contributed countless poster presentations globally and is a member of several professional associations.

Denise Mills is seconded to POGO (two days a week) from The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) where she works in the Solid Tumour, New Agents and Innovative Therapy, MIBG Program, and actively participates in leadership roles at the hospital.

LifeLabs and POGO: More than a Corporate Partnership

Posted on September 13, 2021 by Claire Slaughter

From our first meeting with LifeLabs, we knew we were entering into a relationship that would go beyond the typical corporate sponsorship, but we had no idea how rich the collaboration would turn out to be.

In August 2017, LifeLabs pledged $200,000 to POGO, becoming the “Proud Partner” of our Pajamas and Pancakes fundraising campaign. Over the past four years, that pledge has turned into a total of $276,149.83 (to date!), and our relationship with LifeLabs and its employees has evolved and grown greatly over that time. Together, we are improving patient care and transforming the cancer journey for children, youth, their families and survivors in Ontario and beyond.

Raising Funds and Building Awareness

LifeLabs’ endorsement of POGO’s Pajamas and Pancakes Program, a fun and flexible do-it-yourself fundraiser, has not only helped POGO raise more than $276K over the years (including fundraising campaigns generated from their own staff!), but also involved a widespread advertising campaign on GO trains and other media across the GTA to help raise awareness about the program and childhood cancer.

Their annual investment in the POGO Multidisciplinary Symposium has helped our healthcare professionals remain at the forefront of the rapidly advancing field of pediatric oncology.

Supporting Families

As an organization that has been committed to building a healthier Canada for over 50 years, LifeLabs understands the toll cancer treatment can take on our families. In 2019, together with London Health Sciences Centre, we piloted a drop-in blood collection program at select LifeLabs service centres to make it easier for families with children fighting cancer to access lab testing that is required to inform treatment decisions. Lab results were available within 12 hours, saving families both time and money.

“We know that when LifeLabs and its employees contribute to POGO, we are helping children and families access the best available care and supportive services during a very difficult time,” says Charles Brown, President and CEO, LifeLabs. “One of LifeLabs’ core values is caring and our employees live that value by supporting incredible organizations in communities across Canada every day.”

Getting Involved

Whether they are attending POGO events or volunteering at community events to benefit our families across Ontario, LifeLabs’ employees go the extra mile. In 2019, the LifeLabs’ Sudbury Fun Day held at the POGO Satellite Clinic in the Northeast Cancer Centre brought games, crafts, PJs, gift cards and smiles to over 30 families in treatment. This year, 81 employees signed up for the Toronto Women’s Run with all funds raised benefitting POGO and the families we serve.

At POGO, we value our partnerships and we are inspired by our passionate donors who share our vision. Thank you LifeLabs!

Written by Lynn Wilson, POGO’s Chief Development Officer responsible for the planning and management of POGO’s fundraising, communications and government engagement initiatives.

Support from LifeLabs has helped provide financial assistance to families so they can pay for out-of-pocket costs associated with their child’s treatment, support survivors with customized school and work counselling when their disease or its treatment has left them with learning challenges, and fund promising research that examines the impact of childhood cancer and its treatment.

Welcome new POGO Board Chair – James Scongack

Posted on July 28, 2021 by Claire Slaughter

Hon. Stephen Goudge and the Board of Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario (POGO) are pleased to announce James Scongack as the new Chair of the POGO Board of Directors.

For a number of years, James and his wife, Jenny, have been actively involved on several fronts to further POGO’s mission. They have provided advice, raised awareness and secured support from many community champions of childhood cancer care. James will continue to serve as Chair of the POGO Development Cabinet, a volunteer advisory committee supporting POGO’s fundraising and outreach goals and strategies. He is also an advocate within Canada’s cancer care space, as a longtime and ongoing supporter of the Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada and as Chair of the Canadian Nuclear Isotope Council. He also serves on the Board of Directors of LifeLabs.

Outside of his volunteer work, James is currently the Chief Development Officer and Executive Vice-President of Operational Services at Bruce Power and has been recognized as one of Canada’s Top 40 under 40®.

“I’m honoured to continue my volunteer involvement with POGO working with my Board colleagues, a strong management team, committed volunteers, families and passionate care providers to ensure we do everything we can to support children, youth, survivors and their families who are impacted by cancer,” says James. “POGO has made a profound difference to my family and many others across the province and I want to recognize the Hon. Stephen Goudge for his leadership as POGO Board Chair, and Dr. Mark Greenberg, one of POGO’s founders, who treated my wife when she was diagnosed with cancer at the age of two. I also thank the countless others who built this great, internationally recognized organization that is so important to so many families. Under the leadership of Jill Ross as Chief Executive Officer and Dr. David Hodgson as Medical Director, we will all continue to build on the POGO success story.”

As POGO welcomes James, the Board and organization also thank Hon. Stephen Goudge for seven years of remarkable leadership. We are extremely grateful for Stephen’s guidance through the completion of our fifth Childhood Cancer Care Plan in 2018, a new strategic organizational plan in 2019 and his support of our important work in diversity, equity and inclusion. In handing the reins to James, Stephen says, “I am delighted that James will be taking over as Chair. I have every confidence in James, whose ability to build consensus will serve POGO well in the years to come. His commitment has been unwavering, his business acumen extraordinary and his vision strongly aligns with the organization’s goals.”

Please join us in welcoming James and thanking Stephen!

Learn more about POGO.

Finding Strength by Embracing my Vulnerability

Posted on April 26, 2021 by Claire Slaughter

Dealing with trauma, anxiety and depression as a two-time leukemia survivor, Marell Tomeh shares her story

When I was 19, I was starting to make decisions about where my life would take me. I was planning a trip with friends, working hard at university and thinking long-term about my aspirations. This came to a sudden halt the moment I was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

I cancelled my trip, but didn’t want to burden my friends with my bad news. I had always been the one to support other people, rarely asking for help myself. To protect my vulnerability and preserve some sense of normalcy, I kept my diagnosis private, and in retrospect, this is probably the worst thing I could have done.

I spent much of the next two years of my treatment worrying about who knew what, and about people seeing me without hair and potentially judging my significant weight gain, not knowing the steroids I was taking contributed to this. The medication caused my mood to fluctuate, making my mental health harder to manage. I had trouble managing my expectations of myself, comparing myself to my peers and feeling a sense of urgency to “catch up.”

Virtual Counselling can Help Childhood Cancer Survivors

I fell into a deep depression and it took some time to acknowledge it and admit that I was struggling. I became more and more anxious in public and social settings. I developed a stutter and felt as though I had lost my sense of humour and ability to engage in conversation. Socializing became awkward and uncomfortable, and schoolwork became frustrating.

A few years after my treatment ended, I relapsed. This time, I needed a bone marrow donor and had no choice but to open up about my cancer. This made a huge difference in my mental health and my healing. I stopped seeing vulnerability as a weakness and, as a result, quit being so afraid.

A cancer diagnosis interrupts life. As a young adult with cancer I feel like my life milestones have been pushed back and I am falling further behind all of my peers. Before my diagnosis, I took pride in knowing I worked well under pressure and could multitask with ease. I thought getting back to school would help me get back to ”normal,” but I am still struggling with “chemo brain’” and dealing with the repercussions—mental and physical—that come with cancer, and find it all too stressful and overwhelming.

Surviving Childhood Cancer: From Confidence Buster to Confidence Builder

After going through something as traumatic as cancer, my stress response has become more sensitive. So, I have decided to take some time away from school and work to care for myself. I am re-examining my priorities and figuring out how to build a meaningful life that can also support my real-world concerns, like finding health coverage for my ongoing medical expenses.

My goal is to use my cancer experience to help other people. I want to create a safe space for other patients and survivors to express themselves and support their healing. Nothing good comes from leaving your wounds unattended but we can find strength in acknowledging and embracing them.

Marell Tomeh is a two-time leukemia survivor and bone marrow transplant recipient. As a young adult cancer survivor, Marell shares her story and hopes to shed light on the obstacles associated with trauma, anxiety and depression.

Marell shared her story first-hand on May 14 at 2021 POGO AfterCare Education Day, where she spoke about The Lived Experience: Navigating School and Work after Cancer.

Virtual Counselling to Help Childhood Cancer Survivors

Posted on April 14, 2021 by Claire Slaughter

A conversation about the mental health of childhood cancer survivors with registered psychotherapist Carly Fleming.

Q: How are the mental health needs of childhood cancer survivors unique?

A: Individuals who experience cancer as a child often carry the pieces of this experience with them into adulthood. This could be in the form of lasting physical pain/impairments or emotional trauma resulting from their treatment. They may also experience worry and anxiety about their future health, grief from losing friends to childhood cancer and guilt that they survived, or changes in family dynamics that came about as a result of their cancer. This is all a heavy load to carry. Often in childhood or the teen years, they aren’t emotionally ready to process the enormity of these things. But once adulthood arrives, the true weight and gravity of childhood experiences can come to light, resulting in mental health challenges. Survivors often feel that there is something wrong with them if they are still struggling years after being “cured.” Each person will experience things differently, but it makes sense that childhood cancer survivors may need to work through the emotional issues they are facing in order to live life to the fullest.

Q: What do you think healthcare teams can do to help their patients’ mental health?

A: The answer to this is simple. Ask good questions. Of course, asking good questions isn’t as easy as it may seem. When we ask good questions, we are open to any answers, not just the ones we predict or want to hear. When we ask good questions, we try to stay away from yes/no responses and leave room for complex, nuanced answers. When we ask good questions, we recognize that there may be uncomfortable silences, or the answers may make us feel uncomfortable, and that’s ok. When we ask good questions, we lead with curiosity.

Q: What has changed about counselling during COVID-19?

A: Before COVID-19, we had the technology to offer virtual counselling but rarely used it. In the past year, the vast majority of mental health services have gone virtual, forcing clinicians and clients to adjust quickly. I think the most significant change has been in our attitudes towards virtual counselling. We used to look at it as a second option, a sub-optimal choice when in-person meetings weren’t possible. This means some clinicians and clients weren’t fully bought into the idea of counselling this way. Now that we have been forced to adapt quickly to this modality, we have seen the good things about in-person counselling happen virtually. Plus, we are able to connect with people who live far away or have difficulty travelling to in-person settings. From the standpoint of counselling, the pandemic has created incredible opportunities to connect in ways that make it far less burdensome for our clients.

Q: Do you prefer virtual counselling? What are the challenges when treating a childhood cancer survivor virtually instead of in person?

A: It can take a little longer to establish a new relationship between counsellor and client online. Without the in-person connection, we sometimes have to work harder and be more patient before the wonderful feeling of connection arrives. This can be problematic when the client feels apprehensive about meeting with a counsellor. Arranging a few shorter meetings to get through the initial “meet and greet” or intake questions can help. Making sure we take time to make a connection in non-clinical terms is also really important. Just some simple chatting about their life and sharing of some common ground can make a huge difference. Another challenge is ensuring the client’s full attention to the online meeting. When we used to meet in person, clients would come into our office and have very few other demands/distractions. Now that clients connect with us from their homes/offices/cars, there are many other demands on their attention. Vulnerability is compromised when they aren’t in a private, quiet space.

Q: What do you mean by vulnerability?

A: To truly explore what is meaningful to an individual, we need to get them to take down their defences. Many survivors put on a brave face, but that is not where the healing and transformation occur. Vulnerability is essential to good mental health care.

Q: At POGO AfterCare Education Day, what do you hope to convey in your session?

A: I hope to convey optimism about how the move to virtual counselling during the pandemic is an opportunity to create more accessible mental health care for childhood cancer survivors. I want to share some of the experiences and insights that I have gathered after the past year of providing virtual psychotherapy. Lastly, I plan to highlight some specific safety measures to ensure we are ready to help our clients should we identify in a virtual appointment that their safety may be at risk.

I am looking forward to learning from the other presenters about their experience in providing care to childhood cancer survivors over this challenging year.

Carly Fleming is a Registered Psychotherapist and founder of everwell Integrated Health Professionals, a virtual counselling group in Hamilton, Ontario, offering a range of services to guide meaning and healing. She has worked as a counsellor in private practice and various healthcare settings for over 15 years, specializing in grief and loss, parenting, coping with illness, and life transitions.

You can hear from Carly first-hand at POGO AfterCare Education Day, where she will be presenting with Pediatric Psychologist, Sara Ahola-Kohut about Optimizing Online Mental Health Counselling for Childhood Cancer Survivors. To see the full program and register, click here.

Blog

Dealing with trauma, anxiety and depression as a two-time leukemia survivor, Marell Tomeh shares her story

A conversation about the mental health of childhood cancer survivors with registered psychotherapist Carly Fleming.