I first entered the world of childhood cancer as a counsellor at Camp Trillium in the year 2000. It quickly became apparent that this week away was often the only break that these families would get from their time at the hospital.
Fast forward to today, I am now a pediatric oncologist. I am the person who tells families their child has cancer. Often I get to tell them their child is cured and watch the relief flood over their faces. But for 1 out of every 5 kids, I still have to say “the cancer is back, and it might take your child’s life.” In addition, as the Medical Director of the POGO AfterCare program at McMaster Children’s Hospital in Hamilton, I see in my practice that surviving cancer isn’t the end of the story. As many as 60% of survivors will experience at least one chronic health problem due to their cancer and/or its treatment.
Since becoming an oncologist, I have been privileged to get to walk the cancer journey with so many kids and families. That is why three years ago, I upgraded my commuter tank with a basket to a road bike to ride in support of kids’ cancer care. Since then, I’ve been hooked. I love the feeling of sunshine on my back, and watching the scenery race by on a gorgeous day outside. This year, I am taking it to the next level and riding across Canada in Coast to Coast’s National Kids Cancer Ride taking place from September 4 – 21, 2019.
I am riding to support organizations that I’ve seen make a tangible difference to our families–the Children’s Hospitals (including mine!), the cancer camps, advocacy and support organizations, research funding and more. I am riding for our families–the ones who lost kids, those who are still supporting childhood cancer survivors, and the ones that are facing a brand new diagnosis. I am also riding for my dad who passed away after his own second cancer relapse this past year. I got to hear the words I often say, “His cancer is now incurable”…so I am riding in the hope that one day we’ll never have to say or hear those words again.
For those not familiar, this ride equates to about 150km/day for 18 days, as we cycle across Canada from Vancouver to Halifax during Childhood Cancer Awareness month in September. The ride raises funds through the Coast to Coast Against Cancer Foundation, which supports so many programs for our families affected by childhood cancer. Please consider supporting me here through donations: http://staceymarjerrison.nationalkidscancerride.com, as well as spreading the word.
I will be posting updates on my twitter feed and instagram accounts @staceymarj. I hope you will follow along as this journey continues, and that you come out to cheer us on as we ride through your city!
The idea for the Kitchener Kids with Cancer Run/Walk came to me while I was running in my first half marathon in 2013. These races can be very inspirational. There are people cheering at the side of the road encouraging the runners with signs like, “Smile if you don’t have underwear on” and “The pain goes away, but electronic results last forever.” Although these signs put a smile on my face, my personal reasons for completing the race were all the memories of the kids I have been blessed to meet in my role as a pediatric oncologist at Grand River Hospital. If they could endure what we put them through when they are fighting cancer, then surely I could make it to the end. The idea to organize a race to raise money for children with cancer came to me that day, growing with each kilometre, and by the time I crossed the finish line, I had the beginning of a plan.
A few months later, I met with the organizers of the half marathon and convinced them to help put my plan into action. That first year, in 2014, the Kitchener Kids with Cancer Run/Walk took place at the back of the hospital in the doctors’ parking lot. Patients and families attended, we had about 135 participants and we raised $17,000 in support of POGO and the services they provide to our young patients and their families. We thought this was a great success. Little did we know that this race would grow to be a huge event, touching the lives of many in the community.
We have since outgrown the hospital parking lot. The race now takes place at the Waterloo Region Museum, attracting close to 600 participants. In 2018 we raised $68,652.68 for POGO. It is incredible to see how a community can come together to fight for such a great cause. Children’s hockey teams participate, a local church closes for the day to walk, run or volunteer, and our beloved Kitchener Rangers hockey team comes out to support this event. This race has turned into a way to support the kids who are currently fighting cancer and to remember those who have lost their battle. I am thankful to all of the families that I have had the pleasure of caring for and for the wonderful committee members who are the real reason that this race is such a success.
The 2019 Kitchener Kids with Cancer run takes place on Sunday, September 8. Everyone is welcome and we look forward to seeing you all there. Learn more at www.kwrunforpogo.com
Dr. Jodi Rosner was awarded the Friends of POGO Award at the 2018 POGO Symposium in Toronto.
I was seven years old, living in South Korea, when I was diagnosed with a brain tumour and treated with a 12-hour surgery at Seoul National University Hospital. I can still remember the atmosphere in the operating room—it was cold and not a friendly setting for kids. As a young boy in an adult hospital it was very scary, but my dad was with me and comforted me until I fell asleep. The surgeon was not able to remove the entire tumour because it was pressing against my optic nerve, so I have been left with low vision and weakness on the left side of my body.
My family moved to Canada when I was 10 years old because my parents wanted better opportunities and better medical care for me. Shortly after we arrived, I developed severe headaches and was hospitalized at McMaster Children’s Hospital in Hamilton. I was diagnosed with hydrocephalus, an accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid within my brain, likely related to my tumour. This typically causes increased pressure inside the skull. The setting of this hospital was very different from the one I was treated at in South Korea. The staff at McMaster are used to children and made me feel very comfortable about my treatment and medical procedures. I received a shunt implant that will remain in me for the rest of my life. A shunt is a tube that is inserted to divert the fluid away from my brain and, luckily, I have lived headache-free since then.
As part of my follow-up care, I receive MRIs every six months at a POGO AfterCare Clinic. In 2010, the test showed my tumour had grown. I received 70 cycles of chemo over an 18-month period. It shrunk the tumour a bit and it has remained stable ever since. I guess because of all my experiences in childhood, I always knew I wanted to work with children when I grew up. When I was ready to apply to post-secondary, I started to work with a POGO academic and vocational counsellor who helped me with the transition from high school to college. She helped me with things like adapting to new academic pressures and getting special accommodations because of my vision and mobility impairments.
I am proud to say I have graduated from Mohawk College with a degree in Child and Youth Care and I got a job at the YMCA afterschool program. I facilitate activities for kids in Grades 3 and 4. I love it because the kids are honest and energetic. I recently applied for and was offered the position of workshop facilitator for POGO’s Survivor-to-Survivor Network where I will use my personal experience to lead discussions on topics that are relevant to other childhood cancer survivors. Topics include employment, education, advocacy and self-disclosure. Self-disclosure can be a tough topic to tackle. The workshop revolves around how childhood cancer survivors disclose information about their disease, its treatment and resulting health complications to future employers and other people they are close to. It focuses on changing the language around any impairments they have, to describing what they CAN do. As survivors, we have overcome many difficult situations in life and we are stronger for it, more resilient. We have a lot to offer employers who are willing to see past our disabilities. I am excited for this opportunity to be a POGO workshop facilitator because I want to empower survivors to overcome the barriers that have resulted from their cancer and not let these challenges hinder what they can achieve in life. Because of the support I received from POGO academic and vocational counsellors, I was accepted to college, I have a diploma and I was able to gain relevant work experience. I just want the same for other survivors.
Jillian Ross, RN, MBA, BScN, is now POGO’s Chief Executive Officer. Previously, Jill was the Director, Cancer System Quality Improvement Initiatives at Cancer Care Ontario (CCO) where she oversaw work on new models of cancer care delivery, quality measurement and system-level improvement initiatives. Additionally, she established new provincial programs and was instrumental in expanding and formalizing CCO’s approach to engaging clinicians in its work. Jill has worked in the hospital sector and other healthcare settings, holding positions as a frontline nurse and clinical educator, as well as leadership roles.
“Jill brings to POGO impressive expertise in patient care, health services administration, and policy and government relations, as well as a commitment to client-centred, data- and evidence-driven improvement in healthcare services,” says Stephen Goudge, President, POGO Board of Directors. “The Board has no doubt that under her leadership POGO will continue to see innovations in our programs, services, and community partnerships that benefit all of Ontario’s children with cancer, their families and the healthcare professionals who care for them. We invite our supporters to join us in welcoming Jill to POGO.”
As POGO’s Associate Medical Director, Dr. Gibson provides oversight for POGO’s seven Satellite Clinics including clinical practice and professional development training. He also chairs POGO’s Technology and Therapeutic Advisory Committee (TAC) that works to ensure timely and equitable access to state-of-the-art cancer treatment to all children in Ontario. Dr. Gibson was a member of the executive committee of the Provincial Pediatric Oncology Plan (PPOP), POGO’s long-range plan for childhood cancer care in Ontario. He is also a pediatric oncologist, and recently joined the team at McMaster Children’s Hospital in Hamilton. He is also an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at McMaster University.
Q. What does Childhood Cancer Awareness Month (CCAM) mean for you?
Dr. Gibson: September is a time to celebrate collaboration. It’s a time to acknowledge the team efforts that lead to the remarkable outcomes in children’s cancer. It’s the families, the doctors, the nurses, the child life specialists, pharmacists, rehabilitation professionals, information coordinators, volunteers, tertiary hospitals and satellite centres. The saying is that it takes a village to raise a child. Well, it takes a province to care for families impacted by childhood cancer.
Q. What led you to pediatric oncology?
Dr. Gibson: As an undergraduate student, I worked as a counsellor at a variety of summer camps for kids with special needs and interacted with pediatric oncology patients and the dedicated professionals caring for them. It was here that my interest in oncology was sparked. I spent two summers in Alberta where I had the pleasure of working with Kids Cancer Camps of Alberta. Once in medical school, I was fortunate enough to be granted a studentship to spend the summer working with the pediatric oncology team at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO). My experience there cemented my goal to become part of this world. I was fortunate to train in pediatric oncology at SickKids and then spend 10 amazing years working as part of the team at Children’s Hospital in London.
Q. What aspects of your work bring you the greatest joy, challenge or sadness?
Dr. Gibson: When I tell people I work in childhood cancer, their first response tends to be, ‘It must be so sad.’ I always explain that while the bad days can be awful, the vast majority of days are filled with laughter, levity and team work. Day to day we see our patients enjoying the moment, playing with their families, nurses, child life specialists, therapeutic clowns and volunteers. The biggest challenge still lies in the fact that we don’t cure every patient. Our team is profoundly impacted by challenges such as relapses and patients we can’t cure. It’s important for us to lean on each other in those hard times.
Q. When and why did you become involved with POGO?
Dr. Gibson: I first became involved with POGO as a trainee at SickKids. I participated in the annual POGO symposiums and enjoyed being part of the collective provincial community. I also had the chance to be a presenter during the Satellite Education Days and learn more about the communities served. When I joined the team in London in 2010, I came to appreciate the important job POGO plays in ensuring excellence and equity in kids’ cancer care throughout the province. POGO not only serves as the official advisor to the Ministry of Health, but also an important facilitator of collaboration and cooperation between professionals caring for children with cancer throughout Ontario.
Q. What mark do you want to make as POGO’s Associate Medical Director and as an oncologist?
Dr. Gibson: POGO’s successes over the past 30+ years have been built on the backs of dedicated volunteers and leaders. As the Associate Medical Director, I wish to make my mark by not only continuing the programs, relationships and advocacy of the past, but also to play a role in helping to usher in new therapies and technologies to improve childhood cancer outcomes for all patients in Ontario.
Q. If you could say one thing to the families and children in your career, what would that be?
Dr. Gibson: I would say, “Thank you!” It’s an incredible privilege to be ‘let in’ to their family dynamic at a time most would say is their worst. Not only do families allow us to work with them and care for their child, but so many also participate in research and clinical trials knowing that the knowledge we gain may never impact their child, but may improve the care and outcomes of countless children in the future.
Q. What would be your call to action to Ontarians for CCAM?
Dr. Gibson: Ontarians must make childhood cancer research a priority. While more children survive childhood cancer now than ever before, too many young lives are still lost every year. We must ensure Ontario children have access to clinical trials that will aim to improve outcomes and minimize long-term complications. We must also ensure that we take our best efforts to care for those who survive but are left with immense health challenges and also those who will not be cured and deserve the same world- class care at the end of life.
Dr. Gibson graduated medical school from Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, in 2004 and started training in pediatrics at BC Children’s Hospital. He has practiced pediatric hematology and oncology exclusively since starting his subspecialty training at Sick Kids in 2007.
Dr. Gibson served as Physician Lead for the creation and implementation of a variety of computerized provider order entry efforts in Southwestern Ontario, both within and beyond oncology. He has participated in a variety of research endeavours aimed at improving symptoms and quality of life in children and adolescents undergoing cancer therapy.
Dr. Gibson is an avid sports and music fan and when he’s off duty attends Blue Jays’ and Toronto Leafs’ games, and supports independent musicians and festivals.
I first entered the world of childhood cancer as a counsellor at Camp Trillium in the year 2000. It quickly became apparent that this week away was often the only break that these families would get from their time at the hospital.
