INTO THE WOODS 3 FABULOUS FALL HIKES
DONATION INSPIRATION
MEET LAUREL BALEY
SUPER SPUDS!
THE HUMBLE POTATO IS TASTY AND NUTRITIOUS
FALL 2021
GOLD STANDARD
CLINICAL TRIALS 101
DEBORAH YEDLIN, JOHN OSLER AND HEATHER CULBERT ARE HELPING MAKE THE CALGARY CANCER CENTRE A REALITY
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CONTENTS
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30 LIVING WITH CANCER Grace Chantiam focused on living in the present with her family. 32 RESEARCH ROCKSTAR Dr. Gwyn Bebb researches innovative therapies to target gene mutations and prevent tumours from growing. 35 MY LEAP United Way helped support vulnerable populations impacted during COVID-19.
FEATURES
18 CLINICAL TRIALS 101 When it comes to clinical trials, Alberta is a leader in the country. These trials are essential to finding new ways to treat, detect and prevent cancer and improve the quality of life for cancer patients. In this issue, we take a closer look at clinical trials and explore the cutting-edge research and studies making a significant impact on diagnoses and patient outcomes.
COLUMNS/DEPARTMENTS 6 FRONT LINE Dr. Miranda Fidler-Benaoudia improves care for young cancer patients. Plus, meet radiologist/chocolatier Dr. Susan Bates. 11 YOUR DONATION MATTERS Your donations to the Enbridge Tour Alberta for Cancer made a difference. COVER PHOTO: JARED SYCH THIS PAGE (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT): JARED SYCH; MATEUSZ NAPIERALSKI; JARED SYCH; TJAŠA ŽURGA ŽABKAR
12 WORKOUT We round up three ideal fall hikes and offer tips for a safe trip.
14 FOOD FOCUS Potatoes are a nutritionpacked vegetable with many lifestyle perks. 16 EXPERT ADVICE Learn best practices for cancer screening during COVID-19 and how to stay healthy during stressful times.
36 TRUE CALLING Radiation therapy manager Trevor Campbell has established a welcoming and supportive environment at the Jack Andy Cancer Centre. 39 IMPACT Lorna and Roger Smith share their first-hand experience with brachytherapy, a cancer treatment that saved Lorna’s life. 40 WHY I DONATE Cancer survivor Laurel Baley is inspired to support future cancer research. 42 GAME CHANGER Opening in 2023, the Calgary Cancer Centre will be a hub for health care, science and research.
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MESSAGE
Groundbreaking Work TRUSTEES
Dr. Chris Eagle (Board Chair) Cathy Allard-Roozen Brian Bale Dr. Stanford Blade Dr. Heather Bryant Dr. Charles Butts Rajko Dodic Brenda Hubley Dr. Dianne Kipnes Chris Kucharski John Lehners Brian McLean Dr. Don Morris Dr. Matthew Parliament Gelaine Pearman Rory J. Tyler (Vice Chair) Tom Valentine Heather Watt Mark Zimmerman
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A few weeks ago, we launched our $250 million campaign for the Calgary Cancer Centre in partnership with the University of Calgary and Alberta Health Services. You will see the happy faces of our cabinet co-chairs on the front cover. They’re smiling for a very good reason. This campaign and this building have been a long time coming. The Tom Baker Cancer Centre has been bursting at the seams for years. Our chairs were among the first to put their hands up when the shovel hit the ground to talk about the role philanthropy can play in making this centre world-class. You can read about their roles and why this cause is so important to them (pg. 42), and why we are ready to “Own.Cancer.” We often hear from patients and families about how out of control a cancer diagnosis can make them feel. Instead, they want to take that ownership back — the more you own cancer, the less it owns us. While work is still being done to ready the new centre for 2023, researchers across the province continue to push new discoveries and ask exciting questions. Take the University of Calgary’s Dr. Miranda Fidler-Benaoudia, for instance (pg. 6). Her work looks to identify who is most at risk for cancer in the adolescent age range and who in that age group will face significant challenges following treatment. And in Edmonton, we are celebrating a
big milestone as the Cross Cancer Institute launches a clinical trial of the first madein-Alberta drug to attack cancer cells (pg. 28). Developed under the work of the Allard Research Chair, held by Dr. Jack Tusznisky for the first 15 years, patients with advanced bladder cancer can join the clinical trial this fall. The trial could also have promise for those with advanced colorectal and pancreatic cancers. Tusznisky has now handed over the reins to Dr. Fred West. We can’t wait to see what comes next. We would be remiss if we did not highlight this issue’s theme: clinical trials. Albertans may be unaware of our groundbreaking clinical trials program. As Dr. Randeep Sangha says in one story (pg. 22), when someone is put on a clinical trial, it will impact more than one life. A good clinical trial has the potential to change the way we treat thousands of people. We are so lucky to have these bright minds across the province changing the cancer landscape close to home and beyond. Thanks to supporters, the Alberta Cancer Foundation is contributing over $3 million to cancer clinical trials in the province this year. And on a light, delicious note, we can’t resist a story about an oncology radiologist by day and award-winning chocolatier by night. Enjoy that sweet story (pg. 8) and this entire issue of Leap.
DR. CHRIS EAGLE, BOARD CHAIR ALBERTA CANCER FOUNDATION WENDY BEAUCHESNE, CEO ALBERTA CANCER FOUNDATION
Fall 2021
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VOL. 11
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NO. 2
ALBERTA CANCER FOUNDATION EDITORS Phoebe Dey and Amy Schimpf MANAGER OF CUSTOM PUBLISHING Meredith Bailey ART DIRECTOR Veronica Cowan STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Jared Sych CONTRIBUTORS Sharon Basaraba, Colleen Biondi, Elizabeth Chorney-Booth, Derek Clouthier, Josianne Dufour, Jason Dziver, Jennifer Friesen, Travis Klemp, Nathan Kunz, Mateusz Napieralski, Karin Olafson, Michaela Ream, Jackie Standing, Colleen Seto, John Ulan, Debby Waldman, Tjaša Žurga Žabkar PUBLISHED FOR Alberta Cancer Foundation Calgary office Suite 300, 1620 29 St. N.W. Calgary, Alberta T2N 4L7 PROVINCIAL OFFICE 710, 10123 99 St. N.W. Edmonton, Alberta T5J 3H1 Tel: 780-643-4400 Toll free: 1-866-412-4222 acfonline@albertacancer.ca
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Having lived with cancer for more than 30 years, Frank is grateful for the incredible research done before his first, second, and third cancer diagnosis. He promises to continue powering this life-saving progress for future generations with a gift in his Will.
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Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to the Edmonton address above. CEO Pete Graves VP PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT & PUBLISHING Käthe Lemon
LEGACY GIVING
Leave a legacy. Consider a gift of life in your Will. albertacancer.ca/legacy
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FRONTLINE FRONT SUPPORTING YOUNG PATIENTS | MEET DR. CHOCOLATE | IMPROVING ACCESS
DR. MIRANDA FIDLERBENAOUDIA IS AN ADJUNCT ASSISTANT PROFESSOR AT THE U OF C AND A CANCER EPIDEMIOLOGIST WITH CANCER CARE ALBERTA
BRIGHT MIND
Dr. Miranda Fidler-Benaoudia is looking to bridge the gaps in cancer care ne consistent theme has driven Dr. Miranda FidlerBenaoudia’s relatively short but impactful research career: addressing the inequalities in health care around the world. Originally from New Jersey, Fidler-Benaoudia went to Boston University to complete her bachelor’s degree in health sciences. Throughout her studies, she paid close attention to health-care systems that had significant racial, income and gender inequalities that people were forced to overcome.
PHOTOS BY JARED SYCH
6 LEAP FALL 2021
FRONT LINE FIDLER-BENAOUDIA IS EXPLORING THE CHALLENGES FACED BY YOUNG CANCER PATIENTS AND SURVIVORS
“If you look in the U.S., you have these inequalities that seem to be growing exponentially, with a gap between those who hold the wealth and those who do not. Without universal health care, that gap continues to grow,” says Fidler-Benaoudia. Witnessing and trying to understand this gap led her to University College London for her master’s degree in social epidemiology, focusing on inequities in cardiovascular disease, and then to the University of Birmingham for a PhD in cancer epidemiology at the Centre for Childhood Cancer Survivor Studies. From there, her research grew. “Through my research into social determinants of health in the U.K., I began to look at the inequalities faced by those who really had no choice at all in the cards they were dealt. I came upon childhood cancer survivors,” says Fidler-Benaoudia. While in the U.K., FidlerBenaoudia contributed to a European-commissioned study working with childhood cancer survivors across 12 different countries. She learned that while, a wealth of research had been done on childhood cancer survivors, young adults aged 15-39 were largely ignored. The project also sparked FidlerBenaoudia’s desire to work with survivors and hear their
stories directly, rather than just dealing with expansive data sets. Today, Fidler-Benaoudia works in Calgary, Alta. as an adjunct assistant professor at the University of Calgary and as a clinical and descriptive cancer epidemiologist in the Department of Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention Research with Cancer Care Alberta, where she focuses on the burden of cancer on adolescents and young adults. By partnering with adolescent and young adult cancer survivors, FidlerBenaoudia assesses the impact cancer treatments and interacting with the health-care system has on young patients. She has found there are significantly different experiences across age groups. “What we started to see did not directly mimic what we saw in children. There are different challenges that this group faces at these very formative ages,” says Fidler-Benaoudia. Her goal is to understand the experiences of those diagnosed with cancer at young ages, along with identifying who is most at risk to develop health problems or experience significant challenges following diagnosis. Since moving to Alberta in 2018, Fidler-Benaoudia has learned more about the
challenges young cancer patients and survivors face. An ongoing project, funded by the Alberta Cancer Foundation, uses “Putting Patients First” surveys completed during Cancer Care Alberta visits to better understand the difficulties young cancer patients face, from diagnosis and into treatment. It also looks at how young adults’ burdens differ from their older counterparts. By using surveys, Fidler-Benaoudia hopes to tap into a patient perspective on symptoms at diagnosis and identify demographic and clinical risk factors that contribute to
high symptom burden. Ultimately, FidlerBenaoudia says she hopes her research can influence policy change and improve both longterm patient outcomes and the health-care system. Central to that mission is partnering and working with patients directly. “It is such a privilege to work with this population,” she says. “Actually being able to speak with them, ask what their journey was, what their experience was with the health-care system, what they want to see change — it’s all so important.”
— TRAVIS KLEMP
myleapmagazine.ca FALL 2021 LEAP 7
FRONT LINE
DR. SUSAN BATES SAYS HER ARTISAN CHOCOLATEMAKING KEEPS HER ESPECIALLY BUSY AROUND HALLOWEEN, CHRISTMAS, VALENTINE’S DAY AND MOTHER’S DAY, WHEN CUSTOMER DEMAND SPIKES
After-Hours Chocolatier Cross Cancer Institute radiologist Dr. Susan Bates’ chocolate-making hobby has led to international acclaim by DEBBY WALDMAN
DR. SUSAN BATES never set out to become a master chocolatier. The Cross Cancer Institute radiologist got hooked on chocolate-making more than 20 years ago because she didn’t want to buy her mother a “boring” Mother’s Day gift. Instead, she signed the two of them up for a truffle-making class. The class was intense — so much so that most of the students, including Bates’ mother, opted not to make chocolate afterwards. Then again, her mother didn’t have to: within 24 hours, Bates had purchased the tools to make chocolates for both of them. “I was always curious and astounded about how people could make such tiny chocolate delicacies,” Bates recalls. “With that class, I felt like I was opening the proverbial ‘Pandora’s chocolate box’ … a whole new world to explore.” At the time, Bates was working at
Tufts Medical Center in Boston. After moving to a private practice in Seattle a few years later, she began taking classes with chocolate-making experts. To celebrate her 50th birthday, Bates invited a friend to Paris to watch the Salon du Chocolat. The annual event features a fashion show where models stroll on a runway wearing chocolate garments — a spectacle kept short to ensure the high-intensity lights don’t melt the outfits. “I have never seen anything like it in my life, and absolutely, it stunned me,” Bates says. “That’s what got me thinking that the possibilities with chocolate were limitless.” Bates began getting more creative. She didn’t make dresses (too much chocolate, not very practical). Instead, she experimented with designs of moulded chocolates and interesting fillings, including black garlic, smoky banana and matcha pistachio, as well as PHOTOS BY JOHN ULAN
8 LEAP FALL 2021
FRONT LINE
an award-winning passion fruit-chipotle caramel combo. Since moving to Edmonton to work at the Cross Cancer Institute in 2013, Bates has used holiday time to travel North America and study with top chocolatiers. Her repertoire has grown to include bars, strongly influenced by her love of animals and nature. To commemorate the return of bison to Banff National Park after more than 100 years, Bates designed the “Bison Bar” in 2020. It features a 3D chocolate bison set on a colourful background. Judges awarded the bar two gold medals in the 2020 International Chocolate Salon’s “Top Bar” competition in San Francisco. Bates also won medals in many other categories, including bar honours and several podium finishes for her caramels. Because of that, she was designated a 2020 Master Chocolatier, one of only 11 in North America. As a radiologist, Bates reviews black and white images in a dark, windowless room. Chocolate-making, she says, is an outlet for her creativity. She makes everything by hand, using natural ingredients and no preservatives, and decorates her chocolates with bold, eyecatching colours and designs.
“With chocolates, my world explodes in colour,” she says. “It’s a perfect balance to radiology.” Displaying a trademark dry wit, Bates points out the stark contrast between radiology and crafting chocolate. “At work, if I make a mistake it could have a significant impact on somebody’s
life. With my chocolate, if I make a mistake, it doesn’t matter,” says Bates. “Some mistakes actually turn out to be some of the best products.” Find Dr. Bates’ chocolate creations at baetzchocolates.com, or on Instagram at @baetzchocolate
DR. SUSAN BATES WITH HER DOGS, LUNA (LEFT) AND REBEL. BOTH ARE CERTIFIED THERAPY DOGS
myleapmagazine.ca FALL 2021 LEAP 9
FRONT LINE
A Milestone in Access The new Grande Prairie Cancer Centre brings highquality care and innovative technology to more Albertans by TRAVIS KLEMP and DEREK CLOUTHIER
GRANDE PRAIRIE CANCER CENTRE BY THE NUMBERS: 100 km – The radius the Grande Prairie Cancer Centre serves 1,600 – The number of Albertans who visited the former Grande Prairie Cancer Centre in 2019 $1 million – The goal set by the Alberta Cancer Foundation for its campaign to raise funds for regional cancer centres
THE CENTRE INCLUDES TWO LINEAR ACCELERATORS FOR CANCER PATIENTS IN northern
Alberta, the new Grande Prairie Cancer Centre means game-changing treatment can happen closer to home. Construction of the regional hospital and cancer centre has been completed, and the facility, which is slated to open by the end of 2021, is now in its final stages of preparation. With a total budget of $850 million, the new centre will help to ensure that patients will no longer have to travel to Edmonton to access cutting-edge medical technology. Dr. Petra Grendarova, a radiation oncologist with the Grande Prairie Cancer Centre, says two linear accelerators were installed at the new facility in November 2020. Linear accelerators use highly accurate and concentrated radiation to create energy x-rays and electrons that destroy cancer cells while sparing surrounding tissue. “Linear accelerators are the backbone for current radiation treatment techniques,” says Grendarova. “These machines will be serving northern Alberta cancer patients for the years to come.” Grendarova says the facility will
also boast a CT simulation machine, an integral part and first step in the radiation planning process. The Grande Prairie Cancer Centre is part of the final phase of the province’s Radiation Therapy Corridor project, which expands access to radiation treatment beyond Edmonton and Calgary. While the equipment is essential for its accuracy in practice, Grendarova says it also represents a milestone when it comes to access. “It will greatly improve accessibility of radiation treatment for people with cancer who live in northern Alberta,” she says, adding that, currently, all area patients who require radiation treatment have to travel. “And for a large proportion of these patients, [it will allow] them to be treated while staying at home and spending more time with their family.” Providing comforting care is an approach the team hopes to apply further through a fundraising partnership with the Alberta Cancer Foundation. The campaign aims to raise $1 million for the regional centre to
create and maintain a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere. The intention behind the holistic design stems from the diverse population the Grande Prairie Cancer Centre serves — more than a 100-kilometre radius, including multiple First Nations communities, towns and hamlets. “The whole point of the new cancer centre is to create an atmosphere of wellness and bring some brightness into the centre itself,” says Sandra Guzzwell, ambulatory and systemic therapy unit manager at the Grande Prairie Cancer Centre. “It’s quite a beautiful space, and getting that wellness theme, we want to carry it throughout the cancer centre. Wellness means emotional, physical and mental wellness, so everything we do will be centred around that and around cultural diversity.” Because the centre already has the technology and infrastructure in place, funds from the campaign will be used to design and decorate the building inside and out with artwork from the various Indigenous and cultural groups in the area. “I think that’s a big key — the inclusiveness,” Guzzwell says. “Inclusive wellness and healing, that’s what we’re trying to create.” PHOTOS COURTESY GRANDE PRAIRIE CANCER CENTRE
10 LEAP FALL 2021
4 WAYS
Four Ways Your Donation to the Enbridge Tour Alberta for Cancer Made an Impact The Enbridge Tour Alberta for Cancer supports brave Albertans and their families throughout their cancer experiences. Those with us and those we’ve lost, the event is for all of us. In August this year, inspired Albertans fundraised and cycled in support of family and friends affected by cancer. Here are four ways your donation to Tour Alberta made a difference:
ALBERTA’S CANCER CENTRES
WORLD-CLASS CARE AND RESEARCH
Giving to Tour Alberta allows the Alberta Cancer Foundation to support innovative, homegrown therapies and technologies, including every cancer clinical trial that takes place in our province. Over the past five years, more than 5,500 of our fellow Albertans have taken part in 500 trials.
Cancer doesn’t discriminate by geography. From the Lethbridge skyline to the canola fields in Barrhead — each year, we stand alongside every Albertan, and their families, who hear the words, “You have cancer.” Each patient, no matter the type of cancer they are facing, receives excellent care at the 17 Alberta Health Services cancer centres across the province thanks to cancer centre upgrading, equipment enhancements, specialized and advanced oncology training for healthcare professionals and engagement initiatives for health-care teams.
URGENT NEEDS
CRITICAL EQUIPMENT
Thanks to donor support from Tour Alberta, the Alberta Cancer Foundation is investing in the science of tomorrow. For example, new techniques have been developed in the ever-evolving field of radiation therapy thanks to leading-edge Linac-MR technology. (Read more on pg. 26.)
Learn more about how you can support the Alberta Cancer Foundation at albertacancer.ca
The Patient Financial Assistance Program offers financial relief for Alberta cancer patients who are undergoing active treatment and experiencing financial challenges. For patients and families living in rural Alberta, navigating the often complex health-care system can add additional layers of difficulty. Patient Navigators provide personalized support by teaming patients with a registered nurse with specialized training to assist with challenges.
Want to learn more about the Enbridge Tour Alberta for Cancer? Visit touralbertaforcancer.ca
PHOTOS BY (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT) FatCamera, COURTESY iSTOCK; LilliDay, COURTESY iSTOCK; laflor, COURTESY iSTOCK; aydinmutlu, COURTESY iSTOCK
myleapmagazine.ca FALL 2021 LEAP 11
12 LEAP FALL 2021
WORKOUT
YOUR DAY HIKE CHECKLIST
Take a Fall Hike Move your workout from the suburban sidewalks to the majestic mountains by KARIN OLAFSON illustrations by MATEUSZ NAPIERALSKI
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A FULL WATER BOTTLE
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SNACKS, LIKE TRAIL MIX OR GRANOLA BARS
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BEAR SPRAY
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WARM, WATERREPELLANT CLOTHES, LIKE AN EXTRA JACKET OR PONCHO
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TOQUE AND GLOVES
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MAP, COMPASS OR GPS DEVICE
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FIRST AID KIT
HIKING IS NOT JUST A SUMMER ACTIVITY. Come fall,
trails are less crowded, temperatures are a little more bearable and the views are just as magnificent. A fall hike is a great way to get your heart rate up, but here’s the kicker: hiking often doesn’t feel like a workout. In between the awe-inspiring vistas and the chance to socialize with friends, hiking can feel more like an adventure than exercise. Alberta has dozens of trails perfect for day trips, so you can choose how much you want to challenge yourself. Plus, being in nature is a natural stress reliever. Several studies have shown that spending time in nature can lower blood pressure and raise one’s mood. Whatever route you’re planning, keep safety top of mind. Leave a trip plan with a friend, wear supportive footwear and remember, the weather can change suddenly in the mountains. Make sure to wear and pack plenty of warm, waterproof layers.
BE BEAR AWARE According to John Paczkowski, senior park ecologist in the Parks Division at Alberta Environment and Parks, bears are typically active in our region until early November — he says there’s even a chance you could encounter a bear into early December. As well as always carrying bear spray, keep Paczkowski’s three tips in mind to stay bear safe this season.
BE VIGILANT
“The most important tool for bear safety is your brain — be actively engaged and alert,” says Paczkowski, adding hikers should be on the lookout for bear tracks, scat and signs of digging. “And don’t wear earbuds!”
HIKE WITH FRIENDS
“Being in a group of people is a larger, more intimidating presence [for a bear]. Data shows that when people hike in groups of four or more, they are very unlikely to have a serious bear encounter.”
GET LOUD
“We suggest people make noise continuously as they hike,” says Paczkowski, explaining that talking, clapping and singing can all alert a bear that you’re coming down the path — and give them time to change course.
3 DAY HIKES FOR FALL THE HIKE Ptarmigan Cirque LOCATION Roughly a two-hour drive from downtown Calgary. DISTANCE 4.5-km loop THE APPEAL Get your heart rate up during this short but steep hike, and be rewarded with incredible views of the Kananaskis and Peter Lougheed Provincial Park mountains. Hike this early in the fall for views of the golden larches. THE HIKE Fullerton Loop Trail LOCATION 50-minute drive from downtown Calgary. DISTANCE 6.8-km loop THE APPEAL This trail is hikeable year-round, so don’t let fall flurries stop you. Hikers can expect calming forest and creek views, as well as picturesque vistas of the foothills through breaks in the trees. THE HIKE Grotto Canyon LOCATION Just over an hour drive from downtown Calgary. DISTANCE 7-km return trip THE APPEAL This well-marked trail winds past a waterfall as well as pictographs that are hundreds of years old. On a rain-free day, you might also hike past rock climbers scaling the canyon’s limestone walls. myleapmagazine.ca FALL 2021 LEAP 13
The Perfect Potato by ELIZABETH CHORNEY-BOOTH
Most of us know that eating a variety of fruits and vegetables is the surest way to maintain a healthy diet, but all too often, the humble potato gets overlooked. Even though they grow in the ground and require no processing, potatoes are often lumped in with less nutrientdense grains and starches. Typically fried or smothered with butter and cheese, they can be written off as unhealthy food. Yet, potatoes are indeed vegetables and, contrary to popular belief, they do not lack in nutrition by any means. Calgary-based dietitian Vincci Tsui says while it’s always important to include a variety of fruits and vegetables in one’s diet, potatoes do indeed count as a vegetable and we should embrace them as such. “People don’t necessarily think of potatoes as something they’d classify as a vegetable, and they are starchier than some of our leafy vegetables,” Tsui says. “But they are actually a good source of many vitamins and minerals like vitamin C, fibre if you eat the skin, and also potassium. Potatoes are actually higher in potassium than bananas.” In addition to all those nutrients, potatoes have the advantage of being affordable, fairly plentiful and much more filling than most vegetables, making them a viable option for anyone on a budget or with a family full of hungry people to feed. All of these factors make potatoes an important tool for both cancer prevention and cancer care. Tsui says there is evidence that dietary fibre, which is something potato skins are high in, can contribute to cancer prevention. Plus, the neutral flavour is often appealing to those undergoing cancer treatment. 14 LEAP FALL 2021
FOOD FOCUS
“Eating enough can be difficult when you’re in treatment,” she says. “Potatoes are so versatile in how you can prepare them, and things like mashed potatoes have a texture that may be easier for people to eat. People who are needing more calories can add butter or cheese without necessarily adding a lot of unwanted volume to their meal.” Deb Brewin, communications and promotions director for the Potato Growers of Alberta, agrees the potato often gets a bad rap. But she says that perception is changing as people learn more about the nutritional value of potatoes. Brewin recommends eating the skins for extra fibre and experimenting with the more than 200 varieties of
potatoes grown right here in Alberta. In a typical year, our province’s farmers grow more than 60,000 acres of potatoes. She also urges people to store potatoes in a dry, dark and cool area in a crate, box or bag that allows air to circulate, which helps them last longer. “There’s a reason why potatoes have been a food staple for centuries,” Brewin says. “They have so many wonderful nutritional qualities. With the price of so many foods going up these days, they’re an affordable way to feed your family.”
Easy Parmesan Creamer Potatoes Courtesy of the Potato Growers of Alberta INGREDIENTS: 3 lb (1.4kg) 2 tbsp (30ml) 1/3 cup (480ml) 3-4 tbsp (45-60ml)
small creamer potatoes (multi-coloured, red or yellow) olive oil grated Parmesan cheese chopped fresh chives sea salt and pepper to taste
INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C). Lightly oil a baking sheet. 2. Cut potatoes in half and place in a large bowl. Add olive oil and stir well to coat. Sprinkle sea salt and pepper to taste. Add Parmesan cheese and chopped chives. Stir until all potatoes are coated. 3. Place potatoes onto baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown with crispy edges. PHOTOS BY (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP) CasarsaGuru, COURTESY iSTOCK; temmuzcan COURTESY iSTOCK; lappes, COURTESY iSTOCK
myleapmagazine.ca FALL 2021 LEAP 15
EXPERT ADVICE
Q. Are there any remote or home-based options for screening?
We ask the experts about the latest best practices for cancer screening and how to stay mentally healthy during stressful times by MICHAELA REAM screening in Alberta has been significantly impacted. Initially, screenings were affected due to service interruptions, and then [from patients’] fear of coming to health-care settings for services and the possibility of virus transmission.
Q. Is it safe to get screened right now?
UNDERSTANDING CANCER SCREENING BEST PRACTICES
While COVID-19 has changed our lifestyles, work and health services, it hasn’t changed the risk of cancer or the need for regular screening. Still, with restrictions coming and going, it’s hard to know what routine health practices are still available and which are not. Dr. Huiming Yang, the medical director of screening programs with Alberta Health Services, shares the newest information regarding cancer screening practices so you can stay safe and informed.
Q. Has cancer screening been impacted by restrictions due to COVID-19? And if so, how? Since the pandemic started, cancer
People should continue to follow public health measures, but all health-care settings are safe. Each clinic will have different protocols in place, so some may ask you to wait in the car before the appointment or have questions about any COVID-19 exposure history. So, necessary precautions are being taken even as measures are being lifted.
Q. Which types of cancer is it most important people get screened for? Screening for breast cancer for women ages 50-74, cervical cancer for women 25-69 and colorectal cancer for women and men from 50-74 years of age are all strongly recommended.
Q. What are the risks if I delay my screening for another year? Cancer screening is a preventative service. If people delay by a year, there will be a small increase in the likelihood of late detection of cancer.
For colorectal cancer screening, we ask that people see a family doctor and then pick up a home FIT (fecal immunochemical test) kit from the lab. For breast cancer, we strongly discourage women from doing a selfbreast exam regularly versus regularly screening. The reason is that evidence has shown [self-breast exams] cause more harm due to false positives. However, we do recommend women be ‘breast aware’ to know how their breasts look and feel normally.
Q. Does getting the COVID-19 vaccine affect the screening process or the timing of being screened? After getting the COVID-19 vaccination, some reports say that some people have gotten enlarged lymph nodes in certain areas, particularly around the armpit. That may give a false positive result, but all radiologist physicians are being alerted to this side effect of the vaccine. We recommend not screening for breast cancer within four to six weeks of a vaccination, and when you do go, we ask that women report their vaccination to their radiologist. That way, the radiologist will consider the vaccine as a factor in any results.
Q. What could be different in cancer screening now versus before the pandemic? You may have to wait a little longer due to the increased volume of testing and backlog from COVID-19, as well as the extra cleaning protocols between screenings. Things may not be 100 per cent back to normal from before the pandemic. Particularly, what you can expect may take longer is the wait for a follow-up after the initial screening. ILLUSTRATIONS BY JOSIANNE DUFOUR
16 LEAP FALL 2021
Q. What are some signs of unhealthy mental states that people suffering may not immediately recognize?
HOW TO PROTECT YOUR MENTAL HEALTH AND FIND THE RIGHT RESOURCES DURING STRESSFUL TIMES
For many, the challenges of the past year, in combination with the demands of daily life and work, have taken a toll. Struggling alone with mental health can be overwhelming and may lead to worsening symptoms or negative methods of coping. Dr. Nicholas Mitchell, a medical director for addiction and mental health with Alberta Health Services, shares what mental health supports are available in Alberta.
Q. What are some of the unhealthy ways people may be currently dealing with stress? With some of the things people have faced in the past 18 months, the tendency would be to rely on the coping strategies that we’ve used before. Some unhealthy coping strategies would include turning to alcohol or drugs or similar forms of escapism. Sometimes, denial of the situation can be a way people cope in the moment, but that also isn’t healthy because, ultimately, reality hits them later on.
Signs can include changes in personality, like being more irritable or angry or maybe withdrawing from social situations and relationships. There may also be physical symptoms, such as changes in eating, lower energy and fatigue and physical tension and muscle aches. People can experience difficulty sleeping where they chewover anxious thoughts that keep them awake at night.
Q. What mental health supports can Albertans access for free? We have a website called Help in Tough Times that has a lot of information on different stressors people might be undergoing and when and where to seek out help across the province. There’s another resource called Togetherall.com, which is an online peer-to-peer mental health support community. It’s a place where people can go and talk to others who are struggling and hear what’s worked for them. It is a supportive community. Then there’s Text4Hope, a free service that sends daily texts to help address
struggles with anxiety and depression. AHS also has a Mental Health Helpline (1-877-303-2642) and Addictions Helpline (1-866-332-2322) staffed by professionals who can answer your questions.
Q. What’s the best way to help a friend or family member who is struggling? When you see someone you care about struggling, make yourself available. Listen to them and what they’re going through but recognize your limitations. If things are beyond the help you can provide as a friend or a loved one, reaching out through those mental health lines is a good place to start.
Q. How else can we cope during stressful times? Continue to maintain rhythms and routines that support your physical health. Make sure you’re getting enough sleep and eating healthy and exercising. If you’re physically feeling drawn or exhausted, you’re not going to be able to deal with stress. Make opportunities to enjoy things and take your mind off the difficulties and the struggles you’re having. That helps to promote a balanced perspective.
GIVING BACK The Alberta Cancer Foundation’s Albertans Helping Albertans fund is the best way to create the biggest impact for cancer patients. Thanks to generous donor support, the fund helped launch programs like the Text4Hope campaign. Learn more at albertacancer.ca
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A VERY BRIEF GLOSSARY OF CLINICAL TRIAL TERMS Clinical trial: The testing and tracking of a new treatment to evaluate its effects on human health outcomes. Industry-sponsored trial: When a business or corporation, like a pharmaceutical company, conceives, plans and funds a clinical trial. Investigators: The researchers leading and conducting work on a clinical trial.
From cutting-edge therapies to innovative interventions, cancer clinical trials offer new ways to prevent, detect and manage the disease. Here, meet the doctors and researchers leading Alberta clinical trials and the patients and families experiencing more moments because of them.
Investigator-initiated trial: When an independent researcher has an idea for a trial they want to conduct, conceive, plan and run themselves.
CALGARY’S CLINICAL RESEARCH CONTRIBUTIONS
T
he clinical trials that come to life at the Tom Baker Cancer Centre can change lives beyond Calgary, the province or even Canada. Dr. Jose Monzon knows this from experience. “When you do clinical trials research, you’re making impacts not only on your community,” explains Monzon, “but also on patients worldwide.”
CLINICAL TRIAL RESEARCH THAT BEGINS AT CALGARY’S TOM BAKER CANCER CENTRE HAS THE POTENTIAL TO IMPACT CANCER PATIENTS AROUND THE GLOBE by NATHAN KUNZ Monzon is a medical oncologist and medical leader for the Clinical Research Unit at the Tom Baker. He helps manage and oversee the roughly 150 clinical trials happening in the centre at any given time while also leading trials of his own. The role includes meeting with clinical trial unit leaders to discuss trial activities, brainstorm ways to improve
the process for patients and find avenues to open other trials. Beyond research, Monzon sees patients and enrolls eligible candidates into existing trials. While the job can be varied and complex, Monzon’s rationale behind why he does what he does is simple. “To be able to help patients through that process and that journey seemed important to me,” he says. “I learned very early on that with research, you can make huge impacts on patient outcomes.” Simply, a clinical trial is the testing of a novel agent — often a drug — or a previously known agent in a unique setting to evaluate its safety, responsiveness, toxicity and, of course, its effect on survival. Eligible patients are enrolled in trials and tracked through regular tests to gauge how the agent is working versus the previously established treatment option. After three phases with different goals at each, the treatment can potentially become the new standard of care. According to Monzon, the Tom Baker is unique in its opportunity for investigator-initiated trials (read more on pg. 25), often supported by the Alberta Cancer Foundation. This reputation is attractive for academic researchers across the country and is part of what drew him to Calgary. Monzon has helped lead a handful of trials spawned from findings at the Tom Baker, such as an ongoing look into the positive effects of statins, which are cholesterol medications, on rectal cancer patients undergoing
PHOTO BY JASON DZIVER
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BENCH
RESEA
RCH:
PHASE
1:
PHASE
2:
PHASE
3:
PHASE 4:
Phase four trials happen once the agent is established as a new standard of care. They operate like populationbased studies in function, looking into the benefits of the treatment in broader use.
The novel drug or treatment is compared to the previous standard of care. If the new treatment shows improvements in survival, it usually becomes the new standard of care. Once the dose is established, researchers begin looking at efficacy and responsiveness. An indicator in many clinical trials is how much tumours shrink. Often the “first-in-human” trial, phase one starts testing the safety and tolerability of a drug. Researchers start with a very small dose and incrementally increase until signs of toxicity appear. Efficacy and responsiveness data are collected, but it’s not yet the main goal. Prior to clinical trials, bench researchers run tests outside of humans. This often means seeing how cells react within cancer cell line models or animal models and how novel agents may show activity in or inhibit pathways.
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chemotherapy and radiation therapy. The idea for the trial came from a patient database assembled by fellow oncologist Dr. Michael Vickers during his time working at the Tom Baker. The opportunity to work together and collaborate to create new trials in Calgary not only helps researchers, but also benefits patients. “These are homegrown ideas. That’s the beauty of it,” says Monzon. “These are trials that can open up options for our patients here.” Each year, the Tom Baker Cancer Centre enrolls around 400 patients into clinical trials, creating opportunities to pursue alternative treatments that can lead to life-saving results. With the Tom Baker acting either as the starting point or as a contributor to larger trials, the potential for widespread change is immense. And at its core, it all starts with the patients. “[Clinical trials] provide these options of novel treatments, and it gives the patients hope of responding and prolonging life, but it also helps other cancer patients,” says Monzon. “We have everything to thank for the patients involved in clinical trials. Our goal is to have a clinical trial opportunity for every single patient who comes to the cancer centre and that patient and clinician trial activity should be celebrated and encouraged.”
JIM FIORENTINI’S STORY
THROUGHOUT 2019, CALGARIAN JIM FIORENTINI UNDERWENT A SERIES OF OPERATIONS AND TESTS AFTER FINDING A LUMP ON HIS LOWER BACK, WHICH TURNED OUT TO BE MALIGNANT. WHILE THE INITIAL OPERATIONS WERE SUCCESSFUL, FURTHER LESIONS FOUND IN THE LATE SUMMER AND EARLY FALL POINTED TOWARDS THE SPREADING OF MERKEL CELL CARCINOMA — A RARE AND AGGRESSIVE TYPE OF SKIN CANCER. WHEN EXPLORING TREATMENT OPTIONS, DR. MONZON, FIORENTINI’S ONCOLOGIST AT THE TOM BAKER CANCER CENTRE, FOUND THAT FIORENTINI WAS A FIT FOR A PHASE 2 IMMUNOTHERAPY CLINICAL TRIAL MONZON WAS LEADING. FIORENTINI DECIDED TO MOVE FORWARD
JIM AND HIS WIFE, CARLA.
DID YOU KNOW? With funding from the Alberta Cancer Foundation, Alberta Cancer Clinical Trials provides essential support to clinical trials in cancer centres across the province. That help includes promoting awareness of available trials, soliciting patient feedback, enhancing reporting of clinical trials in Alberta and boosting funding. From April 2020 to March 2021, 75 new trials were launched, 1,022 participants were accrued, and nine investigator-initiated trials were funded. Learn more at albertacancerclinicaltrials.ca
WITH THE TRIAL, AND IS CURRENTLY ON 22 OF 24 CYCLES OF IMMUNOTHERAPY, WHICH HAVE SHRUNK THE LESIONS THROUGHOUT FIORENTINI’S BODY EFFECTIVELY. HE SHARES HIS STORY HERE:
“When Dr. Monzon — and I remember this just like yesterday — asked me if I was interested to know what my prognosis was if I did not receive any treatment, I told him ‘no’ because I intended to fight this thing. I thought, ‘Alright, now I have a challenge in front of me. I’m not going to let the challenge beat me. I’m going to do what I can to fight, and then we’ll see what happens.’ “It was determined that I was a candidate for the immunotherapy program [clinical trial] as the best course of action. So, it was just days before Christmas 2019 when I received my first injection cycle of immunotherapy. “The epiphany occurred when there was another lump. I asked Dr. Monzon if I should have it removed, and he said,
‘No, we’re going to use that as a gauge to see if the immunotherapy is working or not.’ “For a number of cycles after, I avoided touching that area or even investigating the lump on my own. And lo and behold, when I went to have a check-up with Dr. Monzon, that lump had disappeared, and I hadn’t even realized it.
“There was a progression. These reductions just didn’t happen overnight — it took a number of cycles. But we could see the slow retraction of these lesions, to the point where most of them, if not all of them, were no longer detectable. “[This clinical trial] means I have more time with my family. It gives me hope that I can live to be a little older than I am now. I can hopefully share my experience and provide some comfort and hope for those who are going to follow. “I can only hope that my small contribution will help people who would have to suffer through this in the future. It makes me feel good that I get to be a part of this — to help and be a contributor in some small way. It’s a wonderful feeling. “I think my wife said it the best – sometimes God puts us on this Earth for a reason and maybe, it’s possible, that this is the reason why He put me on this Earth — to help.”
PHOTOS BY JASON DZIVER
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BRINGING CUTTINGEDGE THERAPIES TO EDMONTON THE INTERNATIONAL REPUTATION OF THE CROSS CANCER INSTITUTE’S CLINICAL TRIALS UNIT CAN MEAN LIFE-CHANGING OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOCAL PATIENTS. by KARIN OLAFSON
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E
arly in his oncology career, a colleague shared a nugget of wisdom with Dr. Randeep Sangha, and it’s something that’s always stuck with him. “I was told we may treat 5,000 patients throughout our career, but one positive clinical trial can help out hundreds of thousands of patients,” says Sangha, an oncologist and director of the Cross Cancer Institute’s (CCI) Clinical Trials Unit. “I think that’s one of the reasons why I like clinical trials — it offers that hope for a greater proportion of patients and advances the science of treating cancer.” This is particularly true for the CCI’s Clinical Trials Unit, which connects hundreds of cancer patients to cutting-edge therapies. The unit’s team includes over 60 investigators — researchers who are medical and radiation oncologists — who improve the prognosis and quality of life for patients diagnosed with all types of cancer by testing new treatments. Currently, the unit places more than 500 cancer patients on new drugs being trialled each year; this recruitment is the highest per capita in Canada. But the team has ambitious goals and hopes to increase that to 1,000 patients within the next five years. The unit participates in international and national studies and offers a pathway for “made-in-Edmonton” trials. “The CCI is able to get the trials we want because we’ve developed a good reputation among our partners,” says Sangha. The unit’s prestige enables it to participate in global research,
join medical conversations outside of Canada and bring in innovative therapies that CCI patients couldn’t otherwise access. Sangha says by participating in global trials, “you’re learning about new agents sooner rather than later.” Sangha explains there are multiple ways the unit comes to participate in these international studies. Often, CCI researchers are directly approached to determine their interest in participating in industry-sponsored global trials. The CCI is known internationally for its data quality, accrual rates and researchers. Therefore, it is frequently determined to be one of the best Canadian trial sites for studies to be conducted. CCI
researchers may also seek out innovative trials happening elsewhere in the world, which they might hear about through networking, and then ask to participate. The level of international collaboration depends on the trial; a phase 1 or 2 trial might involve weekly or monthly calls. A phase 3 trial will see the international researchers share their results at conferences or when working together to author a report. As the Clinical Trials Unit director, Sangha oversees the launch and operation of all the unit’s trials, but he is also a researcher himself. For example, between 2015 and 2019, Sangha was the local lead for the ALEX trial, a global clinical trial with researchers from 35 DR. RANDEEP SANGHA
countries. It examined whether a stateof-the-art drug — alectinib — improved cancer outcomes for patients living with a rare mutation of an advanced lung cancer compared to the standardof-care treatment. The results were overwhelmingly positive and Sangha says participating in the trial gave participants “earlier access to an agent that, ultimately, turned out to be better than standard-of-care.” Simply, the CCI’s participation in global clinical trials can be an enormous benefit for patients. “It’s a well-known fact that sites that participate in clinical trials [have better] clinical outcomes,” says Sangha. “Whenever anybody comes through our door on their cancer journey, there’s the possibility they’ll be able to enroll into a clinical trial.”
DELORES ZUK’S STORY
IN JANUARY 2015, AT 59 YEARS OLD, DELORES ZUK WAS DIAGNOSED WITH STAGE 4 NON-SMALL CELL LUNG CANCER. SHE WAS EXPECTED TO LIVE ONLY 18 MONTHS IF SHE OPTED FOR CHEMOTHERAPY. BUT HER ONCOLOGIST, DR. RANDEEP SANGHA, WAS LEADING A CLINICAL TRIAL AT THE TIME AND ZUK WAS ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE. SINCE HER DIAGNOSIS, ZUK HAS PARTICIPATED IN TWO CLINICAL TRIALS THAT NOT ONLY IMPROVED HER QUALITY OF LIFE, BUT ARE THE REASON SHE BEAT THE ODDS. SHE SHARES HER STORY HERE:
“I will always remember that first CT scan. My lungs looked like they were stuffed with cotton balls, or like the sky when it’s filled with white, fluffy clouds. In other words, my lungs were full of cancer.
DID YOU KNOW? The Alberta Cancer Foundation supports every cancer-related clinical trial in Alberta. The Foundation is committed to raising $10 million over the next five years to support innovative research and treatment for Albertans facing cancer. PHOTO BY JOHN ULAN
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“I was given my options. My first option was to do nothing, which would give me six to eight months to live. My second was to do chemotherapy, which would give me up to a year and a half. The third option was to participate in a clinical trial of which my oncologist, Dr. Randeep Sangha, was the local lead. The trial was testing a new treatment drug called alectinib; Dr. Sangha said if I took the research drug, it could possibly give me five to six years. “I was coughing all the time. I didn’t have the energy to do what I loved in life like golfing, dancing with my husband or enjoying the company of my grandkids. It wasn’t hard for me to make a choice: I decided to participate in Dr. Sangha’s clinical trial. “I started in March 2015. Amazingly, within about one week of taking alectinib, my coughing was almost all gone. Participating in the trial meant
I took eight alectinib pills daily — four in the morning and four at suppertime — and I had to fill in a diary daily. I also visited the Cross Cancer Institute every eight weeks for follow-up appointments, an MRI and CT scan. “The alectinib blocked my cancer for four years, but then it became resistant to that drug. Luckily, Dr. Sangha was leading a second clinical trial and I was eligible to participate. In May 2019, I began taking a research drug called brigatinib. I took just one brigatinib pill at the same time each morning and filled out a diary. That trial ended in March 2021, but I am still taking the brigatinib for my cancer. It’s the reason I’m doing as well as I am today. “I feel so fortunate to have participated in these clinical trials. I experienced very few side effects from the research drugs, and now I feel healthier and more energized. I
always felt very well taken care of by the research team and knew I was in good hands. “The trials not only helped me beat the odds, but they gave me more time to live my life. Throughout this journey, I continued working and retired at the end of June. I celebrated milestones, like graduations, with my family. But beyond my own personal experience, I’m hopeful that my participating in these trials could also help someone else down the road.”
CROSS CANCER INSTITUTE’S CLINICAL TRIALS UNIT: BY THE NUMBERS The unit places more than 500 cancer patients on new treatments being trialled each year. This recruitment is the highest per capita in Canada. At any one point, the unit is running 120 clinical trials from early phase 1 to phase 2, 3 or 4 studies. Dr. Sangha estimates that between 60% and 70% of these are global trials. 14% of patients treated at CCI participate in a clinical trial. (The national average is about 8%.)
DID YOU KNOW?
DELORES ZUK
The CCI’s participation in clinical trials saves the Alberta health-care system close to $19 million each year in treatment costs alone. That’s because companies that sponsor clinical trials provide the cancer drugs, so funding isn’t needed from the provincial system. PHOTO BY JOHN ULAN
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INVESTIGATORINITIATED TRIALS
INVESTIGATOR-INITIATED TRIALS BEGIN WITH RESEARCHERS ASKING QUESTIONS by ELIZABETH CHORNEY-BOOTH
THANKS TO THE QUICK AND VERY PUBLIC DEVELOPMENT OF COVID-19 VACCINATIONS, THE GENERAL PUBLIC HAS A PRETTY GOOD IDEA OF HOW INDUSTRYSPONSORED DRUG TRIALS USUALLY WORK. TYPICALLY, A PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANY WILL DEVELOP A DRUG AND WORK ITS WAY TOWARDS TESTING IT ON HUMAN PATIENTS, WITH THE END GOAL OF HAVING THE DRUG APPROVED FOR PUBLIC USE. BUT THERE’S ANOTHER KIND OF TRIAL THAT THE PUBLIC MAY NOT BE SO AWARE OF; INVESTIGATOR-INITIATED TRIALS (IIT) TEST WHETHER A NEW INTERVENTION WILL HELP PATIENTS, EVEN IF THERE ISN’T ANY FINANCIAL INTEREST.
WHAT IS AN IIT?
At its most basic, an IIT is any trial that is authored, initiated and conducted by an independent doctor or researcher. The doctor/researcher and their team also run the trial and interpret the results. These trials are particularly useful in the field of oncology, where a doctor may notice that a certain category of patients is reacting differently to a specific treatment than others, perhaps because of a drug they may be taking for unrelated reasons. An inquisitive physician may start asking questions about those differences, leading towards the development of a proper IIT. In Alberta, IITs are approved by regional and provincial review panels, with funding made available from organizations like the Alberta Cancer Foundation.
FINDING NEW PURPOSES FOR FAMILIAR DRUGS
Dr. Matthew Anaka, a resident doctor in the oncology training program at the Cross Cancer Institute (CCI) in Edmonton, is working with his oncology colleague Dr. Michael Chu on an IIT involving lymphoma and multiple myeloma patients who undergo stem cell transplants. Anaka has an academic research background and completed a PhD before going to medical school, which is why he is so interested in IITs. The study, which will launch as soon as it receives approval from Health Canada, focuses on the effects of a common antihistamine called loratadine (sold commercially as Claritin) on bone pain. This type of pain can result from a drug called granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), which is integral to the stem cell treatment process. The oncology community at large has noticed that patients taking G-CSF who were also using loratadine for allergies anecdotally experienced less pain. Anaka says there is also some biological rationale to support the association. There are histamine receptors in the bone marrow and evidence that histamine signalling can be involved in causing bone pain, all of which spurred this IIT. Since loratadine is already known to be a safe drug with few side effects, Anaka and Chu could skip the animal and phase 1 trial that a new drug would be subject to. Once
they get approval, they will start their double-blind trial with 76 stem cell transplant patients, half of whom will receive a placebo. Chu is the lead on the study and Anaka is working closely with him, but the pair will employ the help of other doctors within Alberta Health Services to recruit patients and conduct the research. The doctors aren’t being led by a preferred result, so they’ll happily accept whatever path the research leads them down. “Obviously, if we find that we can use loratadine to treat people, that would be fantastic,” Anaka says. “But if the study is negative and we find that it doesn’t help, that’s also good to know because we don’t want people to use something that isn’t an effective treatment. People are using this already without real evidence that it works, and we want to be able to offer better guidance.”
A PATIENTCENTRED FOCUS
Anaka says oncology is particularly well-suited for IITs, and as a resident, he feels the CCI is open to doctors of all levels following their lines of inquiry to find ways to better serve patients. With trials like the loratadine study, even if more data is required to change recommendations, the preliminary data uncovered in an IIT can help to secure funding for larger studies. IITs also give doctors, even those like Anaka who are in the early stages of their careers, the opportunity to feel like they are making a difference in patients’ lives. “You can really improve your patients’ care results with this kind of research,” he says. “That’s one of the things I’ve really enjoyed in moving from lab-based research to seeing patients. There’s an interplay in being able to use research to help people on a day-to-day basis.” myleapmagazine.ca FALL 2021 LEAP 25
TRANSFORMING RADIATION TREATMENT by JENNIFER FRIESEN
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DR. NAWAID USMANI, LEAD OF THE NORTHERN LIGHTS PROGRAM
fter 15 years of development and endless hours of research, a machine with Alberta-made/ developed technology is one step closer to providing game-changing treatment for cancer patients. This pioneering technology combines the imaging capabilities of an MRI with the radiation abilities of a linear accelerator (Linac) to accurately target tumours. Funded by the Alberta Cancer Foundation, Alberta Health Services and others two years ago, the Northern LIGHTs program launched a clinical trial this past September to study and confirm the safety and effectiveness of this Linac-MR at the Cross Cancer Institute (CCI) in Edmonton. By blending these two technologies, the Linac-MR offers real-time imaging
during radiation treatments and has the capability to shorten treatment time and negate damage to healthy organs. “We’re at the point where we’re getting ready to start treating patients,” says Northern LIGHTs program lead Dr. Nawaid Usmani. “It’s really exciting to be able to finally use this technology to do that.” For decades, doctors have used CT-based technology to see inside the body to better target tumours with radiation. “CT is really good to see inside the body,” says Usmani. “But it’s not able to see all of the organs or tumours inside the body clearly. MR can visualize some organs or tumours more clearly. It’s like going from black and white pictures to colour pictures where you are able to PHOTOS BY JOHN ULAN
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DID YOU KNOW? One of the first controlled clinical trials ever recorded happened in 1747. The trial was led by Scottish physician James Lind and tested whether citrus fruit was effective against scurvy in sailors.
appreciate some details more clearly with MR.” Dr. Gino Fallone is a medical physicist and began work on the Linac-MR over a decade ago. Fallone and his research team developed two prototypes at the CCI, demonstrating that it was possible to safely combine a Linac with an MR machine. Since then, the team has developed a Linac-MR ready to be used clinically in the Northern LIGHTs program. Before Fallone’s research began, Usmani says it was generally thought that combining MRIs with radiation machines was “impossible.” “The worry was that the radiation machines would interfere with the MRIs, and vice versa. But with Fallone’s research, they realized that it’s not only possible to combine the two technologies, but they started developing it themselves.” In addition to being difficult to see on CT scans, some tumours are in organs prone to movement during radiation, such as lungs, prostates and stomachs. By having a live visual of the cancer, this technology is designed to target radiation at cancers more precisely while limiting radiation to the healthy tissue in the area. “The exciting thing with this technology is not only that we can see things better than before, but we can actually watch the tumours during treatment,” says Usmani. “This way, if the tumour moves out of the way of radiation through breathing or some other natural process, we can correct or stop the treatment temporarily until it comes back to the right place. By doing that, we will hopefully have fewer side effects and less risk of long-term damage to normal tissues.” Until the spring of 2021, the Northern
LIGHTs team was testing the Linac-MR on “water phantoms” in the basement of the CCI, where they used containers of water filled with sensors to test to see if the technologies were working as expected. After “rigorous testing,” Usmani says the team received regulatory and ethics approval this year to start using this technology on patients. They began imaging prostate, liver and central nervous system tumours in volunteer patients over the summer. The imaging process will take approximately a year. At the same time, the program will begin clinical trials to start treating patients later in 2021. “We feel confident the machine is precise and that it’s able to do things safely,” he says. Usmani became the program lead of the Northern LIGHTs initiative two years ago. As a radiation oncologist for
14 years, Usmani specialized mainly in prostate cancer and was keen to get involved with this research with Fallone. He says he believes this technology will “help transform the way we treat prostate cancer.” Radiation for prostate cancer currently takes 20 sessions on average to avoid damage, but Usmani says he hopes this new technology will reduce that number to five sessions. “I think this will revolutionize radiation oncology and cancer treatment,” says Usmani. “There were a number of tumour sites we didn’t think we’d be able to treat safely with radiation because we couldn’t see the tumours clearly or focus the radiation precisely enough, so I think it’s very exciting that we’ll be able to improve our radiation treatments with this, and hopefully improve our patients’ outcomes in the long term as well.”
THE LINAC-MR SAFELY COMBINES A LINAC WITH AN MR MACHINE
INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT ACTIVE CLINICAL TRIALS IN ALBERTA? VISIT ALBERTACANCERCLINICALTRIALS.CA
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PERSEVERANCE AND PROMISE
CROSS CANCER INSTITUTE LAUNCHES TRIAL OF FIRST HOMEGROWN DRUG by SHARON BASARABA, Cancer Care Alberta
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ike a proud parent, computational biophysicist Jack Tuszynski is reflecting on what he and his colleagues have worked tirelessly to create over the last 15 years: a promising treatment for late-stage bladder cancer. Now, the drug is poised to begin its first human trials at Edmonton’s Cross Cancer Institute (CCI), where it was fully conceived and developed. “It’s the culmination of a long journey during my time as an experimental oncologist at the Cross,” Tuszynski notes. He’s currently a professor of physics at the University of Alberta, and remains a member of the Cancer Research Institute of Northern Alberta. “It’s already making history! Taken all the way from its initial design to testing at the CCI, it’s the first made-inAlberta drug that kills cancer cells directly to be used in a clinical trial.” Appropriately named CCI-001 to commemorate its pioneering role, the drug had its origins in computer software
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rather than in the lab. “As a biophysicist, I’m interested in the forces, energies and velocities within living cells as they divide. To fight cancer, a disease in which cells divide out of control, we need to know the detailed structure of proteins involved in cell division so we can target them specifically. Then we can create drugs that will bind with cancerous cells and leave healthy cells unscathed.” Modelling with super-computers was key. Using newly-revealed protein structures, Tuszynski developed a computer program to find which among millions of chemical compounds would successfully attach to potential protein targets. The possibilities seemed endless, but the strategic data processing approach was much more efficient than laboratory testing through trial and error. “This type of computational drug discovery was only possible thanks to the generous support we received from the Alberta Cancer Foundation and the Allard Foundation here in Edmonton. Employing sophisticated, predictive software requires massive computer processing capacity, which is why drug development is usually in the domain of large pharmaceutical companies. These foundations provided the very expensive hardware and funding we needed.” The Allard Foundation supports health, education and family research and programs, including the Allard
Chair in Experimental Oncology at the University of Alberta held by Jack Tuszynski from 2005-2020. For director Chuck Allard, it’s not just philanthropic, it’s personal. “My father was a doctor and established the foundation in the 1970s,” says Allard. “He had lung cancer when he passed away, and my mother also had cancer. We hear about family and friends being diagnosed every week, including younger people in their 30s and 40s, and we are very committed to fueling progress against this destructive disease.” Tuszynski also credits the CCI within Alberta Health Services for providing a fertile environment to work out design challenges among cancer research and clinical colleagues. “We’re all in one place, surrounded by medical doctors who are seeing cancer cases in clinic every day,” he explains. “It’s our number one advantage! The ability to brainstorm with other experimental oncologists, drug discovery experts, and explore the needs of clinicians is a huge advantage.” Beyond the rich opportunities for professional collaboration, he says working at the Cross has been extremely inspiring on a personal level. “When you see these dedicated specialists working with and on behalf of patients every day, your motivation goes through the roof. It’s such a powerful feeling that you are on a mission. If you fail, you don’t just fail yourself, you fail all these people. That’s really what is driving me.” Even more exciting, he says, is early evidence that CCI-001 could also be effective against advanced colorectal and pancreatic cancers. The CCI-001 drug begins phase 1 clinical trials this fall to rule out possible adverse events. Phase 2 trials will assess effectiveness and proper dosing of the drug, followed by wide-scale phase 3 trials to test on a broader population.
MEET THE NEW ALLARD RESEARCH CHAIR In July 2021, the University of Alberta’s faculty of medicine and dentistry announced Dr. Frederick West as the new Allard Research Chair in Oncology. This position is supported by the generosity of the Allard Foundation and the Alberta Cancer Foundation. Originally from Arizona, Dr. West moved to Edmonton in 2002 to join U of A’s faculty of science as a chemistry professor. Since then, he’s participated in several important cancer research projects, including the development of new tumour-imaging agents that have clinical potential in treating drug-resistant cancer. Dr. West has also served as the co-director of the Cancer Research Institute of Northern Alberta, interim department chair and is currently the acting dean in the faculty of science. In a press release from the U of A, Dr. West says, as the Allard Research Chair, he “is looking forward to enhancing both the translational research pipeline at the U of A and the entrepreneurial landscape for biomedical research in the province.”
PHOTO COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA
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IN OUR ONGOING PHOTO SERIES, WE CAPTURE THE BRAVERY, STRENGTH, HONESTY, HOPE AND RESILIENCE OF ALBERTANS LIVING WITH CANCER
PHOTO BY JARED SYCH
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LIVING WITH CANCER
Meet
GRACE CHANTIAM As told to DEREK CLOUTHIER
For Calgarian Grace Chantiam, 2020 was supposed to be a year she would remember for the rest of her life. As it turns out, it was, but not for the reasons she had hoped. COVID-19 brought a halt to her May wedding, and, in August, Chantiam was diagnosed with stage 2B endocervical adenocarcinoma – cervical cancer. Walking into the Tom Baker Cancer Centre for treatment at the age of 40, Chantiam was not ready to have the cancer conversation. But the support of her family and friends helped her find the strength to celebrate her small wins. She also became focused on living for the now. A lesson learned from an unlikely but very important person in her life – her five-year-old son, Alexander. “I’ve learned that kids live now. They don’t worry about the future because they don’t think about it. Whereas all I think about is, what now? What could happen? That’s the anxiety that’s in my head. [But] I turn to my son, Alexander, and he’s just playing with his Lego. That’s all that matters to him right now. So I’ve really learned to take that perspective and live in the now instead of worrying what possibly could be in the future. “Cervical cancer is not brought up and discussed because I don’t think a lot of people are comfortable talking about women’s health. There’s lots of talk about breast cancer – and I’m not saying that breast cancer is not important – but there is no discussion about cervical cancer. I find that very shocking. “My advice is to find your support system. I met people during this journey who had zero support systems. It broke my heart because I had such a strong support system to cheerlead me through this journey. You need people who you’re able to talk to about what you’re going through. “The journey keeps going. I’ve learned that this is my new life. I now have follow-up scans every three months. This journey is a marathon, it’s not necessarily a sprint.” Sadly, Grace passed away shortly after we conducted this interview. When Grace knew she might not have much time left, she gave her blessing to publish her story, and we are honoured to share it with our readers.
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Dr. Gwyn Bebb RESEARCH ROCKSTAR
Dr. Gwyn Bebb uses precision oncology for maximum impact and minimum toxicity to his patients by COLLEEN BIONDI photography by JARED SYCH
r. Gwyn Bebb wears three hats at the workplace: he is a medical oncologist at the Tom Baker Cancer Centre and is both a professor and researcher with the Cumming School of Medicine at the University of Calgary. His research focuses on identifying gene mutations that accelerate cancer growth and how to disable that growth using innovative therapies. This was not always the plan. As a boy growing up in Bangor, Wales, Bebb envisioned a career in business. But after completing his bachelor’s degree in natural sciences at the University of Cambridge, he worked briefly at a pharmaceutical company. There, he met an inspiring oncologist and knew his fate was cast. “That was the epiphany,” explains Bebb. “I applied to medical school and the rest is history.” What followed was a bachelor’s degree in medicine from the University of Oxford, then fellowships and residencies at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver and the BC Cancer Agency. Vancouver is also where Bebb earned his PhD and nurtured his love of research, but he has practised in Calgary for the last 17 years. 32 LEAP FALL 2021
During this time, he ran his own lab for 12 years (2005-2017) and directed the Clinical Trials Unit at the Tom Baker for eight years. And, since 2006, Bebb has led the Glans-Look Lung Cancer Research program, a unique platform that collects and analyzes medical information, outcomes data and lung cancer tissue from Alberta patients. These experiences provided the impetus for his latest research project: POET. Established by Bebb in 2017, the Precision Oncology and Experimental Therapeutics (POET) program is based on a four key focus pillar structure: polyomic biomarker discovery, phase 1 precision oncology clinical trials, realworld evidence focused on precision oncology sub-populations and accessible polyomic profiling. The precision oncology component is about researching how to treat cancer in a very “precise” way and involves assessing many biological aspects of each patient, such as targeting gene mutations in tumours. POET’s polyomic approach goes beyond that by using body materials, like blood and stool, to get more information on how cells affect cancer in the body. The result is “maximum impact and minimum toxicity,” Bebb says.
POET’s precision oncology component has become synonymous with identifying molecular anomalies in genes. In order to do that, the POET team — Bebb and 20 colleagues — has fostered a series of local and national collaborations to set up the Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) capability for solid tumours in Calgary. They have analyzed 160 tissue samples from Alberta patients living with a variety of cancers. Using NGS and a slick machine called NovaSeq, the team “mashes up” each sample and extracts DNA and RNA. Up to 500 gene profiles per sample can be investigated at one time; mutations are identified within approximately 24 hours, and the team interprets and shares these findings with patients within four weeks. Reports then go to the patients’ oncologists. But identifying gene mutations in tumours “is not meaningful unless you have the therapies that can exploit that,” explains Bebb. To that end, reports also include recommended prescriptions and/or existing clinical trials for patients and their health-care professionals to pursue. Seamlessly merging the discovery of a mutation with the most effective
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3 QUESTIONS WITH DR. GWYN BEBB 1. Describe what you do in 10 words or less. Create an inclusive framework to advance precision oncology. 2. What is the biggest misperception about what you do? That I only treat patients or that I only do research: I do both. 3. What motivates you? A desire to help make all cancers curable.
treatment is not always easy. The ideal, or most precise, medication might still be in the research stage, or approved by the Food and Drug Administration in the U.S. but not yet by Health Canada. Or a compassionate request — permission to use a yet-to-be-approved medicine outside of a clinical trial — can be denied. “This can be the most challenging part of all,” says Bebb, who lost a young lung cancer patient with a tumour gene mutation the evening before he was approved for a therapeutic. “It was an agonizing experience, a shattering disappointment.” There have been some successes. New drugs are constantly being developed — Bayer, for example, has a new drug called larotrectinib that targets a 34 LEAP FALL 2021
mutation called NTRK, and a clinical trial for a breast cancer mutation started this summer — and pharma and biotech companies are using POET-based gene testing to identify patients for clinical trials. However, there is more work to be done, says Bebb. “Since cancer evolves over time and cells change over time, we need to reassess the genomic landscape during the patient’s journey.” He is beginning to examine additional systems, such as the gut microbiome, where bacteria profiles are associated with poor or favourable cancer treatment outcomes. The hope is to be able to influence the microbiome of individuals with cancer (using stool transplants or probiotic diets) to enhance the efficacy of
cancer treatments. Conducting this kind of evolutionary research takes a lot of money. NovaSeq was purchased in 2019 for $2.2 million. The Alberta Cancer Foundation contributed $530,000; the remaining cost was covered by the International Microbiome Centre at the U of C, which is sharing the equipment. The estate of the late Arnie Charbonneau, a wellregarded Calgary businessman and philanthropist, provided $4 million to support POET until 2026. Bebb’s colleagues are impressed with his commitment to his patients. “Dr. Bebb is one of the rare individuals who possesses the qualities of a consummate researcher, leader, educator, fundraiser, visionary, clinician and strong patient/family advocate,” says Dr. Don Morris, department head of oncology and facility medical director at the Tom Baker Cancer Centre. “We have been incredibly fortunate to have Gwyn’s leadership within our cancer research and clinical family.” A dizzying workload like this is ripe for burnout, but Bebb knows how to decompress. He enjoys family time as well as socializing with friends, studying Welsh history, language and poetry, taking photographs and watching rugby. “And I like water – walking or cycling along the Bow River,” he says. “I find these activities a prime means of replenishing my soul.” Since interviewing Dr. Bebb for this role, he has moved onto a new role outside of Alberta. We recognize all the rockstar work he was part of for Albertans facing cancer.
MY LEAP
Overcoming Obstacles United Way supports those most vulnerable during COVID-19 by COLLEEN SETO THE PANDEMIC POSED CHALLENGES FOR ALL OF US, but it
added even more unexpected obstacles for people living with cancer. That’s why United Way Centraide Canada (in partnership with local chapters) stepped in to mobilize community support as one of three organizations administering the Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund (ECSF). In Alberta, United Way of the Alberta Capital Region helped support charities and non-profit organizations like the Alberta Cancer Foundation to serve vulnerable populations disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. ECSF was first announced by the federal government in April 2020. Since then, it has finished its second and final round of investing a total of $350 million to ensure Canadian communities remain strong through the pandemic. “We tried to get those dollars out the door as quickly as possible, and prioritized vulnerable populations made even more vulnerable by the pandemic,” says Allan Undheim, vice-president of
community building and investment for United Way of the Alberta Capital Region. That includes people living with cancer who had to deal with additional stressors created by the pandemic. Being immunocompromised while COVID-19 is present in the community means not being able to take public transit safely or rely on volunteers for transport to treatments. Some had to isolate completely from their support networks who helped with childcare, getting groceries and, of course, social connection. Continuing to work is already difficult when you’re dealing with illness, but the pandemic caused another layer of financial struggle with shutdowns and job losses. Thanks to funds provided through United Way, the Foundation’s COVID-19 Psychosocial Emergency Response Program helped cancer patients cover some of the costs associated with access to treatment. Based on need, the program provided accommodation vouchers during a patient’s active cancer treatment while Alberta Health Services’ patient hostels were closed. Vouchers were provided for transportation,
grocery stores, Meals on Wheels services, support to cover utility bills, childcare during treatment, counselling services and more. Receiving funds to cover these costs helped cancer patients continue to receive their life-saving treatments throughout the pandemic. Additionally, the ECSF contributed to enhancing and adding capacity to the Foundation’s HEAL-ME program. HEAL-ME provides live virtual exercise and health programs for adults living with cancer and survivors who are at greater risk for contracting and having complications from COVID-19. HEAL-ME offers a way to stay active and healthy at home. While the pandemic has been arduous, it provided the chance for United Way to partner with organizations like the Alberta Cancer Foundation in new and meaningful ways. “United Way of the Alberta Capital Region was pleased to expand support beyond our usual partners,” says Undheim. “We don’t usually work with health organizations, and this gave us a unique opportunity to work with Alberta Cancer Foundation and others to support at-risk groups.” The United Way Network is well versed at providing emergency support, particularly after incidents like the Fort McMurray wildfires, offering clients much-needed help, not only in urban centres but also across northern Alberta. “In an emergency context, we play a significant role for community support,” says Undheim. “Often, our help is related to food provision, transportation, emergency finances and mental health services. But there’s also these other important needs related to health that are ever-present and not necessarily clinical — even something like helping to pay for parking at appointments. It was really great for us to be able to do something on that front.”
ILLUSTRATION BY ECLIPSE_IMAGES, COURTESY iSTOCK
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TREVOR CAMPBELL AT THE GALT MUSEUM & ARCHIVES IN LETHBRIDGE
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TRUE CALLING
FOCUSING ON SOLUTIONS Jack Ady Cancer Centre radiation therapy manager TREVOR CAMPBELL has built a career around facilitating care, fostering a tight-knit team and solving problems by NATHAN KUNZ photographs by JACKIE STANDING
REVOR CAMPBELL FOUND
his way to cancer care well off the beaten path. Born in Winnipeg, Man., and raised in Saskatoon, Sask., Campbell first pursued a degree in forensic anthropology from the University of Saskatchewan. Looking to settle into a career in the relatively new field, he applied to be an RCMP officer, a requirement for forensic work in the province. “About the second question on the application was ‘Are you colour blind? And if you are, go to question 56’,” says Campbell, who is, in fact, colour blind. “And [question 56 is] ‘Thank you for coming, buh-bye’.” Undeterred, Campbell regrouped and began looking elsewhere. The medical field became a focus. After chatting with his dad, who had recently done some electrical engineering work at the Saskatoon Cancer Centre, he decided to look into radiation therapy. Shortly after, Campbell moved to Edmonton, Alta., to attend what was then the Alberta Cancer Board’s School of Radiation Therapy in the early ’90s. More than 25 years later, Campbell now leads the radiation oncology unit at the Jack Ady Cancer Centre in Lethbridge, Alta., where he’s worked to establish the regional cancer centre into a welcoming environment for staff and patients alike.
FACILITATING CARE Campbell says no two days are exactly alike at the Jack Ady. As the frontline manager for a staff of about 15, including radiation therapists and clerks, Campbell’s job is largely one of facilitating — making sure his staff has the resources, information and support they need to give patients the care they deserve. Days begin with a huddle, where the staff give updates on the roughly 35 patients being treated at any given time. From there, Campbell takes meetings in his office while staying available to his staff in every facet. Simply put, Campbell says, “[I try to] be there and help where I can.” On top of his Jack Ady responsibilities, Campbell is also the radiation therapy medical lead for the Alberta-wide transition to Alberta Health Services Connect Care. The project will see all patient information and best practices migrated to a central online hub for health-care professionals and patients to access. Although his work can lead to tough conversations, and outcomes can’t always be exactly as the team hopes, Campbell says the environment at the Jack Ady is far from what outsiders may expect. “People always say it must be depressing to work at a cancer centre,” says Campbell. “And in fact, I’ve stopped
arguing with them. I just jokingly say, ‘Yeah, it’s terrible. I must be a saint to work here.’ But the reality is this is a wonderful place. It’s full of laughter; there’s lots of hope.” TWO DECADES OF TEAMWORK Campbell has played a major role in shaping the Jack Ady’s radiation therapy unit over the past 11 years, though he hasn’t done it alone. Throughout his whole career, Campbell has worked closely with his wife, Kim Campbell, who is a medical dosimetrist by trade. The two met in Edmonton at the Cross Cancer Institute (CCI), where Trevor had begun working as a radiation therapist following graduation. Twentyfive years of marriage, two cancer centres and three children later, the Campbells still work together, and their daily tradition of meeting for lunch remains intact. “I’ve always said, once I get sick of going for coffee and lunch with him, I guess the marriage is over. And we still haven’t,” says Kim. “So far, so good — I’m not sick of him yet.” The choice to move from Edmonton to Lethbridge in 2010 was a joint one. The Jack Ady Cancer Centre was the first in Alberta’s Radiation Therapy Corridor, an initiative focused on offering radiation services to all Albertans closer to home. Today, the Jack Ady, along with Red Deer’s Central myleapmagazine.ca FALL 2021 LEAP 37
Alberta Cancer Centre and the new Grande Prairie Regional Hospital’s cancer centre, means 92 per cent of Albertans are within 100 kilometres of a radiation therapy clinic. Kim admits she was hesitant at first — as a born-and-raised Edmontonian, the prospect of moving came as a surprise, though after careful consideration, they decided to head south. Both Kim and Trevor note creating something new at the Jack Ady was a big draw. The newly constructed centre offered a unique opportunity to take their favourite parts of the CCI with them and help build a work culture from the ground up. Today, Trevor largely credits Kim with creating a unit they’re proud of. They’ve seen young radiation therapists thrive and have shared countless milestones with their tight-knit staff. In turn, Kim says the clinic’s success in operation has come mainly from Trevor’s aptitude for finding solutions, no matter the task. “He always comes up with ideas to make things work,” says Kim. “He never backs down.” Outside the Jack Ady, Trevor’s can-do spirit persists. Kim notes that Trevor applies his work ethic and process to other commitments, from coaching community sports to his role in helping organize George’s Ride, a motorcycle ride fundraiser he lent a hand in putting together for several years. THE BEST PLAN IS NO PLAN From the CCI to the Jack Ady, Campbell says he’s made a point to never have a long-term plan with his work. Instead, he’s focused on the day-to-day, looking
TREVOR AND KIM CAMPBELL
to contribute to the cancer centre, the patients and his staff wherever he can. Whether it’s providing high-quality care closer to home, securing the funding to get sit-stand desks for his clerks or getting blanket warmers for patients in the radiation unit, finding solutions is something that keeps him going. “It’s still a work in progress. It’s never ever, ever, ever complete. But we’ve done a lot of what we wanted to do,” says Campbell. “It’s all about what
we’ve created.” As for the colour blindness that led him to the role, Campbell says it hasn’t held him back. “If people ask me to look at a text and they say, ‘Well, I’ve highlighted it in red,’ then they’re going to have to do that again because I can’t see the difference,” says Campbell of the rare occasions it comes into play. “We got by,” he says with a smile. “Everybody’s gotten through safely.”
TREVOR CAMPBELL’S CAREER HIGHLIGHTS 1994 Graduated from the Alberta Cancer Board’s (now Alberta Health Services) School of Radiation Therapy
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1995 Began career as a full-time radiation therapist at the Cross Cancer Institute
2008 Became a clinical educator for the Cross Cancer Institute’s radiation therapy department
2010 Started at the Jack Ady Cancer Centre as manager of the radiation therapy department upon its opening
2019 Became the radiation therapy provincial lead for the Connect Care project
IMPACT
In Treatment Lorna and Roger Smith share their experience with brachytherapy by JENNIFER FRIESEN
After being cancer-free for over a year, Lorna Smith went on a family vacation with her husband, Roger. But after they returned to Calgary on March 17, 2020, she experienced a resurgence of symptoms. Lorna was diagnosed with uterine cancer in January 2018, and underwent a radical hysterectomy that March. She was declared cancerfree a month after surgery, only to be told that it returned in 2020. The tumour was too close to her surrounding organs for surgery, so her oncology team at the Tom Baker Cancer Centre recommended a mixed treatment of external radiation and brachytherapy. Brachytherapy treats cancer by directly delivering radiation to a tumour through needles, catheters or applicators inside the body to avoid damaging other healthy tissues. The treatment, led by Dr. Tien Phan and Dr. Kevin Martell, was successful, and Lorna was declared to be in clinical remission in March 2021. Since witnessing the life-saving capabilities of this treatment first-hand, Lorna and Roger have donated $16,000 to the brachytherapy program at the Tom Baker in the hopes other lives will be changed, too. Here, Roger and Lorna reflect on the experience:
LS: “One day, we were on the Cayman
Islands with our niece and nephew and their family. I was swimming and walking on the beach. I felt no pain. So, when we got home and I noticed I was bleeding, I was shocked. “It was also the day the lockdown began in Alberta, so that was an unfortunate coincidence. I had to quarantine for 14 days before they could do any tests. I was diagnosed with cancer again in April, and the tumour was large: six centimetres by six cm by six cm, and it was lodged between my bladder and my bowel. I was in shock. I’m a stoic person, though, so I just said, ‘All right.’ You just roll up your sleeves and get after it. And I had a lot of confidence in the doctors I was dealing with.” RS: “They did a series of CAT scans and MRIs on Lorna to make certain that it hadn’t gone anywhere else, and the indication was that it hadn’t. That was all good news. Then they realized, radiation therapy could really work.” LS: “I got a call from my doctors, who explained they wanted to do this treatment. They were going to combine 25 treatments of external radiation for 25 straight days, and then do brachytherapy. They determined this plan, and I was relieved it wasn’t chemo, but honestly, I didn’t even
know what brachytherapy was.” RS: “Treatment started on June 8, so that was radiation five days a week for five weeks.” LS: “By the time we finished external radiation, the tumour shrunk to less than two cm, which the doctors were very pleased about. I was really lucky.” RS: “But, as the tumour shrinks, the rest of the tissues move into the space where it’s shrinking. So radiation, which was focused exclusively on the tumour initially, tends to reach some of the adjacent tissues. So that’s when the brachytherapy started.” LS: “Brachytherapy was three procedures, where they inserted 14 needles into the tumour so they could transmit live radiation into it. This way, it’s not passing through your skin and organs; the radiation goes directly through these needles. By the end of July 2020, the tumour was less than one cm — less than the crest of a fingernail. “And even before we were told of the successful results, we really wanted to donate something to the Tom Baker in appreciation.” RS: “We had a combination of so many exceptional doctors. And to the extent that they can localize and focus radiation on a tumour to minimize the impact on adjacent organs — and do that effectively — is exciting.”
LORNA AND
ROGER SMITH AT THE TOM BAKER CANCER CENTRE.
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WHY I DONATE
Part of the Solution Through regular donations, LAUREL BALEY helps support Alberta cancer patients in a big way by COLLEEN BIONDI
LAUREL BALEY, 78, HAS ALWAYS had an adventurous spirit. As a child living on her family’s farm near Winnipeg, Man., she climbed trees and went trick riding on her bike along nearby gravel roads. After starting her career as a customer sales and service agent for Air
“NO MATTER WHAT YOU CAN CONTRIBUTE... YOU ARE PARTOF THE SOLUTION.”
— LAUREL BALEY
Canada in Winnipeg, Baley moved to Calgary, where she embraced downhill skiing in the Rockies and travelled to exotic destinations like Nepal, Peru and Afghanistan. “I loved seeing the world,” she says. In 2001, after 34 years with the airline, Baley retired. A year later, she embarked on a new kind of journey — and it became her greatest challenge yet. She was diagnosed with breast cancer. Baley had a lumpectomy and subsequent mastectomy in her right breast, four sessions of chemotherapy and 28 sessions of radiation. Three years later, during breast reconstruction, the surgeon found cancer cells in several remaining lymph nodes, which were then removed. She was prescribed the treatment drug tamoxifen for a time, then letrozole. Eventually, she visited the Tom Baker Cancer Centre’s psychology department when the stress of the cancer diagnosis developed into anxiety and depression. “I was lucky,” Baley says. “My care was excellent.” Following the experience, Baley was filled with gratitude and began donating to the Alberta Cancer Foundation. She started with $25 per month. Baley hoped to help women have even better experiences with diagnostics and treatment, resulting in more women being cured of their cancers, so she put her money toward research. Today, she donates $40 each month and has also allotted a gift to the Foundation in her will. “It is easy and convenient, and anyone can do this,” she says. “We all know someone who is going through cancer.” Indeed, Baley is not the only person PHOTOGRAPHS BY JARED SYCH
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in her family with a cancer experience. Her father and mother both died of the disease (bowel and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma respectively) and her niecesin-law are currently living with cancer. So is Baley — again. At a routine mammogram in November 2020, the radiologist found cancer in her left breast. She had a lumpectomy, five sessions of radiation and will remain on letrozole for five years. “Other than sore joints, all is okay,” she says. “But get your mammograms. I am adamant about that.” During her treatment this time around, she noticed more advanced equipment and less onerous protocols, she says. “All the money I am donating is making a difference.” Now that her cancer is being managed, Baley is back to enjoying life. Although skiing and mountain biking are no longer in her repertoire, she enjoys walking, golfing and escaping to southern climates in the winter. She also spends time with a wide network of friends, former Air Canada colleagues and family, including a younger brother, sister and four nephews. In fact, she credits their unwavering support as essential to getting her through her cancer journeys. “I can’t imagine going through this alone. They have been my rock,” Baley says. Her advice for others who are living with cancer? “Reach out. You are not as tough as you think you are,” she says. And she encourages people to donate. “No matter what you can contribute, when you see something positive coming from it, it makes you feel good,” Baley says. “You are part of the solution.” myleapmagazine.ca FALL 2021 LEAP 41
GAME CHANGER HEATHER CULBERT, DEBORAH YEDLIN AND JOHN OSLER AT THE CALGARY CANCER CENTRE
The Gold Standard in Care The Calgary Cancer Centre will boost the quality of cancer treatment while bringing economic returns by COLLEEN SETO
ON SCHEDULE TO OPEN IN 2023, the
Calgary Cancer Centre will be the largest standalone comprehensive cancer centre in Canada. “It will be right up there with the leading cancer centres in North America,” says John Osler, one of three co-chairs for the centre’s capital campaign. Led by the Alberta Cancer Foundation, Alberta Health Services and the University of Calgary, the campaign aims to raise $250 million to fund programs and equipment, enhance patient care and advance new and innovative ways to detect and treat cancer. Osler, a former chairman of the Alberta Cancer Foundation and cancer survivor, has teamed up with fellow co-chairs Heather Culbert and Deborah Yedlin to fulfill the vision of turning Calgary into the gold standard for cancer research, prevention and care.
“Cancer touches all of us,” says Yedlin, a community leader and journalist whose mother survived breast cancer. “What’s interesting is that my mom’s treatment in 1962 was not that different from a friend’s treatment 20 years ago. And we’re still looking at the same type of protocol. That really struck me. Surely we can do better in terms of evolving treatment. That’s part of what a great promise this new cancer centre will have.” Culbert, an active volunteer and philanthropist, agrees. She saw firsthand the strain on resources during her mother’s cancer journey and advocated for a new cancer centre for years. Of all the community work she does, she sees this project as her “lifetime calling” and wants more Albertans to get involved. “We finally have the bricks and mortar piece committed by the
government, but it doesn’t give us everything we need to fulfill our vision,” Culbert explains. “The only way to get there is for the community to step up and be part of the solution. Everybody needs to own this, either in a small way or by really stepping up big.” The new centre will set Calgary up to become a thriving hub for health care and science, taking advantage of the existing research excellence happening through the centre’s partner, the University of Calgary. “We need to harness the brains here that are our renewable resource and use them to support an economic renaissance that’s substantial,” says Yedlin. “This centre of excellence will attract the best and brightest minds, which will reflect exceptionally well on broader health care and research,” adds Osler. “It’s a great story for our city and will help Calgary diversify.” The centre won’t just mean great health-care returns, but also economic benefits. Yedlin points to how other cities have similarly transformed themselves. “Consider Pittsburgh,” she says. “As the market changed, a collective, concerted effort was made to focus on ‘eds and meds.’ Now it’s a worldleading health centre. Calgary could do the same.” Collaboration has made the centre a reality and will continue to be key to ensuring the best in cancer care and research. “It’s really important that Albertans know we have this collaborative model, ensuring representation of all groups at the table,” says Culbert. “We need to own cancer, and the centre will make that possible.” “It is visionary,” says Osler. “But most importantly, it will save lives.” PHOTO JARED SYCH
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THANK YOU
for making life better for Albertans facing cancer
Thank you to all of our supporters who were able to safely host their events in support of the Alberta Cancer Foundation over the past year! Your dedication to your community means we have been able to continue creating more moments for Albertans facing cancer.
To learn more about how you can make a difference by participating or getting involved in an event please visit our website, and view the most up-to-date listing of community hosted events: albertacancer.ca/events
We also invite you to join us for one of our signature events in 2022:
May 2022 Province-wide
August 2022 Country Hills Golf Club, Calgary
To learn more about other ways to get involved with the Alberta Cancer Foundation, please visit albertacancer.ca/get-involved *Please note event dates are subject to change
L
800 CYCLISTS FROM AROUND ALBERTA MADE A DIFFERENCE
THANK YOU
FROM THE ALBERTA CANCER FOUNDATION This year, more than 800 cyclists from around Alberta rallied together to raise $2 Million for the inaugural Enbridge Tour Alberta for Cancer, in support of the Alberta Cancer Foundation. These funds raised will support innovation in detection, treatment and care right here in Alberta, and will directly benefit the 17 Alberta Health Services cancer centres across the province, including the Tom Baker Cancer Centre and Cross Cancer Institute. Thank you for helping Albertans facing cancer.
Register for 2022 today at TourAlbertaForCancer.ca (780) 643-4584
TourAlbertaForCancer.ca