Guest Speakers
Nayima Clermont Dejean MDCM FRCPC
Gastroenterologist
Clinical Fellow in Nutrition at Toronto General – UHN
View Bio
Gastroenterologist
Clinical Fellow in Nutrition at Toronto General – UHN
View Bio
Clinical Fellow in Nutrition at Toronto General – UHN
Nayima Clermont Dejean obtained her MDCM from McGill University in 2012 and subsequently completed fellowships in both internal medicine and gastroenterology at the Université de Sherbrooke in 2017.
Nayima Clermont Dejean obtained her MDCM from McGill University in 2012 and subsequently completed fellowships in both internal medicine and gastroenterology at the Université de Sherbrooke in 2017.
She is currently completing a clinical fellowship in nutrition at Toronto General Hospital affiliated with the University of Toronto Hospital Network. She has a strong interest in international health and with this fellowship plans to gain additional expertise in nutrition and explore the challenges it faces in both developed and developing countries.
Jessica Noelting MD
Gastroenterology
Hotel Dieu Hospital
Queen’s University, Kingston
View Bio
Gastroenterology
Hotel Dieu Hospital
Queen’s University, Kingston
View Bio
I started in undergrad at McGill university graduated with a BSc Nutritional biochemistry. I went to med school in English for 4 years in Poland and then went to residency for 3 years in internal medicine in Mayo Clinic Rochester (Minnesota) and then 3 years of gastroenterology at Mayo Clinic Arizona. Then I moved back to Canada, after 10 years abroad, for a nutrition fellowship with Dr. Allard at Toronto General Hospital. Since April 2018, I am working at Hotel Dieu Hospital in Kingston (Queen’s University), where we have just started a home parenteral nutrition program.
Local Speakers
Ahmed Al-Awamer MBBS MHSc (bioethics) CCFP(PC) FCFP
Assistant Professor, Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto
Staff Palliative Care Physician
Princess Margaret Cancer Center
View Bio
Assistant Professor, Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto
Staff Palliative Care Physician
Princess Margaret Cancer Center
View Bio
Dr. al-Awamer is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Toronto. He is a physician and educator at the Supportive Care department, Princess Margaret Cancer Center in Toronto, Canada. After completing his medical degree, Dr. al-Awamer obtained a Master of Health Science (MHSc) degree in bioethics from the University of Toronto. In his various roles, Dr. Al-Awamer co-directs the UHN palliative care fellowship program and leads education at the Princess Margret Cancer Center, Canada’s largest academic cancer center. Also, he is the head of the Curriculum Committee at the University Toronto’s palliative medicine residency program (YAC). He published and delivered conference papers nationally and internationally about palliative care and ethics.
Hershl Berman MD FRCPC
Specialist in Internal Medicine and Palliative Medicine
Temmy Latner Centre for Palliative Care, Sinai Health System
Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto
View Bio
Dr. Berman graduated from Queen’s University with a medical degree in 1998. He Trained in Internal Medicine at Queen’s and Western Universities, and completed a Palliative Care Fellowship at the University of Toronto. After attending on CTUs and Palliative Care at the University Health Network, he joined the Temmy Latner Centre in 2012, He coordinated the second year Undergraduate Palliative Care curriculum until 2017, and currently serves on the Palliative Care Fellowship training committee.
Haley Draper MD CCFP (PC)
Palliative Care Physician
Toronto Western Hospital & Kensington Hospice
View Bio
Haley Draper graduated from the University of Toronto Medical School in 2008. She then completed residency training in Family Medicine at the University of Toronto. She has been practicing Palliative Care at the University Health Network since 2010. She currently shares her time between Toronto Western Hospital and Kensington Hospice. She has a special interest in teaching in the area of Palliative Care and is a clinician-teacher at the University of Toronto.
R.J. Edralin RN BScN
Clinical Care Coordinator
Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID)
Collaborative Academic Practice
University Health Network
View Bio
R.J. completed his Nursing degree at Ryerson University in 2011 and he is currently enrolled in their Master of Nursing program, with a course stream focus on Leadership in Health Policy and Education. He began his career at the University Health Network (UHN) as a staff nurse with the Nursing Resource Team where he worked on several medical/surgical units, as well as as the Emergency Department (ED) at both Toronto General and Toronto Western. R.J. eventually transitioned into the Emergency Department at Toronto Western Hospital where he has been employed for most of his career. While in the ED, R.J. was a co-lead in a quality improvement project to improve an inter-professional palliative and end-of-care approach in the ED. In November 2016, R.J. started a new nursing leadership role as the MAID Clinical Care Coordinator for UHN where he provides coordination support of the MAID process for patients, families, and staff across all UHN sites and Kensington Hospice.
Mary Elliott MD FRCPC
Department of Supportive Care, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre
Assistant Professor, Psychiatry, University of Toronto
View Bio
Dr. Mary Elliott is a consulting psychiatrist, psychotherapist and mindfulness teacher at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre. She is a Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiarty, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto and a graduate of the Education Scholars Program at U of Toronto. In addition to researching the benefits of mindfulness interventions for young adults with cancer she has collaborated on the development and study of two innovative healthcare provider wellnes programs: CPR-T (Compassion, Presence and Resilience Training) and BRITE (Building Resilience within Institutions Together with Employees). She is an avid hiker and recently completed her first month long silent retreat experience.
Rose-Marie Fraser MSW RSW
Practice Lead & Social Worker
Medical Oncology Team
Toronto General Hospital
University Health Network
View Bio
Rose-Marie Fraser is the Practice Lead for Social Work at TGH, Her clinical practice is on the Medical Oncology Team on Medicine at Toronto General Hospital. She is cross-appointed as Adjunct Lecturer at U of T Factor Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, Research Chair for the Social Work Council at UHN, completed two elected terms at the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers and sits on the Mental Health & Advisory Committee for the TDSB.
Nadine Gebara MD CCFP (PC)
Palliative Care Physician
Toronto Western Hospital & Kensington Hospice
View Bio
Nadine Gebara obtained her medical degree at McMaster University in 2005. She then completed a family medicine residency at the University of Toronto, followed by a palliative care Enriched Skills Program. She is currently a staff physician at the Kensington Hospice and on the Palliative Care Consult Team at Toronto Western Hospital. Nadine is a Clinician-Teacher with the University of Toronto.
Lindsay Hurlburt MD FRCPC
Palliative Care Physician
Toronto General Hospital
University Health Network
View Bio
Dr. Lindsay Hurlburt received her medical degree from McMaster University and subsequently pursued residency training in anesthesiology at the University of Toronto, followed by fellowship training in cardiac anesthesiology and critical care at Toronto General Hospital. Dr. Hurlburt worked as a staff anesthesiologist at a large community hospital before undertaking her specialty training in palliative care at the University Health Network and has recently joined the Palliative Care Team at Toronto General Hospital as a palliative care specialist. Her interests include the intersection of palliative care with non-malignant illness, education, and both patient and physician wellness.
Nadia Incardona MD MHSc CCFP (EM)
Emergency Physician
Michael Garron Hospital
View Bio
Dr. Incardona is an emergency and family physician. She currently works at Michael Garron Hospital (formerly Toronto East General Hospital) and various rural communities across Ontario. She is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto and has a Masters of Health Science in Bioethics from the University of Toronto. She is the Rural Northern Initiative Coordinator at the Department of Family and Community medicine, University of Toronto. Her non-clinical work is focused on healthcare provider and public education surrounding end of life decision-making, specifically integrating patient values and goals into all stages of the process.
She has developed Advance Care planning resources for the East Toronto HealthLink and Michael Garron Hospital and is currently a clinical advisor for Advance Care planning and consent for Hospice Palliative Care Ontario. Her research activities have focused on understanding the challenges that healthcare providers face in helping patients develop advance care plans. She is a member of the Joint Centre for Bioethics Taskforce on Medical Assistance in Dying.
Christine Lau MSc MD CCFP (PC)
Palliative Care Physician
Toronto General Hospital
University Health Network
View Bio
Palliative Care Physician
Toronto General Hospital
University Health Network
View Bio
I completed my Family Medicine training at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, followed by the Conjoint Palliative Care Fellowship at the University of Toronto. I am currently on staff at the Toronto General Hospital for the Palliative Care Consult Team.
Jenny Lau MD CCFP
Medical Director, Tertiary Palliative Care Unit
Princess Margaret Cancer Center
University Health Network
View Bio
Dr. Jenny Lau is the Medical Director of the tertiary palliative care unit at the Princess Margaret Cancer Center. She trained as a family medicine physician at the University of Ottawa, and then completed her year of added competency in palliative care at the University of Alberta. She was awarded the Canadian Society of Palliative Care Physicians’ Palliative Medicine Resident Research award for her scholarly project on the palliative needs of the inner-city population. Her current clinical and academic interests are now focused on substance use disorders in the context of palliative care. She is leading the development of expert consensus guidelines on opioid safety, and is an active member of the Canadian Society of Palliative Care Physicians’ Opioid Safety working group.
Alyssa Macedo BSc Biochem BSc OT MSc OT
Quality Project Manager, DMOH and PM
Princess Margaret Cancer Centre
University Health Network
View Bio
Alyssa is the Quality Project Manager for the Department of Medical Oncology and Hematology and Princess Margaret Cancer Centre. She has a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (OT) from Brunel University in the UK, a Bachelor of Science in OT from the University of Toronto as well as a Bachelor of Science, Honors Biochemistry from McMaster University. As well, she recently became a LEAN Yellow Belt. Alyssa has practiced as an OT at the University Health Network (UHN) and in the UK. Alyssa has over 20 presentations and publications that span her clinical practice as well as in her previous role as Program Lead, Patient Reported Outcomes where she co-led the development and implementation of the Distress Assessment and Response Tool (DART).
Her work in safety and quality has led to a re-focus on enhancing employee engagement by fostering individual resilience. Alyssa is a Co-lead with Marnie Escaf and Dr. Mary Elliott of BRITETM: Building Resilience within Institutions Together with Employees, an individual workplace resiliency program based on the implementation of micro-practices ‘on the go’. This has been a new area of focus and one Alyssa is especially passionate about as it aligns well with her OT values.
Kelly McGuigan RN,BScN, MN, CON(C) CHPCN (C)
Advanced Practice Nurse,
Clinical Nurse Specialist in Palliative Care
Princess Margaret Cancer Centre
View Bio
Kelly McGuigan is a Clinical Nurse Specialist in palliative care at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto. She has a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Ryerson University, a Masters degree in Nursing from the University of Toronto and she is certified in oncology and hospice palliative care through the Canadian Nursing Association. She has an adjunct lecturer appointment with the Bloomberg School of Nursing at the University of Toronto. Her nursing experience in the last thirty years has been in oncology and palliative care in both hospital and community based programs. In her current role as a clinical nurse specialist in palliative care she works on the inpatient consult service. This role includes providing clinical consultation to oncology patients on the acute care units, supporting clinical teams in providing a palliative approach to care, psychosocial care and advance care planning (ACP). Kelly is involved in program initiatives in education and research in palliative care, advance care planning, psychosocial care and symptom management.
Patricia Murphy-Kane RN BA BScN MN CHPCN (C)
Clinical Nurse Specialist Palliative Care
View Bio
Trish is a graduate of the University of Ottawa and the University of Toronto. She holds a clinical appointment with the Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing at the University of Toronto. Her nursing experience has been in many different clinical areas both in hospital and the community. Over the last eighteen years Trish has focused her practice in oncology where she has worked in the areas of surgery, medicine and palliative care.
Presently she works as a Clinical Nurse Specialist in palliative care at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre. In this role Trish is committed to the advancement of nursing practice through mentorship, education, research and interprofessional collaboration.
Presently she works as a Clinical Nurse Specialist in palliative care at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre. In this role Trish is committed to the advancement of nursing practice through mentorship, education, research and interprofessional collaboration.
Susan Ng RN MN CHPCN (C)
Palliative Care Clinical Nurse Specialist
Toronto General Hospital
University Health Network
View Bio
Susan Ng is a Clinical Nurse Specialist on the palliative care consultation team at Toronto General Hospital, University Health Network. Susan completed her undergraduate degree in nursing at the University of Toronto in 2008 and joined the Multi-Organ Transplant Unit at TGH as staff nurse. She was awarded a Collaborative Academic Practice Fellowship in 2010, followed by a RNAO Advance Clinical Practice Fellowship in which her project focused on creation of a palliative care resource nurse program. In 2013, she transitioned to the role of Clinical Resource Nurse on the Transplant Unit to support education and leadership activities. She joined the palliative care consultation team in 2017 after completing a Masters of Nursing degree at the University of Toronto. Having spent the majority of her career in transplant medicine, Susan’s interests include applying a palliative care philosophy to non-malignant patient populations, improving the patient and family experience, and supporting nurses in caring for patients and families with life-limiting conditions.
Ruby Shanker MBBS MHSc (Bioethics)
Bioethicist
Toronto General Hospital (University Health Network) & Women’s College Hospital
Adjunct Lecturer, Division of Clinical Public Health, Dalla Lana School of Public Health
View Bio
Ruby is the Bioethicist for the Toronto General Hospital (University Health Network) and Women’s College Hospital. She comes to Bioethics from Medicine, and her practice focuses on addressing ethical concerns or issues that arise across a variety of clinical care settings from acute care to community practice. She tends to be peripatetic through hospital corridors and between sites, remaining available to patients, families and clinical staff to explore ethical uncertainties and dilemmas of everyday healthcare.
Ruby’s research interests focus on exploring the hidden curricula within health professions and the culture(s) of inter-professional teams for ethics education. She is passionate about awareness and practice of ally-ship with those who experience oppressions and stigma while navigating our healthcare system. She is an Adjunct Lecturer with the Division of Clinical Public Health in the Dalla Lana School of Public Health (University of Toronto). She is also an executive board member of the Canadian Bioethics Society, and the Canadian Association for Practising Healthcare Ethicists.
Beyond Bioethics, Ruby is an avid Tweeter, Sci-Fi geek, Netflix marathoner, travel enthusiast, and day dreams about cake.
Ruby’s research interests focus on exploring the hidden curricula within health professions and the culture(s) of inter-professional teams for ethics education. She is passionate about awareness and practice of ally-ship with those who experience oppressions and stigma while navigating our healthcare system. She is an Adjunct Lecturer with the Division of Clinical Public Health in the Dalla Lana School of Public Health (University of Toronto). She is also an executive board member of the Canadian Bioethics Society, and the Canadian Association for Practising Healthcare Ethicists.
Beyond Bioethics, Ruby is an avid Tweeter, Sci-Fi geek, Netflix marathoner, travel enthusiast, and day dreams about cake.
Andrea Weiss MD MSc CCFP (Program Director)
Palliative Care Physician
Toronto General Hospital
University Health Network
View Bio
Andrea Weiss is a palliative care specialist at the University Health Network, Toronto General Hospital, Toronto, Canada. She completed her medical degree at the University of British Columbia in 2009. She then completed her Family Medicine residency training at University of Toronto, Saint Michael’s Hospital, followed by a fellowship in palliative care at University of Toronto. She is Continuing Medical Education Lead in the department of palliative care at UHN. Dr. Weiss’s academic interests include palliative care education, communication, and palliative care for patients with non-malignant disease.
Kirsten Wentlandt PhD MHSci MD CCFP
Palliative Care Physician
University Health Network
View Bio
Kirsten Wentlandt graduated with her PhD in Physiology and Neurosciences before finishing her MD at Queen’s University. She then returned to the University of Toronto to complete her residency in Family Medicine, fellowship in Palliative Care and a Masters in Health Sciences (Health Administration). She joined UHN after graduating in 2011 as a Palliative Care physician and as the Medical Affairs Lead in Physician Leadership and Development. She currently divides her time between provision of clinical services, teaching, research development and in her administrative roles for UHN’s Medical Affairs portfolio, Ontario Palliative Care Network and the Toronto Central LHIN’s Palliative Care Network. Dr Wentlandt’s research interests are varied, utilizing concepts and ideas that have come through her experiences in both her clinical and corporate teachings. Quality patient care, patient satisfaction, barriers to care, quality improvement targeting physicians and their leaders are all topics she has explored.