Sunday Opening Keynote

Jim Mulcahy
Sunday, June 11,  9:00  a.m. 

Ironic Points Of Light

Retired teacher, long-time patient and family advocate, Cancer survivor, and family caregiver Jim Mulcahy will reflect upon his personal experiences and the significant global challenges we face as a species and propose the virtues and mission of enhanced palliative care as an archetypal model of care and an antidote for despair. “In the midst of such global challenges, and in the midst of the calamities my family has faced and will continue to face, I regard the profound compassion, skills and knowledge articulated by, and embodied in the enlightened practice of palliative care professionals to be ironic points of light, of hope, of civility both globally. 

Sunday Afternoon Keynote: Carmelita Lawlor Lectureship in Palliative Care 

Holly Prince, MSW, PhD (candidate) 
Sunday, June 11,  4:30 p.m.  

Walking Alongside Indigenous Peoples who are Seriously Ill: Addressing the Need for Culturally Safe-r Palliative Care

Indigenous Peoples have long-standing cultural and community-based knowledge in caring for community members preparing to journey back to the spirit world. As a result of colonization, however, these practices have been denigrated and Westernized Eurocentric healthcare systems imposed. The ongoing effects of colonialization persist into the present day, as evidenced by the structural and systemic barriers experienced by Indigenous Peoples. These barriers affect access to healthcare, reduce the quality of life for Indigenous Peoples and increase the overall burden of disease to be addressed during the end of life.    Full Description Here

Holly Prince is an Anishinaabekwe and a member of Opwaaganisiniing in Northwestern Ontario. She has a Master’s Degree in Social Work and is a Ph.D. Candidate in Educational Studies at Lakehead University. Her research focuses on decolonial and Indigenist education, Indigenous health, and community-based research. Holly has devoted the last 20 years to advancing the right of Indigenous peoples’ access to culturally appropriate and equitable palliative care and has mobilized her efforts as a national champion of human rights and dignity for people at the end of life. She is the Lead for the Indigenous People’s Health and Aging Division at the Centre for Education and Research on Aging and Health, Lakehead University, where she works as a Project Manager. A part of her role involves planning, implementing, and evaluating palliative care education for Indigenous peoples across Canada. Holly is also the Project Lead for the Canadian Virtual Hospice’s LivingMyCulture.ca project.

Monday Morning Keynote Panel 

Helen Angus, B.A., MScPl, Amy Hsu, PhD, Peter Tanuseputro, MD, CCFP, FRCPC, MHSc, Daniel Vincent, MD,
Monday, June 12, 2023 – 9:00 am – 10:15 am

Technology and its use in healthcare is rapidly evolving, and in many instances, COVID accelerated it’s use and integration in healthcare delivery in a way that we’ve never seen before. The promise of technology was to make life easier, simpler, better. But has it? And can it make dying a better experience? Can we embrace the rapid integration of technology into hospice palliative care while remaining grounded in the compassion and connection we need to support people to live their best quality of life?  How can technology be effectively and compassionately used to improve patient experience and support overburdened human resources?  Join our panel discussion with Helen Angus and Drs. Amy Hsu, Peter Tanuseputro, and Dan Vincent as we explore these questions and others, and challenge ourselves to integrate compassionate healthcare technology.

Helen Angus, as Chief Executive Officer at AMS Healthcare, brings her many talents and a renewed energy to the organization’s role as a catalyst for change and innovation in healthcare. Helen has a demonstrated ability to lead complex organizations and inspire others to drive systems-level change. From 2018 – 2021 she was Deputy Minister in the Ontario Ministry of Health, where she helmed Ontario’s initial health response to the COVID-19 pandemic. She played a critical leadership role in the ground-breaking work of Cancer Care Ontario and as co-chair of the Council of Deputy Ministers of Health. Helen is currently a distinguished fellow at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy.

Dr. Amy T. Hsu, PhD, is an Investigator at the Bruyère Research Institute and a Lecturer in the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Ottawa. Dr. Hsu holds the University of Ottawa Brain and Mind-Bruyère Research Institute Chair in Primary Health Care in Dementia. Her research uses population-level health administrative data at ICES to examine older adults’ health and healthcare needs, especially in those living with Alzheimer’s Disease and dementia.

Dr. Peter Tanuseputro completed training as a Public Health and Preventive Medicine specialist at the University of Toronto. Peter is an Associate Professor in the Division of Palliative Care, Department of Medicine, University of Ottawa. He practices family medicine in the community, with a focus on palliative home visits. His research focuses on using linked health databases to develop population perspectives on health care use and outcomes associated with aging and end of life in Ontario. He holds a Tier 2 Clinical Research Chair in Palliative Care and Predictive Analytics at the University of Ottawa.

Dr. Daniel Vincent is an assistant professor with the University of Ottawa Division of Palliative Care. He completed the Master of Science in Healthcare Quality program at Queen’s University and is the Quality Improvement lead for the Division of Palliative Care. He has been Medical Director of Hospice Care Ottawa since 2018.

Tuesday Morning Keynote

Julia Moore,  PhD
Tuesday, June 13,  8:30 AM 

Making Change Happen: Leveraging Implementation Science to Drive Change

In today’s rapidly changing world, the need for effective and sustainable change has never been more critical. This is especially true in palliative care. But how can we ensure that our ideas are turned into action and create the change we desire? During this session, you’ll explore science-backed pathways for creating change. You will delve into the key components of successful implementation; trust, power, relationships, barriers and facilitators to change, and a step-by-step process to help you reach your goals.

But implementation science is not just about the mechanics of change; it’s also about empowering people to take action. You will also learn strategies for fostering collaboration within your organization and building a culture of innovation. We hope you will leave feeling empowered and excited about the possibilities of creating meaningful change in your organization, community, or beyond. You’ll have a deeper understanding of the science behind effective implementation and the tools and strategies needed to turn your ideas into action.

Dr. Julia E. Moore is an award-winning expert on the practical applications of implementation science. As the Executive Director of The Center for Implementation, she is internationally known for her ability to communicate complex implementation science concepts in clear and actionable ways. Her passion for supporting the real-world use of implementation science is shown through her commitment to the spread and scale of accessible training and supporting hundreds of change initiatives around the world. Dr. Moore has led and designed tailored courses and workshops for over 8000 professionals from a wide range of fields.

Tuesday Afternoon Closing Keynote

Judy Croon
Tuesday, June 13,  1:00  PM

Relieving Work-Related Stress with Humour

Stress is a major cause of most illnesses, and humour is an amazing way to relieve it -especially now. Harvard studies show that when you are stressed, your brain shrinks. However, when you laugh, you relax; and when you relax, you learn. This inspirational session explores seven stress-relieving ingredients during these challenging times: a positive attitude, perseverance, forgiveness, teamwork (how to deal with people who aren’t ‘as perfect as us’), family and friends, healthy mental activity and healthy physical activity.

Judy Croon is Canada’s Keynote Humourist. She is a comedian, motivational speaker (including Ted Talks), radio host (her podcast Laugh Long and Prosper was voted ‘one of the best podcasts of 2021’ by CTV), Second City stand up coach and author. She has worked with many celebrities including; John Cleese, Jon Stewart and Joan Rivers. Her specials have appeared on NBC, CBS, CTV and The Comedy Network. She is a co-author of ‘From the Stage to the Page: Life Lessons from Four Funny Ladies!” Judy draws from her stand up and coaching experience to entertain, inform and inspire in her dynamic presentation entitled; ‘Relieving Work-Related Stress with Humour‘. She is a regular volunteer with City Street Outreach – a program that feeds Toronto’s homeless and needy. Judy is the creator/host of ‘Laughlines’ and ‘Stand Up for The Girls’ which have both helped raise over $650,000 for breast cancer research.