- Overview
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My primary interest lies in both the clinical and research aspects of long-term follow up in survivors of childhood cancer. Enormous strides have been made in childhood cancer treatments but not without cost to the patients and their families. Some of the ramifications of these advances are immediate while others are more insidious, stretching into adulthood, and are just as devastating.
In addition, the impact of childhood cancer on patients and their families demands that we take this opportunity to examine the complex interrelationships relevant to the psychological well-being of these children's caregivers.
In association with widely respected researchers and, in a combination of clinical and epidemiological research endeavours, our vision is to clarify and translate these results into meaningful practice and better define health care resource availability.
- Research
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A questionnaire-based review of long-term follow-up programs for survivors of childhood cancer in Canada
It is felt that long-term follow-up programs of childhood cancer survivors vary considerably in size, in the availability of specialty services, in funding sources and in their accessibility. This study is to determine where long-term follow-up programs are available for the survivors of childhood cancer and to determine the extent of services that are offered.Parents of children with cancer - a study of factors related to their physical and psychological well-being
Childhood cancer is a life-threatening disease - its onset is often acute, its treatment is intensive and demanding and may extend for several years. A diagnosis of childhood cancer with its associated range of short- and long-term adverse effects is a source of extreme stress for parents. High levels of parental distress have been found in many studies at diagnosis and during active treatment and remission. However, not all parents of children with cancer show high levels of distress. There is considerable variation within and between studies, and the relationship between childhood cancer (the stressor) and parental physical and psychological well-being is not clear. This study will contribute to this understanding, and will be an important step towards improving services to families of children with cancer.BC childhood adolescent & young adult cancer survivorship research program
In this program we will attempt to identify a survivor cohort and a comparison group with a view to developing a database for both surveillance and research in this group of patients. Additionally, we propose to assess the impact of childhood cancer and its treatment on late effects and educational outcomes. Through examining treatment modalities and the subsequent resource use we propose development of essential tools to translate and transfer research results to policy makers and care providers with the aim of building capacity for collaborative research.Honours & AwardsR. Samuel McLaughlin Fellowship, awarded to the most promising resident in any specialty at each Canadian university - 1984-1985
BCCHR research could help set new international standard for young children receiving bone marrow transplants
The findings from a BCCHR study played a part in integrating the multiple breath washout test into recent recommendations to screen children for pulmonary chronic graft-versus-host disease, a lung complication that can affect children who undergo a bone marrow transplant.
