2023 CAPO Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient:

Dr. Carole Mayer - Ph.D., R.S.W.

Dr. Carole Mayer is a Clinical Expert Advisor for Models of Care with the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer.  She is an Affiliate Scientist with Health Sciences North Research Institute and is also an Adjunct Associate Professor, Division of Psychosocial Oncology, Department of Oncology Cumming School of Medicine with the University of Calgary.  She is Past-President of the Canadian Association of Psychosocial Oncology.   As a young adult she was inspired by Terry Fox who ran across the country to raise awareness and funds for cancer research.  Even though she was not certain about the “how”, she knew that she wanted to make a positive difference in the lives of people affected by cancer.

As a PhD graduate from the School of Social Work, Memorial University of Newfoundland, she held many different titles across the years prior to becoming  the Director of Research, Psychosocial Oncology, Symptom Management and Person Centred-Care Lead at the Northeast Cancer Centre in Sudbury. Her research focused on screening for distress and patient-reported outcome measures.  On the principle of equity to bring cancer services to rural and remote communities, she was one of the first jurisdictions in Canada to develop screening for distress in 13 community hospitals.  She was a site lead for the IPEHOC project to pilot additional patient reported outcome measures in the cancer centre and worked with three First Nations Communities to pilot symptom screening.  Her work was recognized with the 2016 CAPO Innovation Award and in 2018, ASCO invited her to be a faculty member of Education to present her work on screening for distress and symptom management.  She is also one of the recipients of the 2009 Cancer Care Ontario, Cancer Quality Council of Ontario and Canadian Cancer Society Innovation Award for her role in research and telemedicine programming.  She has presented her work at national and international meetings, authored peer reviewed articles, technical reports and book chapters and participated as an expert on several provincial and national committees.

She deserves a special mention for her policy work on the new informed consent legislation in Ontario and its application in cancer centres; cancer genetic programming; interdisciplinary programming in psychosocial oncology, supportive care and Indigenous navigation services; developing and implementing one of the first breast diagnostic clinics in Ontario; and new models of care for breast cancer and colorectal survivorship programming. 

Having held several positions on the CAPO Board over the span of 11 years, she leaves the legacy of having introduced the role of patient and family representatives to serve on the CAPO Board; having worked with IPOS to bring the first Indigenous Research Methodologies workshop at the 2019 conference and, developing a framework and formula to hire psychosocial oncology professionals.  She reminds us: “Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path, and leave a trail” (author unknown).  

Recent winners of the Life Time Achievement award:

• 2022 – Dr. Maru Barerra (ON)

• 2020 – Dr. Doris Howell (ON)

• 2019 – Dr. Thomas Hack (MB)

• 2018 – Dr. Gerald M. Devins (ON)

• 2017 – Dr. Joan Bottorff (BC)

• 2016 – Gina MacKenzie (BC)

• 2015 – Diane Manii (ON)

• 2013 – Dr. Scott M. Sellick (ON)

• 2012 – Dr. Gary Rodin (ON)

• 2011 – Dr. Mary Jane Esplen (ON)

• 2010 – Dr. Harvey Max Chochinov (MB)

  Prior to 2010, this award was called the CAPO Award of Excellence. The prior winners of the CAPO Award of Excellence before the change in the award structure were:

  
  

• 2009 – Esther Green (ON)

• 2008 – Jill Taylor Brown (MB)

• 2007 – Dr. Lesley Degner (MB)

• 2006 – Dr. Zeev Rosberger (QC)

• 2005 – Dr. Barry Bultz (AB)

• 2004 – Dr. Margaret Fitch (ON)