CELEBRATING
CAPO 2025
CONFERENCE
The mission of the Canadian Association of Psychosocial Oncology (CAPO) is to foster the science and practice of psychosocial oncology to improve the care for people affected by cancer through partnerships, research, public policy, advocacy and education.
The 2025 CAPO conference theme which relates to the human experience of cancer, brings together researchers from across the cancer control trajectory to present and discuss latest research developments in patient partnerships, patient-reported outcomes, and patient value-based care, in the context of biomedical cancer care. The conference includes presentations from multidisciplinary, multi-stakeholder partnerships focused on the development, implementation, and evaluation of new models of cancer care. As such, the conference is directly aligned with the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) mandate to support research that reduces the burden of cancer among individuals and families through symptom management interventions, psycho-social support, and patient-oriented research. Further, it addresses the priority area related to health services research and equity.
Objectives of the Conference:
- To provide a national forum for mobilizing new knowledge in PSO research, education and practice to ensure effective, accessible, sustainable, and innovative psychosocial cancer care interventions in Canada and globally.
- To strengthen excellence, collaboration, and capacity in PSO care across the full trajectory of cancer control, through a participatory and equity lens with PWLLE.
- To inspire approaches for better integration and prioritization of PSO care through dissemination of a transdisciplinary focus on the human experience of cancer with knowledge users.
CONFERENCE PRICING:
All fees are NOT subject to tax - CAPO is a charity and does not charge tax.
CONFERENCE OPTIONS: Early bird deadline is January 31, 2025
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PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOP OPTIONS: Workshops will take place on April 23 from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Fees: $100 (no tax) |
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"The Human Crisis in Cancer: A Lancet Oncology Commission" Richard Sullivan Richard Sullivan, Director, Institute of Cancer Policy and Co-Director of the Centre for Conflict & Health Research, King’s College London. He will present on GIPPEC’s Lancet Oncology Commission on the Human Crisis of Cancer, which aims to define and quantify the global crisis in humanistic cancer care, to identify the drivers of the imbalance between the biomedical and psychosocial aspects of cancer care, and to propose local, national and global solutions and policy changes. This will include attention to the economic, sociocultural, educational, technological, health systems, and values within medicine that contribute to the unintentional dehumanization of cancer care, particularly for marginalized populations. | "Care of the Soul in Cancer" Thomas Moore Thomas Moore is the author of the bestseller Care of the Soul and thirty other books on spirit and soul. He has been a university professor and also a psychoanalyst for forty years. He has lectured on the soul of medicine at the Mayo Clinic, NYU Cancer Center, the Irish Hospice Foundation and Sloan Kettering, among many other international medical centers. In Canada, he has appeared with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and lectured at the University of Toronto and the University of Windsor. His book, Care of the Soul in Medicine: Healing Guidance for Patients, Families, and the People Who Care of Them, speaks to the importance of healing a human being rather than just treating a body. He advises healthcare providers and patients dealing with mortality and threat, encouraging patients to heal their souls and showing how researchers and technicians can work toward a future for medicine that is grounded in humanity. |
"Innovative Strategies for Increasing PSO Capacity in the Health System" Hsien Seow, Sammy Winemaker Dr. Seow is the Canada Research Chair in Palliative Care and Health System Innovation, and Dr. Winemaker is a palliative care physician, both at McMaster University. Together they started The Waiting Room Revolution, a movement to improve the patient and family illness experience by building a podcast community and resources to harnessing the advice of experts, clinicians, patients and caregivers to better prepare those who are just starting their caring journey. |
Opening Patient Address
Belinda Smith has recently joined the Board of the Canadian Association of Psychosocial Oncology as a Patient Director, as well as the Nova Scotia Cancer Care Patient and Family Advisor Council. Belinda has been a Patient Family Advisor on the Nova Scotia Cancer Care Psychosocial Oncology Cancer Site Team and Quality Improvement and Safety Committee since 2019. Belinda’s interest in advocating for psychosocial oncology stems from her own experience with cancer and survivorship and as a family caregiver to her mother who was diagnosed with cancer in late 2019 and chose a medically assisted death in early 2020. Belinda was diagnosed in early 2007 with a squamous cell carcinoma in her ethmoid sinus. Following tumour resection and total nasal reconstruction, she underwent chemotherapy and radiation treatment in the spring of 2007. From 2007 to 2011, she underwent ten surgeries, including two total nasal reconstructions. Belinda’s recovery from treatments and successful management of lifelong, permanent impacts of her cancer treatments and her return to full-time work and volunteering would not have been possible without the psychosocial care and services that she accessed through the Cancer Care Program and elsewhere. Belinda worked in the federal public service from 1991 to 2017 as a policy advisor, federal negotiator and Executive in the areas of Indigenous Services, northern development, First Nation Self-Government, and community and economic development. She lived and worked in Ottawa and Whitehorse for thirteen years before returning to her hometown of Halifax in 2004 where she continues to live, happily retired. Besides her volunteer work, she spends the summers in her garden and on the water in her kayak, and the winters in the curling rink. |
INVITED
SYMPOSIUMS
"Aquifers of Meaning: Patient and Family Storytelling with Purpose in PSO"
Speaker: Mike Lang
The value of PWLLE storytelling is increasingly recognized in modern healthcare, but limited attention has been given to helping audiences draw practical wisdom from the stories they hear. This interactive presentation will talk about why stories matter and how stories "work" before viewing and discussing two patient-created Digital Stories and one short documentary film to demonstrate a simple reflective process that anyone can use to learn from a story. One patient, one family caregiver and an oncologist will be in attendance to participate in the discussion of the stories to further elucidate both the process and outcomes of video-based storytelling. The presentation will end with a discussion of the various ways that psychosocial oncology professionals can use stories for advocacy, education, research and in a therapeutic capacity in both academic contexts and routine clinical practice.
"Harnessing the Extraordinary Power of Nurses in the Provision of PSO Care"
Speakers: Doris Howell, Laura Gottlieb, Michele Danda, Catriona Buick
Cancer nurses are well positioned to shape the reimagining of health services, policies and practices towards holism and humanism based on the whole person and their families. Moderated by Doris Howell, this symposium will highlight the essential role of nurses in psychosocial care that is exemplified through innovations in nursing practice including strength-based care (Laura Gottlieb), compassion and caring in vulnerable populations (Michele Danda), and meaning-based psychotherapeutic interventions (Catriona Buick) to harness the persons’ strengths in restoration of health and wellness.
"Fireside Chat:The Next Decade of PSO"
Speakers: Gary Rodin, Madeline Li, Harvey Chochinov, Richard Sullivan, Robert Bell, Doris Howell, Megan Easton
Gary Rodin will moderate a fireside chat with cancer care leaders to bring together the health systems, oncology, nursing and PWLLE-oriented innovative proposals presented to prioritize and better integrate PSO into standard cancer care. Dr. Chochinov is a cancer psychiatrist and scientist with CancerCare Manitoba Research Institute whose career has been devoted to practical and readily adoptable approaches for helping oncology clinicians attend to the person with cancer. He developed Dignity Therapy and most recently coined the phrase Intensive Caring. Dr. Bell is an oncology surgeon who previously served as President and CEO of UHN, COO at PM, Chair of Cancer Care Ontario’s Clinical Council and Cancer Quality Council, as well as Ontario’s Deputy Minister of Health.
CONFERENCE CHAIRS |
Dr. Madeline Li |
Dr. Gary Rodin | Planning Committee Members
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