Dr. Lesleigh Abbott is a pediatric hematologist/oncologist at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) and an Associate Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Ottawa. She has been a member of the CHEO Division of Hematology/Oncology since 2014 and is an Investigator at the CHEO Research Institute.

Dr. Abbott’s clinical and research interests focus on cancers affecting adolescents and young adults (AYA), with particular expertise in sarcomas, lymphomas, relapsed and refractory disease, and access to early-phase clinical trials. Her research program bridges clinical, translational, and laboratory science to improve treatment options and outcomes for children, adolescents, and young adults with cancer. Her work includes AYA clinical trials, quality of life and psychosocial outcomes, innovative approaches to early-phase trial access, and novel immunotherapies, including tumour-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy for pediatric solid tumours and lymphoma.

Dr. Abbott has held leadership roles at CHEO and within national pediatric oncology initiatives. She is currently Acting Oncology Lead for the CHEO Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology and Director of the Post-Bone Marrow Transplant Program. She previously served as Program Director of the Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Fellowship Program, leading the transition to the Royal College Competence by Design framework and successful accreditation. She previously co-led the Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) node at PROFYLE, contributing to national collaborative research initiatives through both CanSaRCC and PROFYLE,including work focused on improving outcomes and access to novel therapies for young people with cancer.

Bukun Adegbembo is the Director of Operations with the Canadian Breast Cancer Network (CBCN). As the Director of Operations, Bukun is responsible for the overall operations of CBCN, including financial management, strategic planning, strategic partnerships, and the day-to-day operations of the organization. Bukun works in close collaboration with the Health Policy and Advocacy Lead, the Manager of Education, and the Chair of the Board of Directors to ensure that CBCN voices the views and concerns of breast cancer patients through the promotion of information sharing, education, and advocacy activities.

Dr. Jackie Bender is a Scientist and Co-Lead of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in the Department of Supportive Care at the University Health Network and an Associate Professor in the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto. Dr. Bender’s research program focuses on generating the evidence needed to support the equitable integration of digitally enabled models of care into health systems, with the goal of improving cancer care access, experience, outcomes, and health equity. She is internationally recognized for her work in patient navigation and digital health in supportive cancer care and serves as Co-Chair of the Digital Health and New Technologies Study Group for the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer.

Dr. Darren Brenner is a molecular cancer epidemiologist and an Associate Professor in the Departments of Oncology and Community Health Sciences at the University of Calgary. He holds the Armstrong Investigatorship in Molecular Cancer Epidemiology at the Cumming School of Medicine. He is the Director of Research at the Forzani & MacPhail Colon Cancer Screening Centre and the Director for the Cancer Screening, Detection and Risk Reduction Program in the Charbonneau Institute. He is the current co-chair for the Canadian Cancer Statistics Advisory Committee and Advisor for the OncoSim All-Cancers Microsimulation Model. Dr. Brenner leads a research program at the University of Calgary focused on using big data and precision health analytics to model cancer risk and outcomes. His research is focused on the intersection of lifestyle, genetics and molecular pathways in the development of several cancers. Dr. Brenner is currently leading studies to examine the utility of biomarkers in the prediction of cancer risk. He is also examining the impact of lifestyle (obesity, physical inactivity, smoking, poor nutrition) and environmental factors on relevant genetic and molecular pathways in colorectal, breast and lung cancer risk.

Dr. Brenner completed his Ph.D. in Epidemiology at the University of Toronto followed by a post-doctoral fellowship at the International Agency for Research on Cancer of the World Health Organization in Lyon, France. To date he has published over 240 peer-reviewed articles in leading journals in the areas of oncology and epidemiology.

Dr. Carter completed medical school at the University of Toronto, followed by residency training in Anatomical Pathology at Dalhousie University and a 1-year fellowship in Molecular Genetic Pathology at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI. He began as an Anatomical and Molecular Pathologist at NSH Central Zone in 2018 and, in 2021, was appointed Medical Director of Molecular Diagnostics at NSH. He is also Medical Director of Research, Division of Anatomical Pathology, and an Associate Professor of Pathology at Dalhousie University.

Alessandra is a wife, daughter, sister, and mother of three beautiful children who are at the heart of her world. Family is her greatest joy, and she takes pride in creating a loving, supportive and memorable childhood for her kids. She is a Registered Dental Hygienist and the founder of BlissWhitening, where she is passionate about helping clients feel confident and be their best through their smile.

Outside of her career, she enjoys spending time with her family, celebrating life’s special moments, staying active and supporting her children in their passions and activities. She believes life is made up of little moments: family dinners, Sunday morning breakfast, celebrations, and traditions.

Above all, she considers her greatest accomplishment to be the family she and her husband have built with their three children.

Dillan Eisenhaur is the founder of Second Look Cancer, a free platform designed to help colorectal cancer patients better find and understand clinical trial options. While his professional background is in finance, the inspiration for the platform came after his own stage IV diagnosis in September 2024.

Cathy Eng, MD, FACP, FASCO, Professor of Medicine, Hematology and Oncology, is the David H. Johnson Endowed Chair of Surgical and Medical Oncology, Co-Director of GI Oncology and the Co-Leader of the Gastrointestinal Cancer Research Program, Director of Strategic Relations, and the Director of the Young Adults Cancers Program at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center. She served as the Ambassador for the American Cancer Society ResearcHERS campaign in Nashville (2020-2022). She currently sits on the Board of Directors for the national patient advocacy group, Fight Colorectal Cancer. She is a highly sought mentor and served on the Vanderbilt-Ingram Mentorship Council and is currently a mentor on the T-32 grant and serves as a Professional Development Mentor. She served as the Director of the Developmental Research Program for the GI SPORE. She continues to assume leadership positions devoted to development of phase I-III clinical trials using novel therapeutics for biomarker discovery and enhanced drug utilization in colorectal, appendiceal and anal cancer. She was awarded the VUMC Biomedical Scientific Impact Award in 2023.    

Nationally, Dr. Eng has also been highly active, serving on ASCO, ECOG, and SWOG. She has served as the co-chair of the SWOG Rectal/Anal Cancer Subcommittee, the Vice-Chair for the SWOG GI Committee, Chairman of the NCI Rectal/Anal Task Force, served on the NCI GI Steering Committee, and is currently the co-Chair of the NCI GI Steering Committee. She was also chosen as a Fellow of the Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (ELAM), Class of 2022. She has published in many peer-reviewed journals, including Journal of Clinical Oncology, Lancet, Lancet Oncology, Nature Review, JNCI, New England Journal of Medicine, Annals of Oncology, Cancer, and Annals of Surgical Oncology.  

She has served as a consultant to the FDA and AHRQ, Cancer Research UK: Training & Career Development Board - Clinician Scientist Fellowship, the Italian Association for Cancer Research, the Dutch Digestive Foundation, the Stand Up to Cancer (SU2C) - Farrah Fawcett Foundation Joint Scientific Advisory Committee (JSAC) and the SWOG Impact Award.

Dr. Steven Gallinger, MD, M.Sc., FRCSC is a Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic (HPB) Surgical Oncologist at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and Toronto General Hospital, and Professor of Surgery at the University of Toronto. He currently serves as Consultant to the PanCuRx Translational Research Initiative in Pancreatic Cancer based at the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research.  Dr. Gallinger has dedicated his career to advancing the understanding and treatment of gastrointestinal cancers through a combination of clinical care, translational research, and precision medicine. He co-directs the McCain Centre for Pancreatic Cancer at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and has played a pivotal role in developing innovative programs focused on pancreatic cancer genomics, hereditary cancer syndromes, and personalized treatment strategies.  

A recognized international leader in cancer genetics and pancreatic cancer research, Dr. Gallinger has led numerous national and international collaborative studies investigating the genetic basis of gastrointestinal cancers and their clinical application. His work has helped shape modern approaches to pancreatic cancer diagnostics, genomic profiling, and individualized patient care.  Through his clinical, academic, and research leadership, Dr. Gallinger continues to champion efforts that bridge scientific discovery and patient care, with a focus on improving outcomes for individuals affected by pancreatic cancer and other gastrointestinal malignancies.

A healthcare leader spanning over fifteen years with a graduate degree in health administration, Shalini has worked in small to large scale public and private healthcare clinics and integrative medicine clinics. During her tenure as a Medical Radiation Therapist, she was challenged daily to adapt to a complex and unpredictable healthcare system, questioning the status quo by aligning herself to quality patient care and supporting health disparities. She was recognized for her contribution to developing and launching the first Head and Neck Cancer Support Program in Vancouver, BC, addressing structural barriers to care. She currently serves as Research Officer at CCRAN, where she supports public policy spaces and a number of research and advocacy initiatives to implement strategic objectives in cancer research and quality care.

Dr. Sharlene Gill is a Professor of Medicine at the University of British Columbia and a medical oncologist specializing in gastrointestinal (GI) malignancies at BC Cancer – Vancouver. She received a Bachelors of Science in Pharmacy and an MD from the University of British Columbia in 1996 followed by residencies in Internal Medicine and Medical Oncology. Dr. Gill subsequently completed a fellowship in Gl Oncology at the Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN) and a Masters of Public Health from the Harvard School of Public Health. In 2017, she completed an MBA from the Kenan-Flagler School of Business at the University of North Carolina. She is actively engaged in education and research, with over 150 peer-reviewed publications and book chapters to her credit. Dr. Gill serves as the Chair of the Canadian Clinical Trials Group (CCTG) GI Disease Site Committee and Chair of the UBC Department of Medicine Mentoring Committee. She is the Editor-in-Chief for Clinical Colorectal Cancer and is the Past-President of the Canadian Association of Medical Oncologists. Her TEDx talk in 2022 on ‘How to Flip the Script on Cancer’ delivered her passion for patient advocacy and empowerment.

Robert Grant is an MD/Ph.D. Clinician Investigator at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, also affiliated with the Institute for Medical Science at the University of Toronto, ICES, and the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research. He is a practicing medical oncologist, specializing in the treatment of pancreatic and biliary cancers. His research focuses on applying artificial intelligence to clinical and genomic data to improve outcomes for people with cancer. He holds several awards, including the Hold'em for Life Professorship and the Marathon of Hope Clinician Scientist Award. He is currently the Principal Investigator of the AIM2REDUCE study, Co-Principal Investigator of the Legresley Biliary Registry, and Co-Lead of the PanCuRx Translational Research Initiative. 

Dr. Hilsden is a gastroenterologist and professor at the University of Calgary. He is currently the Quality Improvement and Analytics lead (and past Research and Medical Director) at Alberta Health Services’ Forzani and MacPhail Colon Cancer Screening Centre.

Corey Lasso is an entrepreneur, community advocate, husband, and father of two from Waterloo Region, Ontario. As President and Owner of CHART, Corey has built his career in residential construction, helping grow CHART into a respected local company focused on quality craftsmanship, strong relationships, and creating exceptional homes. Beyond business, Corey is passionate about giving back to his community, particularly in the area of children. Through fundraising initiatives and community events, he has helped raise awareness and meaningful financial support for local services. Corey’s perspective on life has also been profoundly shaped by his experience with cancer. Rather than allowing the diagnosis to define him, he has approached it with the same persistence, curiosity, and determination that have guided his career. His journey has strengthened his commitment to family, helping others, and making the most of the time and opportunities we are given. Above everything else, Corey is a devoted husband and father. Whether leading a business, supporting his community, advocating for better healthcare options, or spending time with his family, he strives to live with purpose, resilience, generosity, and the belief that persistence can make a meaningful difference.

Jennifer is a passionate advocate for cancer patients and their caregivers. She is an active partner for Pancreatic Cancer North America (PCNA) and has been instrumental in developing their My CANcer Code program to improve access to genetic testing in Canada, as well as developing resources to help patients navigate clinical trials.  

Jennifer has been an active volunteer throughout her career, but her pivot to patient advocacy started when her husband, Connor, was diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer at the young age of 38 in early 2022. Jennifer and her husband worked hard to access cutting-edge investigational treatments and became acutely aware of how much of this effort rested with patients and their families. Genomic testing and clinical trials were life-changing for their family and it became important for Jennifer and her husband to help others gain access to this experience.

Following Connor’s death in late 2024, Jennifer has continued to honour his legacy. She is excited about the potential for new pancreatic cancer treatments and wants to do her part to help patients in Canada get access. She strongly believes in the benefits of palliative care to help patients from day one and continues to work with PCNA to educate people on the benefits of supportive care.  

Jennifer’s prior career experience includes 18 years in finance and accounting as a Director in Finance at Oxford Properties and public accounting at PwC. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree (Honours) from Queen’s University and a CPA, CA designation with CPA Ontario. Jennifer loves spending time with her two sons and their dog, including going on family vacations and to the cottage.

Cassandra is the Chief Research Officer at the Colorectal Cancer Resource & Action Network (CCRAN). She leads CCRAN's policy- and research-based initiatives and contributes broadly across the organization's patient-focused and evidence-based mandates to provide support, education, and advocacy for colorectal cancer and other tumour-type patients and caregivers.

Cassandra has a clinical background as a Medical Radiation Technologist in addition to a graduate degree in health studies and leadership. It was through her experience as a clinician, observing the unmet needs of patients and the gaps in the healthcare system, that she turned to patient advocacy, driven by a passion for improving health quality and patient experiences. Through her role at CCRAN, she is honoured to amplify patient voices and is dedicated to reducing the burden of cancer in Canada.

Jasmine is the Executive Director of Save Your Skin Foundation, a Canadian patient-led organization supporting people affected by melanoma, non-melanoma skin cancers and ocular melanoma. Drawing on both her professional expertise and lived experience as a cancer survivor, Jasmine is passionate about ensuring the patient voice is meaningfully represented in healthcare conversations and decision-making.

At Save Your Skin Jasmine leads organizational strategy, patient advocacy, partnerships and national initiatives aimed at improving the cancer experience. Most recently, she has helped lead My Cancer, My Choice, a national patient-led campaign focused on increasing awareness of treatment delivery options, including subcutaneous cancer therapies, and empowering patients to have informed conversations with their healthcare teams.

With a background in public relations, digital communications and creative strategy, Jasmine brings a patient-centred approach to translating complex healthcare issues into accessible information and meaningful action.

Dr. Mamdani is Clinical Lead, Artificial Intelligence at Ontario Health and Director of the University of Toronto Temerty Faculty of Medicine Centre for Artificial Intelligence Research and Education in Medicine (T-CAIREM). Previously, Dr. Mamdani was Vice President of Data Science and Advanced Analytics at Unity Health Toronto where his team deployed over 50 AI solutions to improve patient outcomes and hospital efficiency. Dr. Mamdani is also Professor in the Department of Medicine of the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, and the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation of the Dalla Lana School of Public Health. He is also an Affiliate Scientist at IC/ES and a Faculty Affiliate of the Vector Institute. In 2024, Dr. Mamdani’s team received the national Solventum Health Care Innovation Team Award by the Canadian College of Health Leaders. Also in 2024, Dr. Mamdani was named international AI Leader of the Year by AIMed. Previously, Dr. Mamdani was named among Canada’s Top 40 under 40. He has published over 600 studies in peer-reviewed medical journals. Dr. Mamdani obtained a Doctor of Pharmacy degree (PharmD) from the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor) and completed a fellowship in pharmacoeconomics and outcomes research at the Detroit Medical Center. During his fellowship, Dr. Mamdani obtained a Master of Arts degree in Economics from Wayne State University with a concentration in econometric theory. He then completed a Master of Public Health degree from Harvard University with a concentration in quantitative methods.

Christopher is currently a Public School Board Trustee candidate in the upcoming Toronto Municipal Election, where he has previously served as a Trustee & Vice-Chair of the Board. He is a husband, father of 2; and a 3-time cancer survivor. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) Management Degree and worked for over 15 years in Management. Christopher is a former National Patient Programs Manager at CCRAN and is proud to have played a role while with CCRAN in the creation of Toronto's Inaugural (and Canada's) EAOC Awareness Day on November 19, 2026. Christopher has been awarded the Canadian Heraldic Platinum Jubilee Award for Outstanding Community Leadership.

Trudy Matwiy began her health career over 20 years ago in Nursing. She graduated and stepped into the Nurse Practitioner role in 2014 with the Department of Hepatology at the Foothills Medical Centre. She transitioned to Rural Primary Care in 2021, which has led her to become the Director of Primary Care for the Nurse Practitioner Association of Alberta in 2025, helping to pave the way for the nurse practitioner primary care program. With past expertise in hepatology and palliative care, combined with rural primary care experience, she was invited to provide feedback and input into the Alberta Provincial Cancer Pathways through Cancer Care Alberta.

When Trudy is not busy working, she can be found volunteering with Special Olympics Alberta and spending time with her husband and two boys.

Dr. Erin McCarvill completed her B.Sc. at the University of Prince Edward Island in 2004 and then completed the MD program at Dalhousie in 2008. She finished her family medicine residency at Queen’s University in 2010. She had a full-service family practice for a decade in Toronto before returning home with her husband and their four small children in 2020. Since then, she has been working as a GPO at the PEI Cancer Treatment Centre and has been Health PEI's Medical Advisor for Cancer Prevention, Screening and Early Detection since 2024.

James Moriarty spends his time playing dad to his young cat, Rigby, and playing unofficial therapist to his friend group. He is (somehow) a survivor of stage IV endometrial cancer, and thinks modern medicine is just swell. James has been using what he calls his "bonus time" to change the landscape of being diagnosed with a gendered cancer as a trans person. He hails from St. John's, Ktaqmkuk (Newfoundland) which is both the unceded ancestral home of the Beothuk, and an island that is part of Mi'kma'ki, the traditional and ancestral territory of the Mi'kmaq.

Lynne Nakashima obtained her B.Sc. (Pharm.) from the University of British Columbia, Canada and her PharmD from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA. Lynne is a fellow of CAPhO and ISOPP, recognizing her experience and expertise in oncology pharmacy practice.  

She started her career as a clinical pharmacist in the bone marrow transplant unit and clinical trials pharmacist at the BC Cancer Agency and subsequently became the Pharmacy Professional Practice Leader for the BC Cancer Vancouver Centre. Currently, she is the Senior Director, Provincial Pharmacy for BC Cancer, where her role includes provincial leadership, pharmacy practice, leadership for the Pharmacy Residency Program, teaching, research, drug funding and formulary management.

Dr. Ioana Nicolau is a cancer epidemiologist in the Department of Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention Research (CEPR) at Cancer Care Alberta and an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Oncology at the University of Calgary. Dr. Nicolau also served as a Senior Epidemiologist at the Canadian Cancer Society, where she co-led the Canadian Cancer Statistics Advisory Committee and contributed to national and provincial collaborative networks dedicated to advancing cancer control. She is passionate about using community-engaged and data-driven approaches to address inequities across the cancer continuum.

Dr. John-José Nuñez is the Associate Medical Director, Supportive Care at BC Cancer, Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of British Columbia, and the first clinician-scientist at UBC to also be cross-appointed to the Department of Computer Science. As a cancer psychiatrist and computer scientist, his research applies artificial intelligence to support clinical decision-making across cancer care, such as using natural language processing to predict which cancer patients will develop psychiatric needs, or using a customized chatbot to help patients navigate the cancer care system. He is committed to ensuring AI is deployed safely and co-designed with the patients it aims to help. Most of his spare time right now is spent marveling at his seven-month-old son's attempts to eat, or attending to the ensuing clean-up after.

Dr. Isabel Preeshagul is thoracic medical oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC). Her research efforts have been focused on creating collaborative multi-departmental patient-centric care models, addressing barriers to protocol accrual, expanding access, and contributing to the research mission at large.

She holds key leadership roles at MSK centered on advancing the quality and efficiency of clinical operations to serve the needs of patients and clinicians. She leads the Clinical Research Regional Care Network (RCN) Leadership Group, focusing on optimizing research in MSKCC's regional care network by identifying challenges, implementing new workflows, and assessing how they impact patient care. Dr. Preeshagul also serves as the current peer elected MSK RCN representative on the Medical Staff Advisory Council.  

Outside of MSK, Dr. Preeshagul currently serves as the chair of the Lung Cancer Research Foundation’s (LCRF) Education & Engagement Committee, and she hosts the LCRF’s monthly “Together Separately” international webinar offering various education sessions recapping ASCO, clinical trials 101, and more. Her most recent work , A cross-sectional study of support services influencing patient enrollment decisions in clinical trials was presented at the 2026 annual ASCO quality care symposium. As a result, she is now focused on developing a patient navigation program to aid in patient/ provider support during the screening, enrolling and initiation clinical trial process. She was also recently invited to join ASCO’s Communication Committee. Dr. Preeshagul hopes to use this platform to leverage her work on addressing barriers to care both nationally and internationally.

Teri Price is the Executive Director of Greg’s Wings Projects, a not-for-profit organization established in honour of her brother, Greg Price. Driven by the impact of Greg's experience, Teri and her family are committed to improving healthcare. The organization's first major project was the production of the film Falling Through the Cracks: Greg’s Story. Teri has shared the film and facilitated post-film discussions more than 800 times.  

Teri is a co-chair of Networked Health and a board member for The Patient Revolution. She has also contributed to numerous provincial and national committees focused on health information, digital health, health human resources, cancer diagnosis, and healthcare strategy.  

She has a Master’s degree in Disaster and Emergency Management.

Dr. Ramjeesingh joined the Division of Medical Oncology at Dalhousie University in May 2015 as a staff physician and promoted to Associate Professor in 2020. He completed his Ph.D. in cancer research (2004), and his MD (2008) at the University of Toronto. He subsequently completed his Internal Medicine and Medical Oncology residencies at Queen’s University before completing a clinical trials methodology fellowship at the Canadian Cancer Trials Group (CCTG) in Kingston, Ontario. His main clinical expertise is in the areas of hepatopancreobiliary (HPB) cancers and breast cancer. He is currently the chair of the HPB Disease site group in Nova Scotia and is the Medical Director of ACCRU, the Nova Scotian oncology clinical trials group. Nationally, he is a founding member of the Canadian GI Oncology Evidence Network, a board member of Craig’s Cause Pancreatic Cancer Society and a medical advisor for Cholangiocarcinoma Canada. He is the local primary investigator for over 20 investigational clinical trials. His main research focus is on real world evidence of HPB cancer and translational research in Pancreatic Cancer.

Erin is a Nurse and Patient Support Manager at Craig's Cause Pancreatic Cancer Society. She leads patient support programming and works closely with patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals across Canada. Erin is passionate about patient-centred care, education, advocacy, and ensuring people affected by pancreatic cancer have access to practical resources and compassionate support throughout their cancer journey.

Filomena is the President and CEO of the Colorectal Cancer Resource & Action Network (‘CCRAN’) – a patient-focused organization championing the health and wellbeing of Canadians touched by colorectal cancer and others at risk of developing the disease. Her undergraduate and graduate work lie in the biological sciences and educational studies. As a caregiver to her father, who was afflicted with and succumbed to metastatic cancer, his journey has served as the impetus for the founding of CCRAN, one month post his passing in August of 2006.

The past 20 years have been dedicated to the cause of supporting, educating, and advocating on behalf of colorectal cancer patients and caregivers, to improve patients’ quality of life and longevity by furnishing evidence-based information and access to unique and novel patient programs. She has been working closely with valued health care professionals across the continuum of colorectal cancer care to ensure content acumen in the management of colorectal cancer. She is humbled to be published alongside world-renowned experts in areas such as biomarkers, colorectal cancer management, PROs and PROMs, early age onset cancer, promoting national LDLT efforts, and promoting CGP across tumour types.

Filomena is a strong proponent of HTA patient evidence submissions since the inception of pCODR, ensuring the patient voice is captured and well incorporated into her HTA patient evidence submissions across multiple tumour types, as CCRAN has recently expanded its patient-focused mandate outside of the colorectal cancer space. She continues to be a passionate advocate for the Canadian cancer patient and their caregiver to help reduce the burden of cancer in Canada.

Sundas Shamshad is a cancer survivor, patient advocate, and community leader committed to advancing equitable, accessible, and person-centred cancer care. Diagnosed with HER2-positive breast cancer, Sundas experienced firsthand the complexities and inequities of navigating cancer care as a young woman living in Northern Alberta. Her 17-month cancer journey included multiple surgeries, chemotherapy, fertility preservation, and the challenges of accessing specialized care five hours from home. These experiences became the foundation of her advocacy. In 2019, Sundas founded Sisters in Cancer YMM, a peer-support organization in Fort McMurray that connects people affected by cancer with emotional, practical, and financial resources while creating a community where no one has to navigate cancer alone. Sundas serves as a patient advisor and advocate with Alberta Health Services and other cancer-care initiatives, contributing her lived experience to work focused on barriers to cancer care, adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer care, women’s health, breast cancer care, and health equity. She has also contributed to national cancer research and advocacy initiatives, including the Canadian Cancer Research Alliance and Canadian Cancer Research Conference, where she has co-hosted sessions, judged research grants, and co-chaired a health equity session. Her advocacy is rooted in a simple belief: where someone lives, their age, culture, gender, or background should never determine the quality of cancer care they receive. Sundas works to ensure that patient voices—particularly those often underrepresented—are not only heard, but meaningfully reflected in decisions that shape cancer care.

Dr. Amirrtha Srikanthan is an Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Ottawa, a Clinician Investigator in the Cancer Therapeutics Program (CTP) at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute (OHRI), and an academic Medical Oncologist specializing in Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) oncology, breast cancer and sarcoma in the Division of Medical Oncology at the Ottawa Hospital. She is currently Medical Lead of (1) the AYA Program and (2) the Wellness Beyond Cancer Program at The Ottawa Hospital, which focuses on survivorship transitions to primary care for breast, endometrial and colorectal patients. She has previously served as national chair of the Royal College Area of Focused Competency in AYA Oncology (2018-2024). Her research interests include AYA Oncology, particularly improving delivery of care and survivorship, sarcoma and breast cancer.

Patricia Tang, MD, FRCPC, is a medical oncologist at the Arthur J. E. Child Comprehensive Cancer Centre and a Clinical Associate Professor at the Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary. She specializes in the treatment of breast and gastrointestinal malignancies.  After medical oncology residency at the University of Calgary, she completed an Investigational New Drug Fellowship at Princess Margaret Hospital, University of Toronto. As the Provincial Gastrointestinal Cancer Tumour Group Leader for Alberta, she is involved in development of clinical practice guidelines and pathways. She is a member of the CCTG Health Equity Committee and is currently serves on the pCODR Expert Review Committee.

Dani is an oncology social worker, cancer researcher and young adult, colorectal cancer survivor. She is a proud program manager at Young Adult Cancer Canada in beautiful St. John's, Newfoundland. She has completed her MSW with Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work at University of Toronto, as well as her BSW and BA in English Literature with York University. Her experiences with the health care system and support of Young Adult Cancer Canada (YACC) led her to explore a career in psychosocial oncology. Dani has previously worked for Gilda’s Club Greater Toronto, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, and the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre. Her research interests are in AYA issues, especially in sexual health after cancer, palliative care, and quality of life.

Vahe was diagnosed with stage IV intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma in February 2024. He has been on some type of HER2 targeted therapy since September 2024. He has used Enhertu, Folfox with Herceptin, and currently on a clinical trial for Zongertinib.

Chris Vanscoy has spent most of his career in customer service management and trained as a computer engineering technician. Above all, he is a devoted husband and father of three wonderful sons. In November 2025, a colonoscopy revealed rectal cancer. He later learned it was Stage IV and had metastasized to his liver, where 17 tumors were found.

The diagnosis changed Chris’s life instantly. When the doctor asked where his wife was, he sensed difficult news. Hearing “you have cancer” left him frightened and overwhelmed. A nurse quietly told him, “Don’t forget to fight for yourself.” Her words became a source of strength.

Chris’s initial CT scan was scheduled for February 14, 2026, almost three months after his diagnosis and the MRI remained months away. With treatment potentially delayed, he knew he needed to advocate for timely care. Chris researched recommended wait times and learned that regional equipment replacement was contributing to the delay. Through persistent, respectful advocacy, he secured a CT scan within weeks and an MRI at an out of city hospital.

At an online cancer society support community, Chris met Lilly. Her compassion introduced him to CCRAN and the value of knowledgeable advocates. CCRAN helped him understand options available, restored his hope, and reminded him he was not alone.

As a participant in this year’s Symposium, Chris is honoured to represent the patient community. He hopes to emphasize early detection, clear patient care team communication, and collaboration centred on each patient’s wellbeing.

Dr. Anna Wilkinson is a family physician with a special interest in oncology. She is an associate professor and divides her clinical time between caring for medical oncology inpatients and academic family practice. Anna is the author of Breast Wise, a guide to navigating breast health and screening. Anna’s passion is bridging the gap between oncology and family medicine, and investigating impacts of cancer screening to optimize cancer outcomes.  

In her spare time, she tries hard to keep up with her four athletic daughters.

Michele Wright is the Manager, Patient Support Programs at Lung Cancer Canada. After obtaining her degree in Developmental Psychology and Sociology at the University of Toronto, Michele has worked in health care supporting patients for over 20 years. Her previous roles include Patient Care Coordinator for Heart and Lung Transplant at SickKids Hospital in Toronto. She values a person-centred approach and seeks to empower patients to take a partnership role with their health care providers. During the pandemic, she moved to rural Tottenham, ON, with her husband and bulldog, where they make maple syrup and raise bees.

Dr. George Zogopoulos is an Associate Professor of Surgery and Oncology at McGill University and a hepato-pancreato-biliary and transplant surgeon at the MUHC. He completed his clinical training at the University of Toronto, where he obtained his medical degree, followed by residency in general surgery and surgical fellowship in hepato-pancreato-biliary surgical oncology and abdominal organ transplant surgery. His research training was completed at McGill University and at the University of Toronto. He obtained his Ph.D. in Experimental Medicine at McGill University. Dr. Zogopoulos pursued postdoctoral research training during his residency, enrolling in the surgeon-scientist program of the University of Toronto. He undertook his postdoctoral research fellowship under the supervision of Dr. Steven Gallinger at the Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute, where he studied the hereditary aspects of colon and pancreatic cancers and, gained experience in research registry infrastructure, bio-banking and research consortia.

He is a junior 2 clinical research scholar of the Fonds de recherche du Québec and a scientist at the Research Institute of the MUHC and the GCRC. His research program is centered on the genetics and oncogenomics of pancreatic cancer, and his clinical practice is built around and driven by his research focus. He established and directs the Quebec Pancreas Cancer Study (QPCS), which is a translational pancreatic cancer research resource with a knowledge bank. He and his colleagues established the Canadian Pancreatic Oncology Network (PancOne) and the pan-Canadian Pancreatic Cancer Profiling for Individualized Care (EPPIC) study, building a knowledge bank of integrated tumour molecular signatures and outcome data to classify pancreatic cancer into clinical subtypes.