Patient Engagement Network

About Us

SCRI-PEN is a network of cancer researchers, local cancer patients, survivors & community partners in Kingston and surrounding southeastern Ontario, Canada.

What We Do

Exchange ideas & knowledge of cancer research & care

Plan & deliver cancer educational events in local communities

Develop patient advocacy and patient-centric research opportunities

Our Goal

Build connections between cancer researchers and community stakeholders to engage, empower and advocate for improved cancer knowledge, care & survivorship

Sheela Abraham, Dr. (Asst Prof, SCRI CBG)
Farzaneh Afzali (PhD student, SCRI)
John Allingham, Dr. (Prof, Assoc member SCRI)
Sarah Arrowsmith, Dr. (BCAK Board of Directors)
Monica Bacon (community member)
Sam Basta, Dr. (Prof, Assoc member SCRI)
Victoria Velazquez Becerra (MSc student, SCRI)
Sarah Bowen (MSc student, SCRI)
Denise Bowes (community partner)
Marco Buttigieg (MD/PhD student, SCRI)
Andrew Craig, Dr. (Chair, SCRI Director)
Paola Nasute Fauerbach, Dr. (PhD student, SCRI)
Jacqueline Galica, Dr. (Asst Prof, SCRI CCE)
Katrina Gee, Dr. (Prof, Assoc member SCRI)
Wesley Geerlinks (MSc student, SCRI)
Peter Greer, Dr. (Prof, SCRI CBG)
Bishal Gyawali, Dr. (Asst Prof, SCRI CCE)
Jeff Heyman (Kingston Myeloma)
Maureen Hobbs (SCRI Admin)
Montdher Hussain (MSc student, SCRI)
Brandy Hyndman, Dr. (Res Assoc, SCRI)
Mariam Jafri, Dr. (Asst Prof, SCRI CCTG)

Jake Kment (PhD student, SCRI)
Madhuri Koti, Dr. (Assoc Prof, SCRI CBG)
Brian Laight (MD/PhD student, SCRI)
Patil Mksyartinian (Colorectal Canada)
Lois Mulligan, Dr. (Prof, SCRI CBG)
Yvonne Murray (CCTG Patient Engagement Lead)
Kyster Nanan, Dr. (Project Manager & Education Lead, OMPRN)
Chris Nicol, Dr. (Assoc Prof, SCRI CBG)
Lynne-Marie Postovit, Dr. (Prof, Assoc member SCRI)
Susie Rance (patient partner)
Leda Raptis, Dr. (Emeritus Prof, SCRI CBG)
Brian Shkabari (Res Assoc, SCRI)
Sydney Shepherd (MSc student, SCRI)
Nancy Suenaga (patient partner)
Myron Szewczuk, Dr. (Prof, Assoc member SCRI)
Sebastien Talbot, Dr. (Assoc Prof, Assoc member SCRI)
Rosemarie Thorne (patient partner)
Claudia Trost (Kingston Myeloma)
Leigh-Ann Van Strijp (OMPRN Education Assoc)
Casey Wong (MD/PhD student, SCRI)
Shi Jie (Angel) Zhou (PhD student, SCRI CCE)

Past members:
Emily Cohen, MSc student SCRI (until Sept. 2023)
Katie Lindale, MSc student SCRI (until June 2023)
Allison Slopack, QHS Advancement (until Nov. 2023)
Ava Slotman, MSc student SCRI (until June 2023)

The goal of the Sinclair Cancer Research Institute-Patient Engagement Network (SCRI-PEN) is to promote the bidirectional exchange of knowledge and ideas between SCRI cancer researchers and patients/caregivers/family members that will inform new patient involvement in cancer research and improve cancer survivorship in southeastern Ontario.

Full Terms of Reference

The SCRI-PEN committee will help build connections with local cancer patients, caregivers and family members in Kingston and surrounding communities to establish the network. The committee will contribute to the planning, development and delivery of educational events for the local community that will help inform network participants on topics across the continuum of SCRI research. SCRI investigators and trainees will also interact with network members to learn about lived experiences in cancer care that will inform their research questions and perspectives. The SCRI-PEN committee will also build opportunities for network members to formulate new SCRI-PEN committee initiatives, get involved in SCRI research projects and help assess internal funding competitions. The committee will be informed by best practices for patient engagement (eg. complete CIHR modules), and for equity/diversity/inclusion/indigeneity (EDII) to ensure that the network is inclusive and represents the diversity of local communities. Our vision is to connect cancer researchers with community members to engage, empower and advocate for improved cancer knowledge, care and survivorship.

Short-term goal

Building a connection between SCRI researchers, cancer patients, survivors, and their families who prioritize meaningful engagement in cancer advocacy and research.

Long-term goal

Developing impactful advocacy and research partnerships between clinicians, researchers and persons affected by cancer.

The value for patients that participate in the SCRI-PEN events include:

Collaboration: Learning and contributing to the research process by working together with researchers and clinicians as well as other patients, caregivers, and family members.

Interpreting scientific findings and their significance for those impacted by cancer
Shaping future studies at SCRI by getting involved throughout the research process

Education: Gaining insight into research being done at SCRI:

Research communications blog on SCRI-PEN website and through social media
Research talk series highlighting current research at SCRI geared towards the needs and interests of the local community impacted by cancer

Connection: Making connections with others impacted by cancer in a research-minded context:

Opportunities to share stories, ideas, lived experiences with like-minded individuals facing relatable circumstances
Connecting with the SCRI community, unified in the spirit of combatting cancer together

Actions & Reporting

The committee will meet monthly (on average; zoom or in person) and will report on their progress quarterly to the Executive Management Committee of the SCRI. Working groups with focus on education, communications and research opportunities (amongst other potential topics) will be struck to advance these areas within the SCRI-PEN and report back to the full committee at regular meetings.

August 16, 2023 | Poor survival in women 40-49 with breast cancer in Southeast ON: nature or nurture? - Dr. Paola Nasute Fauerbach, QCRI CBG Division

June 21, 2023 | Cancer Groundshot: the need for prioritization in global oncology - Dr. Bishal Gyawali, QCRI CCE Division

QCRI Ride for Dad - 2023

SCRI PEN is developing new opportunities to engage cancer patients/survivors and caregivers in research projects. This includes:

Research led by Dr Jacqueline Galica on cancer survivorship.
How patient voices are also integrated into the planning and development of cancer trials conducted by the Canadian Cancer Trials Group.
An informative presentation from Dr Elizabeth Eisenhauer (Emeritus Professor, Oncology) outlines how patients/caregivers/public can interpret the headlines about new discoveries in cancer research and cancer care.
Metastatic breast cancer patients in Kingston & Ottawa can participate in a clinical trial to test whether a blood test from mDETECT (a startup company launched by QCRI researchers) can improve monitoring responses to therapies.

About Us

What We Do

Our Goal

Members

Terms of Reference

Full Terms of Reference

Short-term goal

Long-term goal

Actions & Reporting

Educational Events

August 16, 2023 | Poor survival in women 40-49 with breast cancer in Southeast ON: nature or nurture? - Dr. Paola Nasute Fauerbach, QCRI CBG Division

June 21, 2023 | Cancer Groundshot: the need for prioritization in global oncology - Dr. Bishal Gyawali, QCRI CCE Division

QCRI Ride for Dad - 2023

Research

Contact Us

scri@queensu.ca