Our Team

MHSA, PhD

Positions: Professor and Graduate Coordinator, School of Health Administration, Dalhousie University; Senior Epidemiologist, Surveillance and Epidemiology Unit, Cancer Care Nova Scotia; and Principal Investigator, Network for End of Life Studies: Interdisciplinary Capacity Enhancement (NELS ICE), Canadian Institutes of Health Research grant

Expertise: Epidemiology, health services research using administrative databases, cancer control, screening, palliative and end of life care, interdisciplinary learning, knowledge exchange, advocacy, mentoring

Anticipated Findings/New Knowledge: Focused data analyses on supportive care (SC) for women with advanced breast cancer; Greater understanding on the forms and cost of SC, and predictors of who has access to SC; Refinement of interdisciplinary research team development methods and knowledge exchange

PhD

Positions: Assistant Professor (Primary Research Scientist), Department of Surgery, Dalhousie University

Expertise: Knowledge exchange and translation, health services research, linked administrative data methods, qualitative methodologies

Anticipated Findings/New Knowledge: Improved understanding of effective knowledge exchange processes toward building interdisciplinary research teams and whether a participatory model is useful toward expediting SC research capacity; Greater depth of knowledge on access to and quality of SC services for women with advanced breast cancer using administrative data

MD, FCFP, MSc

Positions: Professor, Department of Family Medicine, Dalhousie University; and Co-Principal Investigator, NELS ICE

Expertise: Family medicine, primary care, palliative and end of life care, survey and linked administrative data methods

Anticipated Findings/New Knowledge: Perspectives on SC by next of kin of women dying of advanced breast cancer; Insights into the redesign of community based primary care; New grant proposal to CIHR for community based primary care

PhD

Positions: Manager of Drug Technology Assessment for Pharmaceutical Services in the Nova Scotia Government, Department of Health and Wellness

Expertise: Systematic literature review, appropriate use of medications

Anticipated Findings/New Knowledge: Medication use for the management of pain and other symptoms among persons with advanced cancer; Framework for medications guideline development for SC, focusing on women with advanced breast cancer

PhD

Positions: Psychosocial Oncology Clinical Leader and Chair, Supportive Care Site Team, Cancer Care Nova Scotia

Expertise: Clinical psychology, Psychosocial oncology

Anticipated Findings/New Knowledge: Refinement of distress screening by cancer patient navigators; Improving SC for women with advanced breast cancer

PhD

Positions:Assistant Professor, School of Health and Human Performance, Dalhousie University

Expertise: Behavioural medicine, exercise psychology, physical activity, oncology, survivorship, quality of life

Anticipated Findings/New Knowledge: Exploring the SC role of physical activity for women with advanced breast cancer

PhD

Positions: Assistant Professor, Departments of Diagnostic Radiology and Community Health and Epidemiology, Dalhousie University; and Senior Epidemiologist, Capital District Health Authority

Expertise: Epidemiologic methods, chronic disease surveillance, indicators of care, administrative data analysis, health services research

Anticipated Findings/New Knowledge: Screening for need for SC; Data analysis and knowledge translation related to SC for chronic disease co-morbidities for women with advanced breast cancer

MD FRCSC, FACS

Positions: Professor of Surgery, Ramia Chair in Surgical Oncology, Dalhousie University; and Surgical Oncologist, QEII Health Sciences Centre

Expertise: Surgical oncology, health services research, outcomes research, quality indicators

Anticipated Findings/New Knowledge: Improved understanding of factors influencing access to and quality of SC services for women with advanced breast cancer; exploring opportunities to build a NET ACCESS-like team in breast cancer

aMD, FRCPC, FACP

Positions: Professor, Division of Medical Oncology, Dalhousie University; and Medical Oncologist, Nova Scotia Cancer Centre

Expertise: Clinical trials, breast cancer, health services research, wait times, cancer genetics, translational research

Anticipated Findings/New Knowledge: Clinical trial development with focus on SC for advanced breast cancer (e.g., pain and symptom control, management of side effects from systemic therapies); understanding of factors (e.g., co-morbidities) that influence quality SC for women with advanced breast cancer

MBBCh, FRCP (UK)

Positions:Assistant Professor, Division of Medical Oncology, and Clinical Research Scholar, Dalhousie University; and Medical Oncologist, Nova Scotia Cancer Centre

Expertise:Economic/cost analysis, health services research,  outcomes research, breast cancer, clinical trials

Anticipated Findings/New Knowledge: Examining costs of various forms of SC, including medications for women with advanced breast cancer

In 2012, Hillary commenced her MA in Kinesiology with Dr Melanie Keats; a co-investigator on the ABC-SC. Hillary is studying the perspectives of youth and young adults with advanced cancer on the value of yoga as a form of palliative support. Hillary and Melanie have published:

H. Woodside & M. Keats. (2012) Exploring the Role of Physical Activity During Palliative Care for Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Patients. Journal of Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology. doi:10.1089/jayao.2012.0016

Photo: BHCRI