Leap Spring 2015

ENTS ISSUE
THE MORE MOM
SPRING 2015
Triple threat Colin Hackett

is taking his next triathlon
and cancer in stride
PREVENTATIVE
MEASURES
Dont discount the efficacy

of screening and vaccines
PLUS:
Rowing Rewards;
Combatant Coffee;
the Cancer-Reovirus
Connection; Bust a
Move; and more!
SAFETY FIRST
Common sense and
regular exercise can
keep you out of the ER
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OR VOLUNTEER
TODAY!
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benefiting the Alberta Cancer Foundation presented by
Evraz and experience a 2-day cycling adventure like no
other! This is your opportunity to provide Albertans with
access to the best cancer treatment and care.
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Dont miss this opportunity to be part of something epic.
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PRESENTED BY
CONTENTS
COVER STORY: Triathlete Colin Hackett isnt letting
cancer slow him down.
SPRING 2015 VOL 6 No. 1
SPRING SPOTLIGHT
GIVING ALBERTANS MORE MOMENTS
42
16
29
16
DEPARTMENTS
4 OUR LEAP
A message from the Alberta Cancer Foundation
6
11
46
12
FOREFRONT
Cycle Around Alberta; Coffee and Melanoma; Most
Loving Person; Shopping Car-Free; Get McHappy;
Meat Sugar and Cancer; Kale Caesar Salad Recipe
NEXT GEN
Young researcher uses studentship to study
cancer-reovirus connection
BEYOND CANCER
Eating healthy meals as a family is digestible
14
21
ASK THE EXPERT

How often do I need cervical cancer screening?
PLUS: The DASH diet spelled out and running tips
from John Stanton
PATIENT ENGAGEMENT
Smart design and the human connection essential
in cancer care
Alber ta Cancer Foundation
Albertans are doing their best to be proactive

against cancer
26 A TIME TO LIVE
New study gives terminal patients time and helps

make the most of it
FEATURES
30 ROLE REVERSAL
Doctor turned his own diagnosis into a $3-million

endowment for head and neck cancer
33 SAFE AND SOUND
Staying far from the ER is a matter of common sense,

say the experts
35 ALL ABOARD
New rowing classes can help you stroke the way

towards better fitness
38
WHY I DONATE
Personal trainer Ike Henry gives back to breast cancer
research in sweat
29 CORPORATE GIVING
42 TOP JOB
50 MY LEAP
46 RESEARCH ROCKSTAR
Glow Juicery ups its game for this years Bust a

Move for Breast Health
38
22 ON OUNCE OF PREVENTION
Cancer can be a wake-up call for life
13 SMART EATS
POOLING STRENGTH
A seven-time Ironman triathlete prepares for
his biggest obstacle yet
Scott Todds fundraising Disney races are

a family affair
Red Deer nurse views her role in patients end-of-life

care a privilege
Dr. Quincy Chu is committed to finding new drugs

that help fight cancer
spring 2015
Message alberta cancer foundation
Cherish Every Moment
TRUSTEES
Angela Boehm, Chair
Calgary
Gary Bugeaud
Calgary
Steven Dyck
Lethbridge
Paul Grundy
Edmonton (ex-officio)
Jordan Hokanson
Edmonton
Katie McLean
Calgary
John J. McDonald
Edmonton
Andrea McManus
Calgary
Brent Saik, Vice Chair
Sherwood Park
Sandy Slator
Edmonton
Greg Tisdale
Calgary
spring 2015
We are now a few months into 2015 and it has certainly been an
interesting time for Alberta. Oil prices have placed immense financial
pressures on the province, affecting our budget as well as numerous
industries across Alberta.
Despite these economically challenging times, weve made it clear
that cancer doesnt stop when oil prices drop. Thats why the timing of
this issue seems especially poignant right now. The theme is more
moments, and how important it is to create the moments in peoples
lives they look forward to: a childs graduation, a vacation in the sun or
the birth of a grandchild. We do that by making investments that matter
investments that will detect cancer earlier, improve quality of life and
provide better treatment options. Every investment we make has a
direct line of sight to patients.
Youll read about how we are making life better for Albertans facing
cancer by investing in such research rockstars as Dr. Quincy Chu, who is
a clinical trials star in his own right for accruing the highest number of
patients to Phase 1 trials at the Cross Cancer Institute.
You will hear from exper ts in the field of prevention and
screening and how our researchers are doing their best to be proactive
against cancer.
You will also read compelling stories from Albertans who are desperate for as many moments as they can have with loved ones. Our cover
model, Colin Hackett, is one of our great ambassadors and is taking this
disease head on. There is inspiration to be found in so
many places across this province and we are privileged
Sometimes when a cancer
to be part of that journey.
diagnosis is delivered to
Sometimes when a cancer diagnosis is delivered to
patients, doctors know a cure patients,
doctors know a cure may not always be the
may not always be the goal.
goal. You will read how treating those patients to provide them the best possible quality of life so they can
make the best of those moments is just as important.
In the midst of these economic challenges, we remain committed to
making life better for Albertans facing cancer. Ongoing investment in
research is what will allow us to give every patient that chance. New
drugs, new research strategies and new treatment options that is what
is going to drive us forward and give patients a chance for many, many
more moments.
Myka Osinchuk, CEO
Alberta Cancer Foundation
Angela Boehm, Chair

Alberta Cancer Foundation
myleapmagazine.ca
SPRING 2015 VOL 6 No. 1
ALBERTA CANCER FOUNDATION

EDITOR: PHOEBE DEY
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Calgary, Alberta T2N 4L7
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Jacqueline Louie, Sam Macdonald, Cory Schachtel, Karol Sekulic,
Samus Smyth
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS AND ILLUSTRATORS:
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Constantine Tanasiuk
ABOUT THE ALBERTA CANCER FOUNDATION
The Alberta Cancer Foundation is Albertas own, established to advance
cancer research, prevention and care and serve as the charitable
foundation for the Cross Cancer Institute, Tom Baker Cancer Centre
and Albertas 15 other cancer centres. At the Alberta Cancer Foundation,
we act on the knowledge that a cancer-free future is achievable.
When we get there depends on the focus and energy we put to it today.
Leap is published for the Alberta Cancer Foundation by

Venture Publishing Inc., 10259-105 Street, Edmonton, AB T5J 1E3
Tel: 780-990-0839, Fax: 780-425-4921, Toll-free: 1-866-227-4276
circulation@venturepublishing.ca
TOGETHER
WERE CREATING
MORE MOMENTS
FOR ALBERTANS
FACING CANCER
The information in this publication is not meant to be a substitute for professional

medical advice. Always seek advice from your physician or other qualified health
provider regarding any medical condition or treatment.
Printed in Canada by Transcontinental LGM.
Leap is printed on Forest Stewardship Council certified paper
Publications Agreement #40020055
ISSN #1923-6131
Content may not be reprinted or reproduced without permission from Alberta Cancer Foundation.
Donate today at albertacancer.ca

spring 2015
Forefront prevent, treat, cure
Kindness Matters
Cancer care volunteer designated Albertas most loving person
Cody and Eva Borek, a couple from Stettler,
PHOTO COURTESY CODY BOREK
bought a brand new car in January and with it,

received a free week-long trip to Hawaii. But instead
of going, the couple decided to start a competition
for the trip, saying theyd like to give it to Albertas
most loving person. They narrowed down the field
by starting a Facebook page and asking the public to
nominate recipients. By January 16 they had received
15,000 nominations, which they narrowed down to
10 finalists.
In the end, they chose the winner by picking a
name out of a hat. But they believe that Madena
Reimer, from Athabasca, was truly the right choice.
Reimer is a transportation coordinator for Road to
Hope, a charity that helps cancer patients in rural
Alberta get to their appointments. Reimer is a breast
cancer survivor, and recently lost her mother to the
disease.
Im just overwhelmed with gratitude for Cory and
Eva, for putting this light out there, Reimer told the
media on the day of the announcement. Its such a
dark world ... and we need to show people that kindness matters.
The Meat-Sugar Cancer Theory

A new study adds to the research surrounding carnivores and cancer
A recent study from University of California
researchers, published in a journal called the

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,
found that a sugar molecule called Neu5Gc (which
can be found in meat like pork, lamb and beef) is
6
spring 2015
linked to an increase in the number of cancerous tumours in mice. After the

study was published, the meat-sugar cancer theory spread like wildfire,
with some thinking it proved a link between red meat and certain cancers in
humans.
Its just one example of how research can take on a life of its own when
simplified and shared. Cameron Wells, acting director of nutrition education
at the Washington, D.C.-based Physicians Committee for Responsible
Medicine, says the study is actually very specific and narrow in its scope.
Its tricky, we certainly see a clear association made between diet and high
meat consumption being linked to things like obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and some cancers. But with this research, it is a bit more novel
because the relevance to humans is still unproven at this point, because it
was done on mice, she says. The research itself was sound, but the conclusions that many drew from it that eating these meats can lead to cancer in
humans hadnt been proven.
Wells says we should simply go off of a precautionary principle that we
should avoid any meat in large quantities. Stick to the plant-based proteins
that we know to be safe and health-promoting, like beans, legumes, whole
grains, nuts and seeds, she says.
myleapmagazine.ca
Spring Cycles In
The snow is beginning to melt and its a great time
to pedal some of Albertas best path systems
EDMONTON RIVER VALLEY:
The North Saskatchewan River cuts a prominent form down the
middle of Edmonton, and it also provides an ideal locale for a leisurely (or not-so leisurely) bike ride, depending on how far you
want to go. The river valley, itself, acts as a jumping off point for
other bike trips around the city. You can choose trips that suit your
schedule, skill-level and location. For more information and a
map of the citys various bike paths, visit
edmonton.ca/transportation/cycling_walking/bicycle-map
HIGHWOOD PASS:
The Gran Fondo Highwood Pass is a bike tour that winds its way
through 135 kilometres of beautiful Rocky Mountain landscape.
And while the Gran Fondo, itself, is a bike trip that many train for
months to complete, you can tackle this trip on your own and in
any increment that you prefer. You start the ride out of Canmore,
and ride through Peter Lougheed Park into the Highwood Pass.
The ride can be difficult, but can also be easily paced with breaks
and rests.
NOSE HILL:
Nose Hill Park is in the middle of Calgary, but you sure wont feel
like it once you park and start riding. In the northwest quadrant of
the city, Nose Hill features 11 kilometres of walking and biking
paths that vary in terrain from super steep to gently sloping. For
directions to the park, visit calgary.ca
COAL BANKS TRAIL:

Cutting a path through Lethbridges interesting natural terrain,
the 30-kilometre Coal Banks Trail is used for community events
as well as walking, cycling, running and dog walking. The trail is an
uninterrupted route connecting the citys west end, river valley
and Henderson Park, and was named for the old coal mining town
that was once located in the river valley bottom. A map of the trail
can be found online at lethbridge.ca
CALGARY-BRAGG CREEK LOOP:

Riding between Calgary and the small town of Bragg Creek just
west of the city is a great day trip with varied, but manageable terrain. Youll find a 100-kilometre road that loops through southwest
Calgary and along Highway 8 towards Bragg Creek. Once you are
out of the city, the highway provides stunning mountain views for
almost the entire ride. You can end your trip and circle back once
you arrive at the Kamp Kiwanis roundabout, or continue south
along Highway 22 towards the town of Bragg Creek.
THE BIRCHWOOD TRAILS:

The Athabasca region is surrounded by tons of outdoor pursuits,
and there is no shortage of easy-to-access adventure from Fort
McMurrays doorstep. The Birchwood Trail system is one good
example located in the Con Creek Valley, the trails also include
an outdoor green gym and run 130 kilometres throughout the
town, connecting various neighbourhoods.
spring 2015
Hamburger Happiness
McHappy Day helps support Medicine Hat cancer centre
Each year, McHappy Days raises thousands of dollars across the country
in a fundraiser for Ronald McDonald House and various local charities. This year,
funds raised in Medicine Hat will go towards the Margery E. Yuill Cancer Centre.
On this one day we bring together our employees, our customers, our suppliers and our friends in the community to raise money for families and their
sick children across the country, says Carly Pancotto, owner/operator of
Medicine Hat McDonalds. On May 7, McDonalds will donate a dollar from
select menu items (like the Big Mac, Happy Meal and McCaf beverages) to a
Ronald McDonald House and local charities in the Medicine Hat region, and that
means the Margery Yuill is included. Some franchises even host fundraising
events leading up to McHappy Day.
McHappy Days is about families and in particular, supporting those going
through a difficult time, says Pancotto. This is why we are pleased to be able to
provide proceeds from McHappy Day towards the new Margery Yuill Cancer
Centre, to assist with furnishing and decorating the pediatric treatment room.
Searching for Answers

University of Alberta student goes back to school in memory of his wife
he went back to school. Now 61 years old, Powel is enrolled as an undergraduate student at the University of Alberta, where he has taken introductory classes in biochemistry and oncology. He recently assembled a research team, now
funded by a grant from the Women and Childrens Health Research Institute
(WCHRI), to study granulosa cell tumour (GCT) of the ovary, and Powel will
spend the next two years working alongside academics and researchers as
they investigate novel treatments for GCT, which accounts for about five per
cent of ovarian cancer cases.
We are close to finishing our first set of experiments that investigate the
basic question of whether these small-molecule drugs we are testing work to
reduce viability of GCT, and if they work more effectively when combined, he
says. The team is also attempting to coordinate with local clinicians to receive
patient tissue to include in their research. As a rare cancer, there are probably
only two or three new cases of GCT every year in Edmonton, so getting access
to samples is challenging.
Powel works with photos of his wife on his computer, and he says he has
found the process of going back to school challenging and enlightening. Even
after several years of undergraduate coursework to build up my knowledge,
the complexity of cancer, in general, and the variety of experiments that need
to be done to confidently draw conclusions puts a heavy load on my intellect,
says Powel, who already holds a several degrees in geography. The enlightenment comes from seeing first-hand all of the work, most of it unpublicised,
the repetition of experiments, regardless of whether they succeed or fail, and
the commitment and camaraderie of those who are doing the research. I would
be totally without hope if I did not have my fellow lab mates, and technicians to
help sort me out when I have questions.
In the face of challenge, Powel says he remains motivated by Sladjana, who
8
spring 2015
PHOTO: CANADIAN PRESS
After Powel Crosleys wife Sladjana died of a rare form of ovarian cancer,
was a scientist and who believed that the answer

to this pernicious disease was in the lab. In 2004,
she created the Granulosa Cell Tumour Research
Foundation to fund research. My effort to try and
find a potential solution now, is my way of keeping
her hope and legacy alive, Powel says. That goes
along with the fact that if she were here now, she
would be thrilled to be in the lab, herself, and I
know she would be much better at it than I am!
myleapmagazine.ca
Kale Caesar Salad

Makes four servings.
This kale salad is a much-loved dish from the Calgary restaurant Una.
INGREDIENTS:
DIRECTIONS:
Caesar dressing
1 clove garlic
4 anchovy fillets
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
cup olive oil
Caesar dressing
Using a fork, crush garlic and anchovies
against the inside of a large bowl. Add
mustard, lemon juice and zest and olive
oil and whisk until well emulsified. Pour
the dressing into a glass jar and set aside.
Kale salad
2 Tbsp olive oil, plus more, if needed
4 thin slices prosciutto, julienned
cup panko crumbs
Maldon salt and black pepper
2 bunches kale, leaves only, julienned
1 cup grated Pecorino Romano
2 soft-boiled eggs, peeled and halved
(optional)
Kale salad
Line a plate with paper towels. Heat olive
oil in a medium frying pan on high. Add
prosciutto and pan-fry until crispy, about
five minutes. Transfer to the paper towellined plate and set aside. Reduce the
heat to low.
Add panko crumbs to the pan, adding
a little oil if required, and toast until
golden, about two minutes. Scrape the
panko into a small bowl, season to taste
with salt and set aside.

Place kale in a large bowl, pour in the dressing
and toss well. Season mix with salt and black
pepper. Transfer to a serving bowl and top with
Pecorino Romano, toasted panko and crispy
prosciutto. Serve with the boiled eggs, if desired.
Source: Calgary Cooks: Recipes from the Citys Top
Chefs, Figure 1 Publishing, 2014
Staying Active to Avoid Cancer

New research finds links between cancer and physical inactivity
A new study from an Albertan researcher has found that more than
12,000 Canadians develop cancer each year due to physical inactivity and being
overweight. Dr. Darren Brenner, who works with the department of cancer epidemiology and prevention research at Alberta Health Services, says many people
tend to forget the role that obesity and low physical activity play as risk factors for
developing cancer.
The evidence is clear that thousands of cancers could be prevented each year
if people paid more attention to diet and exercise, says Brenner, whose research
is focused on how physical activity and obesity relate to cancer risk and survival.
Brenners research also shows a direct relationship between weight and risk of
developing cancer the greater the excess weight, the greater the risk.
The study uses data collected in 2007, which found that 5,771 cancer cases
were attributable to excess body weight and 12,885 to physical inactivity. And
while there could be some overlap between the two groups, previous research
has shown that consuming more calories through food than are burned through
activity can cause several different types of cancer.
Its shocking how few people are getting enough exercise, says Brenner,
whose study was published in the journal Preventive Medicine. The research
notes that only 15 to 20 per cent of people meet the minimum requirements
for physical activity. Its good to be proactive in your

own cancer prevention strategies, he adds. Small
changes in lifestyle and preventive behaviours can
make a difference in the long term. All it takes is 30
minutes of activity a day, and it doesnt even have to
be intense activity.
spring 2015
Coffee and Cancer

New research from Yale University may
make you rethink skipping
that second cup of joe
A study published on Januar y 2 0 in the
Journal of the National Cancer Institute reveals that

coffee drinkers were less likely to suffer from malignant melanoma, a form of skin cancer and that with
every cup they drank, the risk decreases somewhat.
Yale University School of Public Health researchers gathered data
from a study run by the U.S. National Institutes of Health and AARP. A
food questionnaire was sent to 3.5 million people living in six states:
California, Florida, Louisiana, New Jersey, North Carolina and
Pennsylvania; as well as two cities, Atlanta and Detroit.
The questionnaire yielded coffee drinking details for nearly 447,400
white seniors in 1995 and 1996, and researchers followed up with the
participants for about a decade. Participants were all cancer-free when
they filled out the survey, and researchers adjusted for other factors that
could influence melanoma risk. Those factors included: ultraviolet radiation exposure, body mass index, age, sex, physical activity, alcohol intake
and smoking history.
They found people who drank the most coffee every day showed a
lower risk of melanoma, compared with non-coffee drinkers or those
who drank very little.
Ditch the Car

Carry your groceries home on foot
Use more bags and keep them light. This will reduce the
chance of a bag breaking once youre halfway home.
Consider using a grocery grip, which are like small
carabineers that make it easier to carry multiple bags at

once. You can hook these to a backpack to take a load off
your arms.
In good weather, strap your groceries onto the back of
your bike.
Next Gen supporting young minds
GOING VIRAL
Mark Ariss Summer Studentship recipient considers
the reovirus as a potential cancer combatant
BY SHELLEY WILLIAMSON
It might contravene a stereotype of university
student behaviour but science undergrad Asha Lal prefers to spend her free time toiling away in the lab than,
well, pretty much anything else.
So when the opportunity for the 2014 Mark Ariss
Summer Studentship came up, working alongside
mentor Dr. Maya Shmulevitz, assistant professor in
medical microbiology and immunology at the
University of Alberta, the second-year psych major
jumped at it. No stranger to beating out fierce competition, Lal had previously sported a white coat as a Grade
11 student under Shmulevitz, as part of the Heritage
Youth Researcher Summer Program, funded in part by
the Alberta Cancer Foundation.
Selected from hundreds of applicants for a HYRS
studentship in 2012, Lal took that challenge in stride.
And Shmulevitz, whos also the chair in molecular virology and oncotherapy, couldnt be more pleased with the
young researchers efforts and attitude both then and
now. In the lab, shes very mature, says Shmulevitz.
As a human shes very thoughtful, shes quite smart
CELL SHOCKER: U of A undergrad Asha Lal
and capable, yet shes very thankful for others, so shes
spent last summer studying how lung cancer
humble, which allowed her to learn a lot. Every opportucells react to the reovirus.
nity that came up, Asha was very interested in discussing
it and learning. She also takes advice very well.
In terms of experiments, Lals ambitions, like her
work ethic, are well beyond her years. Its really hard to ship last summer (made possible through targeted funding from donor Mark Ariss
get summer studentships in your first year, says via the Alberta Cancer Foundation) often saw her toiling into the wee hours studying
Shmulevitz. Theres so much competition, so its quite and logging data. The virus I was working with has a 24-hour replication cycle, so
sometimes I would have to stay until midnight doing 12-hour time frames. Trying to
a statement that she got it.
Shes proven her worth with an incredibly strong manoeuvre my life around the nature of the project, that was a really good chalcommitment to her projects focus: the reovirus as lenge, says Lal.
Ariss, a geologist by trade who volunteers at the Alberta
a potential attacker of
Childrens Hospital, says hes delighted Lal was the first to
cancer cells, which
Trying to manoeuvre my life
Shmulevitz admits sur- around the nature of the project, receive his namesake endowment after witnessing her diligence in Shmulevitzs lab. The stipulation with his donation,
passes the average
undergrads scope or that was a really good challenge, which will support summer students like Lal for five summers,
says Asha Lal.
was that it fund pediatric oncology study. I was looking for
skill. Ashas project was
something to do with pediatric cancer and this specific research
to try to start looking at
cancer cells that let the virus grow really well and can- project came up, so the money was earmarked for Asha to look at the reovirus, says
cer cells that didnt, she explains. She started to look Ariss, who has two older children of his own. It seemed to be a nice fit. Working with
at the details of what the virus does, and she found that kids at the hospital, I see a potential need there, and this certainly could have very
there are certain steps of the virus replication cycle that good ramifications for the general public if they do find something that can use virusare stopped in cancer cells that are not permissive. The es to attack the cancer cells.
idea is that, if we can understand that better, we may be
The once-in-a-lifetime experience was not lost on Lal, whos considering both a
able to predict which cancers might be better or worse medical degree and a doctorate. Especially working with students at such a high
for therapy and be able to manipulate that virus to over- level, it pushes you to do your best. I think thats so important for students to not wait
until they are doing a masters degree to learn how to properly execute a research
come it. She was really dedicated to it.
Far from a nine-to-five job, Lals four-month student- project. These are skills that I can apply to my everyday life.
spring 2015
11
Beyond Cancer stories of survivorship
Now What?
Cancer can be a wake-up call that spurs living lifes

more moments to the fullest
BY JANINE GIESE-DAVIS
Cancer treatment has been successful at extending

many survivors lives well beyond what would have
been expected a decade ago. However, most people
still find themselves asking, Now what? as they end
their treatment course. They want to know how to reintegrate into their lives, or how to find a new normal
after a life-changing cancer diagnosis and treatment.
For many who have more moments in their lives
due to better treatments for cancer, re-prioritizing
what matters to them becomes central. Facing your
own mortality can re-focus attention on family, friendships and travel, and can help when figuring out what
is most important to you. It can also highlight changes
you want to make to bring about balance. For some, it
might inspire giving back to other cancer patients, so
that the lessons you have learned along the way can
be useful for someone else. Even for people who go
on to live a normal life after cancer and never die of the
disease, they often refer to their cancer diagnosis as a
wake-up call.
Researchers studying this existential wake-up call
have found that for some survivors, making sense of
how to fit the cancer experience into their day-to-day
lives involves a deeper search for meaning. For many
people, this involves finding benefits in a cancer experience, even though you wish you had never had to
go through it. The benefit might come through finally
changing things you had long wished to but couldnt
seem to get to, or from telling people around you how
you really feel about them. For some, this has meant
leaving negative relationships and finding people who
truly validate and support positive goals, or changing
careers, jobs or where they live in order to make the
most of remaining time. Changing lifestyle behaviors
in accordance with your oncologists advice can be one
concrete place to start to make changes.
The following are some exciting tools to help you
develop deeper understanding of your experience,
develop a new purpose and strengthen your sense of
meaning in life:
Begin or re-commit to keeping a journal of your
thoughts and feelings as a way to track the changes
you are undergoing as a cancer survivor.
Make use of the healing arts classes offered through
12
spring 2015
your cancer centre. This can help you tap into deeper aspects of what is meaningful
to you. This might include many creative activities including drawing and painting,
dance, music and telling your story in ways that others can benefit from.
Finding ways to give back to others through volunteer work can deepen a sense of
purpose. There are many ways for people to volunteer, for instance through Alberta
Health Services Patient Engagement (sitting on professional committees that recommend changes to health-care teams), at Wellspring and informally to others in
your friendship networks as they experience cancer in their own lives.
Think about taking part in a research study, because whether it is biological samples, questionnaires or interviews, it is a way for your experience to make things
better for future cancer survivors.
Talk with other survivors to help you to consider different perspectives and expand
your horizons.
Contact a local spiritual care team or clergy member, who can also play an important role in helping you to find meaning in your life after cancer.
These suggestions are only a few of the things others have documented that can
help answer the What now? questions that inevitably arise once cancer treatment
has ended and you are creating the rest of your life. Victor Frankl, a Holocaust survivor and author of Mans Search for Meaning, talked a lot about the importance of
finding meaning in life as a way to rise above even the direst of life-threatening circumstances. Here are two of his most famous quotes:
- Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human
freedoms to choose ones attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose
ones own way.
- Those who have a why to live can bear with almost any how.
myleapmagazine.ca
Smart Eats food for life
Breaking
Bread
Eating healthy meals as a family is a more

digestible idea than you may think
BY KAROL SEKULIC
When life is busy and time is tight, it can be hard

to make healthy eating a priority, let alone eating
meals with others. Multiple appointments, conflicting
schedules, family members who are too busy and long
work days can be additional barriers to eating together
as a family.
If you move healthy eating closer to the top of
your priority list, you will be taking an important
step toward good health. There are additional
nutritional benefits to eating family meals, such as
an increased intake of vegetables, fruit and calciumrich foods, and decreased intake of soft drinks, especially for youth. This can lower the risk for becoming
overweight, and eating together may also offer some
protection against family members developing an
eating disorder.
Here are some tips for healthy eating:
Stock your pantry and fridge with basic healthy food,
including:
Vegetables and Fruit
- Grain Products
- Canned or frozen vegetables and fruit
(choose ones without added salt and sugar)
Whole grain bread, rolls or crackers
- Brown rice, oats, millet or quinoa
- Canned or jarred pasta sauces
(look for low-sodium versions)
Meat and Alternatives
- Canned salmon, tuna
- Low-sodium canned beans or lentils
- Nut butters, nuts, seeds
- Plain, un-breaded frozen meat, poultry or fish
Milk and Alternatives
- Low-fat milk and low-fat cheese
- Low-fat yogurt
- Unsweetened fortified soy beverage
Assemble a healthy meal using these three steps to get
you started. Each column below has healthy foods from
each of the four food groups in Canadas Food Guide.
1. Pick an item from three or four of the Guides columns.
2. Combine for a healthy meal.
3. If possible, enjoy your meal with others (friends
or family).
MEAT AND
ALTERNATIVES
GRAIN
PRODUCTS
Heat brown beans, Put in a wholekidney beans, or

grain tortilla
navy beans
VEGETABLES
AND FRUIT
MILK AND
ALTERNATIVES
Serve with lowsodium salsa and

sliced bell pepper
Grate low-fat
cheese on the
tortilla
Open a can of low- Add to whole grain Stir in frozen

sodium canned
noodles in broth
vegetables
salmon
Serve low-fat
yogurt for dessert
Add cooked brown Serve on lettuce

Drain a can of
rice or barley
lentils and mix
with canola oil and
Dijon mustard
Serve low-fat
yogurt for dessert
Grill or bake chicken Serve with cooked

breasts with herbs
whole grain
and spices
noodles
Add cooked
frozen green or
yellow beans
Serve low-fat milk

to drink
Scramble eggs
Top with grated

Add vegetables
low-fat cheese
like mushrooms
and spinach to
eggs and then pan
fry together
Serve with whole

grain toast, pita or
tortilla
Here are some more time-saving ideas to help you have healthy meals at home:
Choose a day of the week to prepare and assemble meal items which can be
quickly put in a slow cooker in the morning, and you will have your meal ready
when you get home.
Cook larger quantities of food when choosing quinoa, brown rice or vegetables,
for example, so you will have them for other lunch or dinner meals
Try a grocery delivery service
Look for businesses in your community where you can assemble meals and take
them home to cook at a later date.
Consider starting a cooking circle or cooking club with friends. These are groups of
people who get together on a regular basis to cook. It can be a great way to develop
skills and prepare healthy and affordable meals.
For more healthy meal ideas and recipes, visit healthyeatingstartshere.ca
Karol Sekulic is a registered dietitian with Alberta Health Services who has expertise and interest
in the areas of weight management and nutrition communications.
spring 2015
13
Ask the Expert a resource for you
IN THE
KNOW
Screening for cervical cancer,

what the DASH diet stands for
and group versus solo running
the experts explain it
BY LYNDSIE BOURGON
AND SHELLEY WILLIAMSON
14
spring 2015
I have heard a lot about the DASH diet. What

is it, and is it a healthy way to lose weight?
Karol Sekulic, a registered dietician with Alberta Health

Services, breaks down the DASH diet and its ability to take off the
pounds: DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension.
The DASH diet is a pattern of eating thats designed to reduce blood
pressure, she explains, adding it is generally used to lower blood pressure, and can also reduce the risk of developing high blood pressure. In
addition to being higher in vegetables, fruit, whole grains, low-fat milk
products and poultry, the DASH diet requires a reduction in sodium or
salt intake.
The DASH diet provides two levels of sodium reduction to 2,300
milligrams or less than 1,500 milligrams per day, the lower amount providing the greater reduction in blood pressure, Sekulic says. In terms of
food choice, she notes that reducing ones sodium intake requires
selecting minimal quantities of processed food, such as deli meats,
convenience foods and condiments.
As for weight loss, the DASH diet is considered a healthy approach,
says Sekulic. The DASH is a very healthy eating pattern and it may help
with weight management, if it is combined with a lower-calorie pattern
of eating, she says. Like many health experts, she suggests investing in
a combination of diet and exercise for the best results. Exercise is an
important part of a healthy lifestyle and can also help people reduce
blood pressure, as well as keeping weight off, she says. And a higher
intake of vegetables and fruit can help you get more fibre and help with
fullness.
DASH, like any diet, wont work if you dont keep up with it, so try
to choose one that you feel you can stick to, advises Sekulic. For
more information about how to maintain healthy eating habits, visit
healthyeatingstartshere.ca.
myleapmagazine.ca
I am a woman in my 30s.
How often should I get screened
for cervical cancer?
Leap asks Gordon Kliewer, implementation

specialist with the Alberta Cer vical Cancer
Screening Program, for his advice for women of all
ages about Pap tests, the HPV virus and cervical
cancer screening.
We really encourage women to start their Pap
testing at 21 and we do that all the way to age 69 for
various reasons, Kliewer says, emphasizing that having regular tests is the best form of prevention. The
reliability of a Pap goes up by following through and
doing it once every year until reaching three negative
results, and then once every three years. The reliability of this test is in sequential testing. A one-time test
doesnt tell us much, he explains.
HPV immunizations, now offered to both girls
and boys in Grades 5 and 9 in Alberta, will lessen
the prevalence of the virus, which can cause cervical
and other cancers if left untreated. In fact, nearly all
cervical cancers are caused by HPV. We are going
to see fewer women infected with HPV (the human
papilloma virus) as we continue to immunize, says
Kliewer. We have higher than 70 per cent of women
being immunized in our schools since 2008, so we
are anticipating that well see lower and lower rates
of HPV.
But since womens cervical cells change as they
age, most females over the age of 69 wont mind
hearing they dont need to revisit the Pap annually or
even every three years. The Pap is really designed to
look at cells and epithelial (cervical) cells, says
Kliewer. And for women over 69, that ability is really
not that great. You can have false negatives. We
would rather you rely on symptomology.
One myth is that a Pap also tests for cancer. The
Pap test is really testing for pre-cancerous cells,
and you generally have three to five years before
cancer ensues, Kliewer explains. So theres no
ambulance required for any of this; this is really
about prevention.
In addition to a Pap, there is also an HPV screening test in Alberta, he says. One thing that sometimes confuses people is we now do have the ability
to look for the HPV virus, 15 strains so the top
strains that cause cancer, we are now able to test for
specifically, says Kliewer. For women who are over
30, if they have a low-grade test result, we will then
test for HPV, just to make sure. It may be a false
low-grade; so we test it for HPV and if its not there,
then they are good. We are one of the few provinces
that does this.
Is it better to run alone, or with a group?
We turned to John Stanton, founder and CEO of The Running Room

to answer this one. What appeals to many people about living in our online
world that you can run alone, at any pace and let your mind wander or focus on
problem solving, he says. There is no pressure to run at a particular pace or
distance, its just you and the open road.
But that doesnt mean solo is the only way to go, and he notes that running
offers a great way to unplug and fosters direct human interactions that we all
crave. It helps to be in a clinic or in a group, particularly during the cold winter
months, says Stanton. The positive peer pressure of the group makes you
accountable to others, as well as yourself.
And you shouldnt be worried that it will be competitive, he adds. Running in
a group changes a workout into a safe and supportive team sport. The commitment to the group gets you out on days when youre not full of energy and will
leave you feeling refreshed and energized.
Most running groups meet once or twice a week and become a positive and
motivating ritual. For Stanton, group running is a great way to get both a
positive mental and physical workout.
Ask our experts questions about general health, cancer
prevention and treatment. Please submit them via email to
letters@myleapmagazine.ca. Remember, this advice is never a
substitute for talking directly to your family doctor.
spring 2015
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Pooling
Strength
MAN OF STEEL: Colin Hackett is a seven-time

Ironman triathlete who also happens to be living
with stage four colorectal cancer.
16
spring 2015
myleapmagazine.ca
A seven-time Ironman triathlete

prepares for his biggest obstacle yet
a cancer diagnosis
BY ROBBIE JEFFREY
PHOTOGRAPHY BY COOPER & OHARA
hile vacationing in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, in December 2007,

Colin Hackett wouldnt go to the pool because he didnt want to take
his shirt off. He was staying at a resort with his wife, Kim, trying to enjoy
some well-deserved respite from teaching high school in Edmonton, but he was
preoccupied with his weight, which had climbed since his college football days.
He made a New Years resolution to join a fitness group and he started training as
soon as he got home. He joined a boot camp and a mens hockey league weighing
324 pounds. By 2010, he had dropped almost 40 pounds, and by November 2013, he
was down to a healthy 250.
Hackett says he fell into competitive triathlons. This isnt a metaphor an
ankle injury from a fall during a hockey game compelled him to take up swimming.
Already a runner, he figured he was two-thirds of the way there. By June 2013, three
months after completing Ironman Los Cabos in Mexico, he was writing a blog
documenting his triathlons and his weight loss, called Trials of a Big Triathlete,
with the self-deprecating address of trifattytri.blogspot.ca. Five months later,
he raced in Ironman Arizona.
spring 2015
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MORE moments
For the uninitiated, Ironman includes a fourkilometre swim, a 180-kilometre bike ride and a
42-kilometre run. Its a gruelling feat of endurance,
and it wrings its participants through the kind of
physical agony typically reserved for famine, combat
or pandemics. For many, completing that first
Ironman means getting the iconic red Ironman logo
tattooed on you the next day. Luckily you dont need
one for every race you finish thereafter, because
Hackett would be pockmarked like the hood of a stock
car. Hes finished seven Ironmans to date, at just 33
years old.
The plan was to write a book about going from transferred to another hospital, where they tried to open his colon with a stent.
being a fat guy to being at the Ironman World When the procedure failed, an ambulance took him back to the Sturgeon for
Championship in Hawaii, Hackett says. But on bowel surgery. He awoke to find hed had a colon resection and they had biopsied a
November 10, 2014, the plan
spot on his liver. He had a
changed, and suddenly the
in one nostril and two
The plan was to write a book about going from being tube
blog was about more than
in the other. The biopsy
a fat guy to being at the Ironman World Champion- results came in.
just his weight loss. On New
Years Eve 2014, exactly seven
It was debilitating. I was
ship in Hawaii, Hackett says. But on November 10,
years since the resolution
10 days away from doing my
2014, the plan changed, and suddenly the blog was eighth Ironman, Hackett
that turned his life around,
about more than just his weight loss.
Hackett started his first
says. I was still training 100
round of chemotherapy. He
per cent and I had this huge,
had stage four colorectal cancer, and it was incurable.
stage four tumour going. His youngest daughter was just two weeks old. His oldest
was five years old.
At 4 a.m. on November 6, 2014, Hackett was
Hackett already had a bit of a history with cancer. During Ironman Canada in
complaining about bad gas. After a trip to emergency 2010, he met the Cops for Cancer triathlon team, a fundraising group for cancer
at the Sturgeon Community Hospital, he went home, research, and he joined in 2011. He started fundraising at the high school he worked
only to return later for a CT scan that found his at then, Centre High. It seemed like a really great place to focus my efforts, he
bowels were blocked. The doctor gave him morphine says. I lost my grandfather to prostate cancer when I was seven years old. He
and he stayed the night. The next morning, he was didnt get to see me grow up and play football.
18
spring 2015
myleapmagazine.ca
MOVING AHEAD: Doctors say exercise helps people

who are undergoing chemotherapy, like Colin Hackett,
do better than those who are not active throughout
their treatment.
Hacketts also a dedicated ambassador for the

Alberta Cancer Foundation, having raised money through
more than one triathlon for the foundation, and he is
signed up for the Enbridge Ride to Conquer Cancer and
was a volunteer ref in the Words Longest Hockey Game.
When I first spoke to him, Hackett was a few days
away from his initial consultation at the Cross Cancer
Institute. I feel fantastic, honestly, he said. Over the
phone, he communicated enthusiasm and confidence.
Already concerned about his diet, he didnt need a drastic
overhaul to his lifestyle. He wanted to train right through
his treatment; he was planning for Ironman Coeur
dAlene in June.
Hackett is on an aggressive form of chemotherapy, a
regimen called FOLIRI, whose name represents three
different drugs. His oncologist, Dr. Michael Sawyer,
combines the regimen with a relatively new drug called
bevacizumab that attacks the growth of new blood
vessels. Hackett tolerates it well. He told me he biked
20 or 30 kilometres the day before I saw him, Sawyer
says. He also ran a five-kilometre race just four hours after he finished his first round of
chemotherapy.
The exercise might have something to do with it. There are many studies, both in
curative chemotherapy (to remove cancer completely) and chemotherapy to prolong
peoples lives, where it appears that people who exercise do better than people who do
not, says Sawyer. And there are hints that exercise can decrease naturally occurring
hormones and chemicals in our body that the cancer uses for its own benefits, he says.
Its not immediately evident why exercise can have these benefits, but it at least appears
that it does. And Hackett thrives on this fact.
Meanwhile, the median survival of colon cancer patients increases with each passing
year, thanks mainly to new and stronger drugs. When I was a medical student, the
expected survival was somewhere between six and nine months, Sawyer says. Two or
three years ago, the median survival for patients was about two years; today its pushing
30 months. Sawyer makes no qualms about saying Hackett will have cancer for the rest
of his life, but he also cant help but highlight all the reasons why Hackett shouldnt slow
down.
Speaking to Hackett again, I ask how his consultation went. It wasnt great
news, he responds. But the oncologist stressed that we dont know how these things
work you dont have a stamp on your foot that says when your time is up.
spring 2015
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MORE moments
FAMILY FIRST: When not training for his next

triathlon, Colin Hackett is making the most of his
time by spending as much time as he can with
his wife, Kim, and their four children.
Hes grateful that, because hes young, he can take full

doses rather than half-doses. And hes already excited
about returning to work as a teacher. Its who I am and
how I make a difference in this world, he says. I dont
think theres an hour that goes by that I dont think about
the cancer, but being off work is the worst thing for me.
Its a constant reminder that its not me anymore. He
quotes Stuart Scott, the late ESPN anchor who died after
his third bout with cancer just two days prior to our
conversation. He said that you dont lose to cancer by
dying; you defeat cancer by living.
Kim, however, worries for the father of her four
children, the man with whom she travelled on their
journey to good health, only to arrive somewhere entirely
foreign. When he was first diagnosed, my world came
crumbling in around me, she says. Ive just had to
rebuild it from there.
She wants to be there for her husband in every
capacity, keeping him well enough to maintain his health
and willpower. I wouldnt have picked this for myself,
she says. But there are people out there who try for years
and cant have a baby, and thats what they want more
than anything. And there are people who spend their
whole lives looking for their knight in shining armour.
And Ive got all that. She is now going back to university
besides the two degrees she already has, shes pursuing
an education degree so she can have a schedule closer to
her childrens.
As it turned out, Hacketts fundraising efforts meant
a sizeable karmic deposit was waiting for him when he
needed it. Brett Babkirk, who has refereed hockey with
Hackett for 15 years, imagined a fundraiser for Hackett
while on a trip to a hockey game in Camrose. With the
help of his wife, he brought together more than 300
20
spring 2015
people at the Polish Veterans Hall in Edmonton for an auction and entertainment,
where he raised more than $21,000.
Hackett is training every day, spending time with his family and updating his blog. A
recent post reads, Cancer. There, I said it. This seems to be one of the most powerful
words in the English language.
And before we finish our conversation, he says, If people talked about the fact
that they have cancer, wed all know more survivors, he says. If everybody talked
about it, we could see how many people have done so well for so long. Nobody
knows these amazing survivor stories that are out there.
When the Diagnosis isnt gooD

Tamara Gignac is a Calgary reporter who was diagnosed with
stage four colorectal cancer in June 2014. She wrote this moving
account of her diagnosis, which were reprinting here in full.
I was 40 when I learnt I had cancer. The diagnosis was devastating:
I had between six months and a year to live. But today, I choose to live like
I will live on, beyond that. Yet if I no longer have an uncountable number
of days ahead, then I choose to make the most of every tiny moment. The
small, the everyday and the moments we all take for granted that I no
longer can.
Its the day I walk my son to his first day at kindergarten, the sound of
my little girls voice in her Christmas pageant. It is the soft smell of my
childrens breath as they jump into my arms, skin gentle and sweet after
their bath. Its the crunch of snow under my boots, the sunshine on my
shoulders and the sand beneath my toes. Its decorating the Christmas
tree and wrapping toys with the hope of another year. It is learning how to
love fiercely, live honestly and never let go.
Living with cancer makes every minute and every moment meaningful.
That is what I live for more moments.
Help create more moments for people like Tamara and invest
in the Alberta Cancer Foundation at albertacancer.ca.
myleapmagazine.ca
Engagement giving patients a voice
A Healing Environment
Smart design and the human connection are
potent prescriptions for cancer care facilities
BY JESSICA DOLLARD
Since July 2014, patient and family advisors have
been engaged in conversations about how to create a
healing environment in cancer care. These talks have
been inspirational, and the good news is that according to our patients and families there is room for improvement when it comes to the current cancer care
experience.
Our parents taught us that first impressions matter,
and this holds true when it comes to creating a healing experience. Ultimately, when it comes to cancer
care, we want our first impression to be: You will be
cared for here and youre in good hands. Since we
know thats what our patients and families need to
hear most, how can we clearly communicate it? The
answer requires a perfect synergy between smart
space design and the human connection.
Last fall during a meeting led by exhibit developer and artist Kris Kelly-Frre, the advisors shared
their thoughts on healing environments by using
sticky notes in a four-part matrix using the words: I
like, I wish, What if? and Aha! Not surprisingly, their comments highlighted the importance of
making positive first impressions at the Tom Baker
Cancer Centre.
As advisors considered what they liked and wished
for, one suggested that the lobby of the Alberta
Childrens Hospital provides an example of positive
experience, noting: Adults need colour, too! Following the lead of the suggestion, the advisors recommended the ideal space have a comfortable entrance featuring plants, natural light, calming works
of art, use of natural materials such as wood, a feeling
of spaciousness, big comfy chairs, places of respite,
a view of the surrounding natural environment and
spots to sit and have coffee. Beyond removing the
clutter and chaos of a beyond-capacity cancer centre,
the advisors expressed a longing for a welcoming and
inviting environment to meet patients during one of
the most stressful and scary moments of their lives.
A beautiful environment would only partially
impact patient experience it also needs a human
connection to support it. Among the most powerful
recommendations was to Help us with finding our
humanity. I spent some time with this comment, and
it hit me personally and pretty hard. Not only does
it provide insight into how lost and fearful cancer
patients can feel, but it is also an invitation to help reconnect patients with their
physical, mental, spiritual and emotional selves. All of that is lost (for a time) when
facing cancer. With their suggestions, the advisors reminded us that the first faces
patients often see at a cancer centre are strangers who will tell them that they have
cancer. These first faces are tasked with not only being knowledgeable and friendly, but also with a responsibility to begin the patients healing process.
As youve guessed, Im not a fan of waiting around for resources to create a perfect healing environment. I believe that staff empowerment and personal accountability are two keys toward creating an overall healing experience.
When I walk through the cancer centres entrance and hallways to get to a meeting, I often stop to help if I see someone who looks lost or confused. Truth be told,
there is always someone fitting this description. Now the words, Help me with
finding my humanity, regularly play in my head as I ask them if I can be of help.
With the current absence of comfy chairs and a caf, the responsibility belongs to
every person who works in cancer care to create a more healing environment. No
matter what his or her role or title is, everyone is a caregiver. This mindset is the
beginning of a deeply healing environment.
Jessica Dollard is the patient-centred experience advisor on the Calgary Cancer Project. As a
consultant in engagement and patient experience, as well as an actor, film and theatre producer,
programmer, medical skills trainer and executive certified coach, she brings a creative background
to this work.
spring 2015
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spring 2015
myleapmagazine.ca
An Ounce of
Prevention
Through screening programs, healthy living and
some genetic learning, Albertans are doing their
best to be proactive against cancer
BY COLLEEN BIONDI
ILLUSTRATION BY HEFF OREILLEY
o hedge their bets against developing cancer, Albertans are doing their
due diligence. They are eating well, staying active, avoiding environmental toxins and learning about their genetic vulnerabilities. In addition, many are participating in two effective provincial initiatives screening programs for breast, cervical and colorectal cancers, and the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine campaign.
Albertas provincial breast cancer screening program has been in operation since
2004, says Dr. Huiming Yang, medical director of Alberta Health Services (AHS)
screening programs. It is recommended that women have mammograms every two
years, between the ages of 50 and 74. Regular breast cancer screening finds tumours
early, when they are small and more treatment options are available. As a result, it
is estimated that breast cancer screening can reduce deaths by 20 per cent. Breast
self-examinations are no longer recommended, as they have not proven to be helpful
in reducing breast cancer deaths and can result in unnecessary anxiety for concerned
women and more unnecessary doctors visits and invasive tests. They are not effective, can actually cause harm and should be discontinued, says Yang.
The Alberta cervical cancer screening program was established in 2000, and it is
recommended that women between the ages of 21 and 69 undergo one Pap test every
three years. This screening tool is highly effective in detecting pre-cancerous cells at
very early stages, and can prevent 90 per cent of invasive cervical cancers. Even if you
have been given the HPV vaccine, says Yang, you should still have regular cervical cancer screening, as the vaccine accommodates only four strains of the virus and is not
100 per cent effective in preventing cervical cancer.
Colorectal cancer screening is targeted at people between the ages of 50 and 74.
Since November 2013, a new fecal immunochemical test (FIT) has been recommended for average-risk Albertans. This stool test is done at home (no dietary restrictions are needed) every one to two years, and then brought to the lab for analysis.
For those at high risk of colorectal cancer, a screening colonoscopy is still recommended, with frequency depending on the results each time if pre-cancerous
polyps are discovered and removed, more frequent screening may be recommended.
For people at average risk (which includes most people between the ages of 50 and
74), regular screening with the FIT is as effective as more invasive colonoscopy over
the long term to prevent colorectal cancer deaths, Yang says.
spring 2015
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MORE moments
Despite the benefits these screening tests bring, Albertas participation rate is sary). It is not only associated
still relatively low. From 2012 to 2013, compliance with the breast cancer screening rec- with cervical cancer (in 90 per
ommendation was 57 per cent (the target rate is 70 per cent). There is a 63 per cent par- cent of cases), but also with anal
ticipation rate for cervical screening (the target is 80 per cent) and it is estimated that cancer (in 80 per cent of cases)
only 50 per cent of the target population is following screening recommendations for and with a certain subset of head
and neck cancer related to the tonsils, the back of
colorectal cancer.
Yang says there are a number of reasons these rates are low. For one, many people the throat and the base of the tongue called orophamay not get screened because they feel well and dont understand the importance of ryngeal cancer (in up to 70 per cent of cases). Over
cancer screening. They may live in remote areas or in small, rural towns and not know the last few decades, there has been a remarkable
how to access the tests. They may be put off by the ick factor, and for some people the increase in the diagnosis of anal cancers among young
tests can be uncomfortable to experience. Vulnerable populations (immigrants, First women (the number has doubled in Alberta between
Nations peoples and the economically disadvantaged) may be particularly at risk due 1975 and 2009) and oropharyngeal cancers in young
to language barriers, cultural norms or being overwhelmed with day-to-day duties and men. Research is still ongoing regarding the rationale
responsibilities. People may also be wary of the risks associated with screenings. The for these new increases, but Doll is unfortunately seeing
mammogram, for example, may result in a false positive or negative result, and there is the statistics coming to life in her clinic.
Because there are no screening programs for anal
exposure to low-dose radiation with the X-rays. Still, the risks are small relative to the
cancer or oropharyngeal cancer, by
benefit incurred, says Yang.
the time symptoms present themThere are initiatives being
There are initiatives being developed
selves, they can be locally advanced
developed to bump up the particto bump up the participation rates for
and debilitating, requiring a long
ipation rates for cancer screening
programs in Alberta. To improve
cancer screening programs in Alberta. course of therapies. We have done
with cervical cancer (due to
access to cancer screening, two
To improve access to cancer screening, well
screening protocols), says Doll.
mobile units travel to rural and
two mobile units travel to rural and
But we need to get a better handle
remote communities to provide
services. By bringing screening remote communities to provide services. on anal and oropharyngeal cancers.
They are an increasing clinical conservices closer to home, these
mobile units funded by Alberta Cancer Foundation also provide women with an cern in a relatively young patient group.
The HPV vaccine is not a magic bullet. It only
opportunity to undergo both a Pap test and mammogram during one visit. Centralized
screening clinics located in Calgary and Edmonton provide blitz screening weekends, protects against four of 100 specific strains of the
and even arrange for transportation for people who cannot easily get to the location. To virus strains 6, 11, 16 and 18 but clinical trials have
help inform Albertans about screening programs, interactive risk assessment tools can shown a significant reduction in the development
be found on the program website (www.screeningforlife.ca). In addition to these tools, of pre-invasive lesions for those who have been
a range of print and online materials about the significance of screening are now cus- administered the vaccine. More time will be needed
tomized for specific populations and are translated into six different languages (French, to generate data related to risk reduction for development of specific cancers, but so far the results are
Arabic, Punjabi, Chinese, Vietnamese and Spanish).
But there is still more work to be done to reach the targets. Research into new and promising.
In the meantime, it is critical for people to be
improved cancer screening tests, as well as innovative approaches to support enhanced
access to cancer screening, is ongoing, and AHS screening programs are also looking at alerted to symptoms related to anal and oropharynways to improve wider-system operations so the entire process is smoother and less geal cancers. For example, if you have a prolonged
unwieldy. Some examples of this include encouraging primary health-care physicians sore throat or neck lumps, or pain eliminating or
to speak to their clients about the benefits of screening and recommend regular screen- bloody stools, see your doctor. With early detection,
ings, being able to book appointments quickly and easily and getting in touch with peo- effective treatment (surgery or radiation and chemople whose results are abnormal in a speedy fashion. Researchers are also exploring the therapy) is possible and can be curative.
Research related to HPV will continue. We are
viability of developing screening programs on other cancer fronts. For example, a pilot
program in Alberta, funded by the Alberta Cancer Foundation, is currently testing a looking at whether HPV-related cancers should be
group of high-risk people for lung cancer. The evidence suggests targeted lung cancer treated differently, says Doll. They hope to explore
the incidence of certain HPV sub-types, what their
screening could reduce deaths by 20 per cent.
Getting more people to benefit from these programs is an important project, accord- molecular differences are and how they respond differently to treatment.
ing to Yang. Quite simply, cancer screening saves lives, he says.
There is much potential with cancer screening and
So will the HPV vaccine, says Dr. Corinne Doll, a Calgary-based radiation oncologist. Gardasil, which is being offered to girls and boys in Grade 5 in Alberta (with a vaccination. In some cases, increased compliance
catch-up opportunity in Grade 9), has been a huge victory in the movement to erad- means preventing cancer completely. In others, it
icate HPV-associated cancers. If one is already exposed to the virus (prevalence is means finding it early and offering more choices and
estimated to be about 70 per cent among young adults, although the virus frequent- less intervention regarding treatment. In most cases,
ly clears itself within one or two years), the vaccine is not effective, so it is import- it means increased quality of life and more treasured
ant to vaccinate early on. At the campaigns outset, the participation rate was fairly moments for individuals to seek and to cherish.
And thats a goal worth pursuing, say Yang and
low, but recent data in the Calgary public school system reports uptake of 70 per cent.
Doll, who remain optimistic about reducing mortalHPV is the most common sexually transmitted disease in the world, and is ity rates associated with cancer. We have impressive
typically contracted through skin-to-skin genital contact (intercourse is not neces- data so far, says Doll. It is a very satisfying time.
24
spring 2015
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MORE moments
26
spring 2015
myleapmagazine.ca
New study gives terminal patients

time, and helps those with cancer
make the most of it
BY CORY SCHACHTEL
ILLUSTRATION BY RAYMOND REID
To some degree, cancer is an anomaly among medical ailments. No one

likes hearing their health is declining for any reason, but receiving a cancer diagnosis hits with extra heaviness, especially since age and lifestyle are largely irrelevant.
A healthy and happy middle-aged parent with growing children can be just as easily
afflicted as a senior with other health issues. Cancer doesnt care. Theres a reason
people call it the C-word.
Within the world of cancers, a brain tumour stands further apart from the rest.
Given that we hardly know how our most complex organ even works, curing something as fast-acting and indiscriminate as glioblastoma is something for a future
generation to achieve. For now, treating patients, giving them as much time as
possible and helping them make the most of it, is the focus. Thanks to the Cross
Cancer Institute in Edmonton and its sister site, the Tom Baker Cancer Centre in
Calgary, patients with malignant brain tumours are now living longer and better
than ever before.
Dr. Samir Patel is a radiation oncologist at the Cross Cancer Institute, and the
principal investigator on a study looking to lessen the length of time during which
patients receive post-surgery radiation treatments, literally giving them more
time free of radiation side-effects. Normally patients come in and have surgery,
followed by six weeks of radiation and chemo, Patel says.
spring 2015
27
MORE moments
And these patients are only expected to live a median remaining. It boils down to priorities, Pelletier says. I advise people to recognize their
length of time of 14.6 months. The goal is to shorten the main support people friends, family, their spouses and children and to focus on those
radiation duration to four weeks, and improve their com- relationships. If you want to make the best of the moment, it behooves you to get closer
fort and convenience, he adds.
to the people you love.
Based on similar studies that found condensed
Of course, relationships arent easy. Fences need mending, roles need re-evaluating
radiation treatments are tolerable for otherwise healthy and, with the help of someone like Pelletier, conflicts need resolving. We hear of
people, Patels team has, since September 2014, ap- cases where cancer brings people together, but the scientific literature says, and
proached all new patients
Ive observed clinically, that its because
diagnosed with glio- We hear of cases where cancer brings the fundamentals of the relationships were
blastoma (between 18
already set. If theres a fracture point, you can
and 70 years old) about people together, but the scientific liter- guarantee cancer will make it wider.
taking part. Those who ature says, and Ive observed clinically,
Then there are the children who must deal
enrol will provide data
with
their mother or father being sick. The
that its because the fundamentals of
that could determine
worst thing, Pelletier says, is to lie or prethe relationships were already set,
future radiation practend nothing is wrong, especially with a brain
tices. A landmark study says clinical psychologist Guy Pelletier. tumour. It becomes very obvious to the child
out of the University
that mom or dad is not well, so lying is a waste of
of Toronto similarly randomized breast cancer patients time, he says. We say very clearly that its not their job to make mom or dad better, its
between three-and-a-half and five weeks of therapy. The the doctors job. Once thats established, it becomes: how do we maintain the structure?
results proved equivalent, and the shortened sched- Ensuring kids are going to school, maintaining friendships, eating properly and doing
ule is now standard. Two weeks may not seem like their chores the continuation of stable parenting, to the extent its possible, is the best
much, Patel says, but an extra half-month free of way to help a child cope, he says. Routine is very important to all people, but particularly
chemotherapy, when you only have 14 months, means a lot. to children.
Whats clear is that cancer is not just a physical affliction. The mental and
The qualitative aspect of those moments is where
Dr. Guy Pelletier, clinical psychologist at the Tom Baker emotional aspects seem, at times, the worse pain, one most of us are lucky to not have to
Cancer Centre, comes in. His main clinical assignment for feel, until we do. And its not just the patients, Patel says. Its the spousal caregivers, who
the past 23 years has been to patients with brain tumours, dedicate themselves despite all the exhausting demands, and the children of any
and while success stories of multi-year survivals exist, the age who show a great deal of courage. Ive seen a lot of good people die in 23 years. Thats
harsh reality remains that glioblastoma is eventually ter- the reality and I knew that when I started. But to help these people at the end of life has
minal. That doesnt mean his patients lives are over, but it been an honour for me. I see it as a privilege. Ive learned what it means to be human,
does force them to look at how they want to live the time and to live a life.
28
spring 2015
myleapmagazine.ca
Corporate Giving working for a cause
SHAKE IT UP
BY MARTIN DOVER
Glow Juicery ups its game for this years

Bust a Move for Breast Health campaign
When Marnie Ashcroft first set foot in the

Edmonton EXPO Centre at Northlands during the 2014
IN THE MIX: Marnie Ashcrofts
Glow Juicery helps BaM participants
Bust a Move for Breast Health fundraiser, she was blown
re-hydrate during the event.
away with what she saw. Ashcroft, the founder of a chain
of juice bars located across Edmonton (and one soon to
open in Kelowna, B.C.), says she was inspired by the levels of engagement Bust a Move attracts from corporate
sponsors and individuals. Its a really amazing awareness
opportunity, and its something that we want to be a part
of, she says. Its in alignment with many parts of the
Glow vision and values.
This year, she knew that she wanted to up Glows participation level in the event. The company has registered
a team of 16 participants, and they hope to raise between
$16,000 and $20,000 in donations for the event. Theyll
also be working with various instructors and vendors to
provide juice and support, during the fundraiser.
Glow Juicery offers a variety of juicing options for clients that want everything from a quick pick-me-up to
a full juice cleanse experience. There are three levels of
juice cleanses offered through the business, from a beginners pack to a regular monthly option that delivers juicing options to a customers front door. The company was
founded in 2012 under the auspices of food is medicine.
Ashcroft was inspired by Kris Carr, an American author
and wellness activist who made a documentary called
Crazy Sexy Cancer after being diagnosed with stage four
liver cancer in in 2003, at the age of 31. Karr has gone on
to write various books about her cancer experience, and is
an advocate for clean eating and a healthy diet.
I thought, if juice
they have felt a real impact on their life. There
could have that imI thought, if juice could have that impact saying
are moments when Im brought to tears, it keeps me
pact on someone in a
on someone in a critical care situation, going and really excited, says Ashcroft.
critical care situation,
In 2014, Glow Juicery was a vendor at Bust a Move,
what could it do for
what could it do for the average person?
and they donated juice to all the volunteers at the
the average person?
says Marnie Ashcroft. I want people to day-long event. But Ashcroft made a note that for
says Ashcroft. I want
think of it as a tool in a tool kit.
this year, she wanted to show up, in a big way. Part
people to think of it as
of what support looks like is getting people excited
a tool in a tool kit.
When she started the company, Ashcrofts goal was about it beforehand, through marketing and social media engagement and attending
to,shake up the food landscape a bit and create a way for the different events leading up to it, she says. Im one of those people who just wants
people to connect with raw nutrition. The response has everyone to come and party, and we do everything we can to share our excitement about
been incredible. Glow Juicery now has locations across that. She says the company feels a strong tie the fundraiser because of its overall focus
Alberta and has partnered with 13 other businesses which and spirit. Its fitness-focused. We believe that a combination of nutrition and fitness
sell their juice in-house. We have people coming in and are critical to health.
spring 2015
29
FACE TIME: Drs. Martin Osswald, left,

and Hadi Sekaly are both behind two new
research projects which seek to improve
the quality of life for patients with head
and neck cancers.
30
spring 2015
myleapmagazine.ca
Role
REVERSAL
Doctor turned his own diagnosis into a $3-million endowment
for head and neck cancer research
BY MICHAEL HINGSTON
PHOTO BY BUFFY GOODMAN
very cancer diagnosis comes as something of a shock. But when Interfacial Biomechanics Research Program have been
Dr. Murray Mickleborough received his, in 2010, it came with an added announced. Each will receive a total of $150,000 for
layer of surprise: Mickleborough, a long-time maxillofacial surgeon, had a two-year period of research. The first, led by
cancer in his throat, one of the very same areas in which he specialized. Dr. Martin Osswald, is a ground-breaking bench study
that will help scientists generate a specific type of nasal
Suddenly, the doctor had become the patient.
As Mickleboroughs cancer spread to his mandible, he decided he wanted to give back cartilage that frequently needs to be removed following
to one of the institutions that had been instrumental in treating him. But even execu- cancer treatment.
In order to reconstruct a nose, the cartilage must be
tives at the Institute for Reconstructive Sciences in Medicine (iRSM) in Edmonton were
staggered by what Mickleborough had in mind: a $1-million donation that would help harvested from elsewhere in the body of that patient,
find ways to improve quality-of-life outcomes for patients battling head and neck cancer. says Osswald, a maxillofacial prosthodontist and assistant
He was enamoured with the work they were doing [at iRSM], says Ross Porter, professor in the U of As department of surgery. Thats
Mickleboroughs son-in-law, and he felt that some additional resources could take an extra surgical procedure. You basically have to remove
things to the next level. That next level became even more reachable thanks to a tissue from another part of the body, risking many associated complications, he
matching $1-million donation from the Alberta Cancer
says. We got to thinking:
Foundation, and an additional $500,000 gift from the
We got to thinking: if we could
we could generate this
Caritas Hospital Foundation. In all, some $3 million was
generate this cartilage without having ifcartilage
without having
gathered to fulfill the goal that Mickleborough (who
to access these other sites, wed really to access these other sites,
passed away in June of 2011) had envisioned.
wed really be helping our
The question remained, however: what was the best
be helping our patients get back
patients get back to normal
way to go forward? Originally, the plan was to create a
to normal much quicker, says
much quicker.
dedicated research chair position, in Mickleboroughs
Dr. Martin Osswald.
Osswald and his team
name, at the faculty of engineering at the University of
(including
co-investigaAlberta, which would then work in tandem with iRSM.
But, Porter says, recruiting for such a position takes time, and when the hiring com- tors Dr. Adetola Adesida and Dr. Kal Ansari, and their
mittee wasnt able to find a suitable candidate in their initial search, they decided to collaborator Dr. Nils Petersen) hope to instead grow
this cartilage in the lab, using the patients existing
change course.
Instead, what they decided on was a project-based collaboration. Researchers from stem cells as well as special scaffolding that has been
across the U of A were invited to submit proposals that had the potential to substan- 3D printed for the occasion. In addition to saving patially impact treatment for patients with defects of the head and neck, as a result of tients another surgery, Osswald says that this way,
cancer, in any of five different areas. A special emphasis was placed on improving pa- the tissue can be precisely customized ahead of time
according to the individual patients needs. Thats
tients overall quality of life.
Now, the first two projects to be funded by the Dr. Murray E. Mickleborough especially important when dealing with an area as
spring 2015
31
32
spring 2015
myleapmagazine.ca
PHOTO COURTESY iRSM
sensitive and as visible to the public as a persons

nose. Theyre particularly vulnerable, these patients,
Osswald says. Cancers of the head and neck are very obvious. You cant hide them.
The ultimate goal with the Mickleborough funding
will be to determine whether this process can be done
on a mass scale in other words, whether every head
and neck cancer patient in Alberta can one day have a
replacement custom made without having to go back
under the knife.
Another faculty member at the U of As departments
of surgery and oncology, Dr. Hadi Seikaly, has heard similar concerns about quality of life from his patients who
struggle with head and neck cancer. While the focus is
always initially on survival, eventually, he says, Patients
start asking, Well, what am I going to look like? How am
I going to function? Am I going to be able to go out for
dinner with my family? Function has become extremely
important in these situations.
The problem, says Seikaly, who is a professor of surgery and the divisional director and zone section head
for otolaryngology head and neck surgery, is a lack of
data from which to make reliable predictions about a
patients outcome after treatment. Thats why, in 2008,
he helped found the Head and Neck Research Network
(HNRN), an international collaboration between three
ON THE NOSE: To reconstruct a nose, cartilage
centres: the iRSM in Edmonton, where the network is
currently has to be harvested from elsewhere in a
patients body, but researchers are hoping to change that.
headquartered, the Beth Israel Medical Centre in New
York City and Finlands University of Turku. Together,
these centres created a shared database that allows doctors to better track the outcomes from various methods will be made. Edmonton has been, historically, very strong in functional outcomes,
of treatment, which in turn gives patients the ability to Seikaly says. We have a strong research base.
Credentials aside, Seikaly has an added personal connection to the Mickleborough
choose between them with more certainty.
After several years of important research, how- program: he knew him briefly, when Seikaly was a resident years ago, and he later
ever, funding for the network ran out until, that is, became Mickleboroughs surgeon when he was receiving treatment for his cancer.
the Mickleborough research program came along. Mickleboroughs passion has always been about how to make people function betIts given us a new lease on life, Seikaly says. The ter and feel better, Seikaly says. Talking to him before he passed away, I think this
funding will help us establish and solidify an inter- is exactly what he wanted the money to be used for. In the interest of full disclosure,
national network for functional outcomes, and an Porter points out that the committee that chose the successful research projects only
learned that Seikaly and Mickleborough knew one aninternational
resource
other after the adjudication process was complete.
for information, both for
[Mickleboroughs] passion has
For Porter and the rest of the Mickleborough family,
patients and doctors.
always been about how to make
any progress is good news. After nearly four years of unOne recently completed
study, for instance, looked people function better and feel better. certainty about whether (and how) the money would be
at functional outcomes Talking to him before he passed away, invested, theyre thrilled about the possibilities of what
first round of research turns up both for the scienfor patients who have
I think this is exactly what he wanted this
tific benefits, and for fulfilling the memory and spirit of
had parts of their tongues
the money to be used for,
Porters father-in-law. Murray was about making things
removed as part of treathappen, in his professional life and his personal life,
ment for cancer. Another,
says Dr. Hadi Seikaly.
says Porter. Were really excited that stuff is happening,
which is ongoing, looks at
the overall costs for different types of treatment. And and that theres an opportunity to make an impact in patients lives through the rea third is designed to improve the way that physicians search that Drs. Seikaly and Osswald will be undertaking.
As for the future of the Mickleborough research program, it remains secure, thanks
measure outcomes in the first place. Taken together, the
HNRN has the potential to make significant improve- to that $3-million endowment. Its exact shape, however, is still to be determined. Depending on what happens over the next two years, Porter says the committee may dements for doctors and patients alike.
Despite the international stature of the network, Sei- cide to put out another call for research proposals, or they may reconsider a permakaly is quick to add that the funding it receives from the nent chair position.
Either way, the goal remains to honour Mickleboroughs vision. [Murray] had a
Mickleborough program will largely remain in Alberta.
HNRN plans to hire its new coordinator position here, strong bias for action, he was innovative and creative, and I think he would celebrate
and because the research network is based out of Ed- doing something that is not typical, Porter says. In the end, its all about trying to
monton and iRSM, thats where all funding decisions accelerate results, and make things happen, and figuring out the best way to do that.
SAFE AND SOUND

W
Common sense is often
not-so-common when
it comes to preventable
accidents around
the house
BY SHELLEY WILLIAMSON
eve all heard the age-old saying that there are no

such things as accidents. In a bid to see if the adage is true,
Leap sat down with an Edmonton ER doctor and a Calgary
EMS spokesman to learn about the preventable circumstances
that land people in their care, especially during winter and spring months.
A slippery slope: Most of the injuries we see in and around the home in
the winter are slips and falls, says Dr. Darren Nichols, an emergency room
physician at the University of Alberta Hospital and associate professor at the
U of A. Especially if theres freezing rain, dont underestimate it. We had 21
people with broken wrists in emergency in the evening two weeks ago when
we had freezing rain and that was just in one hospital.
Nichols says when the mercury plunges, avoidable slips and falls are most
prevalent among an age group old enough to know better: seniors. If you
are older and have the possibility for some thin bones, remember the real basic stuff like watch for the new skiff of snow on top of the old stuff. We see
a lot of people going out to clear their walk, or to salt or sand it, who end up
going down.
spring 2015
33
Calgary is heels, Brideaux says. People in high

heels end up falling and breaking an ankle, and the
consequences can last weeks or months. An injury
like that can impact your job, your ability to drive
and your ability to care for your family, he says. Avoid
the problem: wear your winter boots and change into
heels once youre inside.
Dont cut corners: Any time equipment with
moving parts is introduced, like snow blowers
or lawn mowers, the potential for danger spikes,
Brideaux says. It just takes an ill-fated moment
to lose a limb or life. We attended a call where a
man got one of his hands caught in the flywheel of a
snowmobile, and it almost cost him three fingers on
his hand because he was trying to free the hopper
without stopping the machine. In that split second,
for literally nothing other than clearing snow, this
man almost lost three fingers.
He advises making safe the equipment first, before any maintenance or manipulation of parts. Just
stop for a second and decide how badly you need to
do that limb-threatening or ending activity.
Dont try this at home: Ladders present some of the most dangerous
circumstances, especially when using one alone or on a snowy or wet surface.
Nichols sees people in the emergency room whove been doing maintenance
around the house and using ladders incorrectly. We see people whove been on
a ladder putting up or taking down the Christmas lights, he says. Theyre doing
it the same way they would in the summer, where they assume that the ground is
grippy, and they dont bother to have someone with them. They assume that the
ladder steps are not slippery. Regardless of the season, he says, the common
sense thing would be to have someone out there with you.
Stuart Brideaux, public education officer with Calgary EMS, agrees with Nichols. His team sees home maintenance injuries, and he says your house is not
worth your health. There was a snowfall a man was attempting to push snow
off the roof. He sustained high-fall injuries, resulting in fractures and head injuries, Brideaux says. Its not that he was being purposely unsafe, but perhaps he
might have planned it better. Property can be expensive to maintain, but when
youre working with your own life and body, the risk becomes severe.
Nichols advises asking yourself stop-and-check questions, such as Would I do
this on a jobsite? Does that seem safe? What safety equipment would a contractor
use? He says that its not just the rank amateur at risk. A contractor we saw last
week fell off the roof, and I asked him if he had his safety gear on. He said, Well, I
was working on my own place. At work I wouldnt have done that.
(Dont) put your back into it: With snow comes the never-ending need to
shovel walks, steps and driveways. Throw in some overnight freezing rain and
the injuries mount. While Nichols doesnt see loads of people in the ER whove
thrown their backs out shovelling, it does happen. The common sense advice
around back health is to lift with your legs and not your back, says Nichols.
Theres probably some evidence for ergonomic shovels, he says, but the worst
thing for the back is the bend and twist. The same is true for lifting the kid out of
the back seat, pulling groceries out of the car, or heaving the snow.
Not-so-fancy footwork: Unless you want the trouble of an ambulance ride,
Brideaux suggests dressing for success this winter, starting with proper shoes.
One of the things that people arent careful about and I see this in downtown
34
spring 2015
Weights and balance: The New Year brings wellintended resolutions to embrace exercise. Its a great
idea, but take it slow, Nichols advises. Start gently.
If youve put on weight, or those muscles havent
been used a lot, and you go put a whole lot of stress
against a knee for example it will hurt. Instead of
The common sense advice around

back health and heavy lifting is just
lift with your legs and not your back,
says Dr. Darren Nichols.
launching from being sedentary into a heavy game
of squash or a double black diamond run on the ski
hill, Nichols advises starting with just a half-hour of
easy exercise a day. It will help you build a routine,
and you can increase the duration or intensity by
increments from there. The prescription for health
is to get moving, and the dose is about 30 minutes a
day. Dont overdo it, but you need to keep active and
fit, he says. Its much more dangerous to sit on your
butt than it is to be active.
Crash course in driving: Driving is probably the
most dangerous thing youll do today. Injuries and
accidents also go way up when the weather changes,
says Brideaux. He advises considering how important
a trip is before heading out on winter roads.
Nichols agrees. If you are unsure about your own
driving due to the weather, you might even consider
having someone else drive you, Nichols says. There
are driving services if you are older, like Driving Miss
Daisy in Edmonton or others that will get you to your
medical appointments. Cabs are expensive, but there
are other services available.
myleapmagazine.ca
ALL
ABOARD
New rowing classes can help you stroke
( stroke ... stroke ...) towards better fitness
BY LYNDSIE BOURGON
spring 2015
35
ou may have noticed that old rowing machine in the corner of

your gym. There are never many, and often they are covered in dust. But
in recent years, new technology and a committed group of rowing evangelists have brought rowing workouts to the brink of comeback. Now, there
are updated rowing machines hitting the market, and soon you may just have to fight
other gym patrons for a turn.
Everyone gets on the rowing machine at the gym,

but they often dont know if theyre doing it correctly,
and classes can help them learn how to do that,
says Kat Storwick, instructor at BodyRock Fitness.
Or you could sign-up to start rowing as part of a fitness class. When Jane Tallick
opened her BodyRock Fitness gym in Calgarys Bridgeland neighbourhood, she
found herself in limbo, waiting for her coveted spin class equipment to arrive. But
what she could get her hands on right away were rowing machines. So I thought,
how about a full-on rowing class? she asks. I looked into it, and found out there
were studios that were doing that, and it was working well.
Tallicks gym is now home to the only certified rowing class instructors (there are
six Indoor Rowing Concept 2 instructors at BodyRock) in the province. The classes
that they teach at BodyRock are attended by dozens of people, all packed in for an
hours worth of time on the rowing machine and floor exercises.
Just because rowing might turn your thoughts immediately to water doesnt mean
you cant row from your home on the Prairies. There are slight differences though,
between rowing in a class and rowing on a lake. For one, rowing on water is typically
36
spring 2015
done over a much shorter time period rowers on the

water work very hard for less than two minutes. There
is some technique thats different on the machine,
like with the handles, adds Tallick. But those are
little things.
With rowing, your body gets both an aerobic and anaerobic workout. The other great thing is you actually
work every major muscle group in the body, says Tallick. Throw in some push-ups and its a whole-body
workout. Its a highly-effective workout, and she says
her clients have embraced the burn. They were hesitant at first, Tallick notes, but I have some hardcore
serious rowers now. Rowers at the gym are given a
journal to record their workouts and to keep track
of the rowing machines performance monitor, so
they can track and improve their stroke rate, distance
and progress. When you are a rower, you are only
competing against yourself. The computer on the
machine will let you know how many calories youre
burning, as well.
Kat Storwick is one of the instructors at BodyRock.
Storwick first began rowing when she went to university in Washington State. She rowed with a team for two
years, on boats that could seat about eight rowers, and
in 2009 she competed at the Canada Summer Games,
in the Womans Eight Competition. But after an injury,
she was forced to take a break. I really wanted to get
myleapmagazine.ca
Row YouR Boat

If youre looking to give rowing a shot, there are
a few gyms in Alberta offering classes and training regimens for you to try:
Tallicks Calgary-based FitRepublic is located
at 989 McPherson Road, NE.
Contact them at 403-991-6468, and check
out the schedule online at fitrepublic.ca
MetaFitness, located at 46 Boulder Blvd.
in Stony Plain, offers an indoor rowing class.
Contact them at 780-915-6132 or
meta-fitness.com
Offering a variety of training programs,
Edmontons FarmStrong Athletics has
offered rowing fitness regimes. For more
information, visit farmstrong.ca
back into it in Calgary, and there wasnt really anyone doing anything with it, she
says. She began teaching rowing classes on the water at the Glenbow Reservoir, and
then a friend put her in touch with Tallick. She has been teaching at BodyRock since
last September. I love it, she says. The whole point is to get participants energized and excited about rowing.
Storwick has been developing classes to music, to guide the rowing, like a spin
class. Its harder to find music with appropriate beats, but were trying to get some
good playlists in, she says. Right now, Storwicks classes include a rowing warm-up,
some time off the machine doing other exercises (squats, lunges, kettle ball workouts and push-ups) and then hopping back on the rowing machine. When participants are back on the rowing machine, for 500- and 1,000-metre sprints, they work
all-out. She has also led classes structured more intensely 40 minutes straight
spent on the rowing machine, then 15 focusing on core or strength workouts. Sometimes, BodyRock will combine its rowing classes with a TRX class. There is some
technique involved, says Tallick. Its not as hard as people think, but also really
hard at the same time. Storwicks classes usually include around eight participants,
but everyone works at their own pace. At times they have

arranged classes for 16 or more people and two instructors. It keeps a good energy going, she says.
Storwick thinks the public interest in rowing will
increase throughout 2015 and 2016. Its fun, its not
a treadmill, she says. Everyone gets on the rowing
machine at the gym, but they often dont know if theyre
doing it correctly, and classes can help them learn how
to do that.
In fitness circles, some have said the rise of the rowing
machine would be a death knell for the spinning class;
that rowing is the newest fad exercise and that classes
will be full. And while it doesnt look that way yet, Tallick thinks that what draws participants is the desire to
try something new. Dont be afraid of it, she says. Just
about anybody can do it and get results quickly.
ROWING MOVEMENT
The Catch
The Drive (part 1)
The Drive (part 2)
The Finish
spring 2015
37
Why I Donate stories of giving
ZUMBA OR BUST
Personal trainer Ike Henry gives back
to breast cancer research the best way
he knows in sweat
BY SAMUS SMYTH
he rush of competition, the feeling of sweat

dripping off his forehead and the surge of every muscle pulsating towards a common goal
is how Ike Henry connects to who he is
and what he stands for.
Since he was in high school, Henry, a personal trainer
and sports massage therapist, has engaged in as many
physical activities as possible. Whether it was cricket,
rugby, long-distance running, volleyball or dance, Henry
yearned for the natural rush of endorphins that only exercise can deliver. To this day, the thought of being physically active remains an irresistible pull.
Henry, originally from Kent, England, will play a major role in the Bust a Move for Breast Health fundraiser
this March, as he returns to reprise his popular Zumba
sessions. Bust a Move is fundraising to help fast-track innovative research ideas and projects from the laboratory
directly to the health-care system.
Henrys work is based out of Any Body Fitness, where
he encourages people of all ages to find ways to remain
active in their everyday lives. He notes that physical
activity is in decline, and that society has opted for the
quick fix option rather than pursuing a difficult but enriching fitness objective. For him, too many men and
women use age as an excuse to no longer push themselves to new fitness levels a justification that he is tired
of hearing.
It is important that people know and understand that
the body is like a machine. If you dont keep it in shape
at all times, then trouble begins, he says. Every year
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spring 2015
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spring 2015
39
PHOTOS COURTESY ALBERTA CANCER FOUNDATION
Why I Donate stories of giving
Recently, Henry became certified to train cancer papeople add a limit to what they can do, instead of saying I can do more because I have
tients and survivors by completing a six-month course
been taking care of myself to this moment.
Henry is all for progression. He encourages clients and class participants to push and grueling three-hour exam. He was drawn to helpthemselves and see what the body is capable of doing, making him an ideal instructor for ing cancer patients because of the immense toll disease
takes on a person, not just
the BaM initiative.
Bust a Move originally began in Halifax, but
It is important that people know physically, but emotionally as
the annual fundraiser now travels across Canaand understand that the body is like well.
Henry has taken it upon
da and even dips into Australia It was first held
a machine. If you dont keep it in
himself to persuade those
in Edmonton in 2012, when Henry was asked
with cancer that physical acto deliver the opening session before the guest
shape at all times, then trouble
tivity is vital to their survival.
presenter of the weekend, the iconic Richard
begins, says personal trainer and Staying active will improve
Simmons. Although he admits he felt nervous
to open the event before one of the pioneers of
BaM Zumba instructor Ike Henry. their chances of surviving.
And creating new blood cells,
the fitness movement, Henry took on the challenge with the tenacity that has made him the successful instructor he is today, and the or making the blood cells stronger, helps fight cancer,
he explains.
experience made him even more motivated to help with the BaM campaign.
He says many people begin to shy away from exercise
The event is six hours long, and participants need not prepare before taking it on as
three levels of participation are presented. Henry recommends BaM participants pace during chemotherapy because their strength begins to
themselves, but he assures that, with mini-entertainment slated for in between work- drastically decline. This is where I come in to provide
that motivation and that physical component to keep
outs and refreshment stands everywhere, its six hours that are sure to be unforgettable.
Zumba is a fitness program that fuses Latin dance with aerobics, creating a dance- them going, he says.
Its all unchartered territory, but Henry is interested
heavy workout. Becoming a Zumba instructor was never a planned career move for Henin exploring it. Jumping jacks and push-ups are great
ry, but his enthusiasm and enlightened mind fit well with the course.
He spent 15 years dancing ballet before slowly made the transition to the Zumba move- options for people with a clean bill of health, but what
ment. I became involved with Zumba because I wanted to add a little bit more repertoire about those with severe spinal injuries or crippling arto my fitness ability, he says. He was also enticed by the freedom and height that one thritis? Henry says too many people are sent to a doctor
can reach in this athletic dance. We do 150 squats in one session participants are having only to find that there are limited ways for them to fulfill
their urge to sufficiently exercise.
fun and giggling, and they dont realize that they are working out, he explains.
Its about making progress and having goals and
Henry relishes the post-workout atmosphere in the studio, when many participants
believe that anything is possible if they push themselves hard enough. Not knowing creating an understanding that we can assist those who
what you just did can elevate your spirit and take your body to a new stage and your are suffering from specific diseases and injuries in their
lives, he says.
mind is just continually active and getting stronger as well, he says.
40
spring 2015
myleapmagazine.ca
Bust Out YOur Gear

This years Alberta Cancer Foundation
Bust a Move for Breast Health is slated for
March 21 at the Edmonton EXPO Centre, and
theres still time to grab your runners, call a
few bosom besties and join in. The six-hour
fitness extravaganza will see participants
sweat it out with pros like Ike Henry, the
Blitz Conditioning team, Carrie Robinson,
Philip Ndugga, Joe Lomnicki, Megan Clark,
and wind down with some meditation with
Sheena Mason. All required equipment, such
as yoga mats, are provided!
BaMers must raise $1,000 to participate
in the 8 a.m. through 3:30 p.m. event,
with all proceeds going to research and
clinical trials the Cross Cancer Institute.
Bust a Move for Breast Health started in
Halifax, Nova Scotia in 2010 and has since
spread to seven other participating cities.
For more information about how to
participate in the Edmonton iteration, with
all proceeds going to the Clinical Trials Unit
at the Cross Cancer Institute.
Visit albertacancer.ca/bamedmonton2015
JUNE 27 2015
SPRINT TRIATHLON
AND DUATHLON
Get inspired. Register now.
albertacancer.ca/joesteam
Top Job
MULTI-TASKER: Nurse Lisa Bailey has 20 years of experience

in the palliative care field, and says she has learned to prioritize
her patients needs and always be on her toes.
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spring 2015
myleapmagazine.ca
Palliative
CARING
This Red Deer Regional nurse views her

instrumental role in patients end-of-life
care to be a privilege
BY JACQUELINE LOUIE
/ PHOTOGRAPHY BY COOPER AND OHARA
isa Bailey is absolutely passionate about her

work in palliative care, nursing and education. A registered nurse specializing in oncology and palliative care at
Red Deer Regional Hospital, Baileys job is to help guide
patients and their families through a challenging time. It is such
a difficult time, and to have that opportunity to connect with them
and care for their loved one is probably the best part of it, she
says. It is a privilege to be in their lives at this time.
For nearly a decade, Bailey has worked as a staff nurse at the Red
Deer Regional, which has 20 oncology beds and 10 palliative care
beds on Unit 32, the oncology palliative care unit. In addition to
her regular nursing duties, she is also a unit coach, helping with
staff education and orientation.
A typical day for Bailey looks like this: Nurses are a part of the
multi-disciplinary palliative care team, which is made up of physicians, nurses, pharmacists, social workers, recreation therapists,
occupational therapists, physiotherapists, a dietitian and a chaplain. She works a combination of day and evening shifts as part of
the nursing team, which is the link between the multi-disciplinary
team the patient and their family, she says. Each shift encompasses
all aspects of patient and family care including assessments, care
implementation and measuring a patients psycho-social, physical
and spiritual needs.
spring 2015
43
Top Job
CONNECTED: Lisa Bailey, who is certified in

hospice palliative care nursing, keeps motivated
through the connections she makes with her
patients and their families.
During her shifts, Bailey receives a report on the patients she

She says there are many things to consider when implementing
will be looking after and starts on her rounds, going into each room palliative care. We take into account our assessment, lab values,
and introducing herself to the patients. She conducts assessments diagnostic exams and all of the other disciplines assessments and
of each patient and determines whether there is anything urgent opinions. We ensure the doctors are up to date with any events or
to deal with, then looks at the medications she needs to adminis- changes that occur when they are not there, and we also ensure
ter. She is there to care for a patients various needs, handling ev- that the doctors orders are checked and implemented.
erything from administering medications, to changing dressings,
Bailey, 42, has been a nurse for the past 20 years and has worked in
palliative care since the start of
drawing or transfusing blood, washing
up and helping them eat whatever
Palliative care has lots of components. her career. After graduating from
each patient requires.
Its a very complicated part of medicine the Foothills Hospital nursing
Bailey says a key aspect of her work
program in 1994 she worked on
is always being on her toes. The day is and has so many opportunities for growth the acute spinal cord injury unit
and learning, says Lisa Bailey.
at the Vancouver General Hosever-changing and you must be flexible
and able to prioritize what needs to be
pital, while also holding down a
done now, and what can wait until later, she says. It is very in- second job doing palliative home care. It was amazing to be there,
volved and can change very quickly.
not only for the patients, but also for the families, she says. It absoAnd if a patient needs to talk about something, shes there to lis- lutely embodies what nursing is all about.
ten. Often, its not just physical pain it can be psychological or
She praises educational opportunities that are available to palspiritual pain as well, she says. The key to good end-of-life care liative care workers. Palliative care has lots of components. Its a
and nursing is communication and collaboration, she says. We very complicated part of medicine and has so many opportunities
are responsible for providing patient-centred care, which involves for growth and learning, she says, noting that networking with
so many different aspects, but it all revolves around our ongoing other people who are equally passionate about palliative care is reassessments of the patient and their family.
warding in itself.
44
spring 2015
myleapmagazine.ca
In 2012, she took a sabbatical to enhance her education in the When that happens, there are feelings that maybe we could have
field, enrolling in the MacEwan University certificate program in done better, she says. But what keeps her motivated is the connechospice palliative care. In 2013, Bailey became certified in hospice tion she feels with her patients and their families. She values being
palliative care nursing through the Canadian Nurses Association. present for this time in their lives, and providing patients what they
And in 2013 she received the Dr. Solomon Levin Memorial Award, need in terms of holistic care. Just the idea you can make it a little
which promotes palliative care
bit better for the patient and family is
We dont like to see anyone die alone,
professional education, knowlquite incredible, she says.
A huge part of her job revolves
edge and skills for Alberta Health
so if there isnt someone there with them
around patient education. We do
Services employees working in
and death is imminent, then we will take
lots of teaching about their diagnosis
cancer care.
that
time and try and be there when they and symptoms. We are always keepThe award was established
in 2007 by the Alberta Cancer
ing patients informed of what is going
are dying.
Foundation, in partnership with
on, she says. Often theyve got lots
the Department of Symptom Control and Palliative Care at the of questions about dying, and what dying is going to look like. We are
Cross Cancer Institute in memory of Dr. Solomon Levin. The ini- available to the family and patient, and if they do want us there at the
tial fund was created through the generosity of Dianne and Irving end we are there with them. We dont like to see anyone die alone, so
Kipnes, in support of the award as well as additional funds received if there isnt someone there with them and death is imminent, then
in memory of Dr. Levin. The award is managed by the Alberta Can- we will take that time and try and be there when they are dying.
Afterward, she focuses her care on family members: sometimes
cer Foundation and Alberta Health Services CancerControl Alberta. Bailey used the award to attend a week-long course, Psychoso- sitting with them, and at other times listening as they talk about
cial Care of the Dying and Bereaved, held by the Victoria Hospice in their loved one. Even years afterward, shell run into families who
Victoria, B.C. It was amazing, she says. It covered so much ma- will thank her and tell her they couldnt have gone through the exterial. Meeting other people at the conference was really incredible perience without her.
as well, and hearing their stories and networking.
Bailey, who expects shell continue working in palliative care for
The most challenging part of Baileys job is when a patients the rest of her nursing career, is planning to earn a masters degree
symptoms at the end of his or her life are difficult to control. in nursing and become a nurse practitioner in palliative care.
spring 2015
45
Research Rockstar
Expect the Une

Dr. Quincy Chu is committed to finding
new drugs that help fight cancer
BY JEN JANZEN
PHOTOS BY CONSTANTINE TANASIUK
hen bringing in a new drug for clinical testing, Dr. Quincy

Chu says theres one overriding rule: expect the unexpected.
Sometimes the unexpected is very severe side effects, he
says, listing nausea and fatigue as two common reactions. But he adds that,
every once in a while, the unexpected result is discovering that a new drug
causes the patients tumour to shrink dramatically. You have to approach
it with an open mind.
Chu is an investigator with the Cross Cancer Institutes New Drug Development Program,
which compiles data with other clinics across Canada to help usher in new cancer treatments.
Phase One studies are the first step to getting a new drug approved. When a medication has
reached Phase One, its been tested on animals, but not on people Chus job is to find patients
who are eligible for the treatments and perform extensive monitoring and follow-ups to make
sure the side effects are tolerable, and to follow any progress.
At first, only a few patients are on the new treatment, but once side effects and dosage levels
are tracked and guidelines established all the while working alongside other clinics in Canada
who are also testing the same drug it can be opened up for more testing with more patients.
Were trying to find out early who will benefit from these drugs the most, and then figure out
who else might benefit, says Chu. Its very stimulating work, and if you bring one of these drugs
forward and its successful, thats very rewarding.
Chu never intended to pursue a career in oncology. He enrolled into the biochemistry program at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ont., planning to keep on trucking through the world
of biochemistry until he earned his PhD. But in his third year of the program, he found himself
drawn to medical school and the idea of directly working with patients. In his second year of med
school, while he was doing a summer project that involved both lab work and seeing patients
twice a week, he decided to specialize in oncology. Why? Because it meant he would always be
learning. As an oncologist, youre continually having to apply other areas of medicine, Chu
explains. A patient with cancer can have heart disease or kidney disease. You need to be wellequipped with knowledge.
46
spring 2015
myleapmagazine.ca
nexpected
MEDICINE MAN: Dr. Quincy Chus role as

investigator with the New Drug Development Program
sees him at the helm of clinical trials at the Cross
Cancer Institute for new potential cancer drugs.
spring 2015
47
Research Rockstar
In 2002, Chu entered a clinical research fellowship at the Institute for Drug Development in San
Antonio, Texas, where he studied the development of
anti-cancer drugs. This training gave him the experience to spearhead, alongside fellow Cross oncologist
Dr. Michael Sawyer, the Cross formal New Drug Development Program.
You could say that becoming an oncologist heavily
48
spring 2015
involved in research was a natural compromise between his interest in biochemistry (which is, essentially, studying the makeup of living things) and the medical field.
And he finds the constantly changing treatment landscape to be invigorating. In the
early 2000s, he explains, a drug company might have one or two new drugs a year.
Now, there are 10-15 new drugs each year from each drug company. I knew the development would be fast, but I didnt imagine it would be this fast, he says. Every three
or four months one of the cancer types will change practice.
Chu specializes in thoracic (lung) and soft tissue cancers, and explains that
myleapmagazine.ca
all Cross oncologists choose one to three types of

cancer to focus on. We cant treat everything, he
says. The amount of new knowledge in each type of
cancer is exploding so fast. If you can read everything
you want to read in a month, youre pretty lucky.
Specialization allows the doctors to keep on top of
their chosen field.
At the Cross, Chu has put the most patients on
Phase One trials. His reasoning for this is simple: The
way I think, there are standard treatments available,
but there is always room for improvement. Its very important to keep the momentum going, to find new and
better treatments.
The ultimate goal? To turn incurable cancer into a
chronic disease rather than a death sentence. To have
cancer be regarded just like high blood pressure: dangerous but, with the right medication, a chronic disease that can be managed with limited quality of life
changes. Of course, not every drug thats tested will
turn out to be a breakthrough treatment, and thats
where an open mind comes in. Magical discoveries
dont happen every day, Chu says. If it happens once
every two to three years, Ill be absolutely happy.
To be eligible to go on a Phase One drug, a patient
must meet the eligibility criteria, which is a checklist
of about 30 items. Patients need to have normal organ
functions and be healthy enough to look after themselves. Many trials require that patients do their own
shopping and driving. Dr. Chu says many people assume incurable cancer automatically translates into
being house- or hospital-bound, but he says just over
half of patients are fairly active and, other than their
cancer, are in good health.
If a patient meets the criteria, theres still another
test they must pass in order to proceed to the Phase
One testing: their gene abnormality must match the
abnormality that the drug seeks to treat. This narrows
down the patient choice, with somewhere between
two and seven per cent of patients able to meet all the
criteria depending on how the trial is designed. But
Chu says it increases the chance that the test will be
effective. Most Phase One trials require patients who
have exhausted all other treatment options. Right now,
Chu is treating an American woman who came to Canada for treatment because the drug wasnt yet available
in the United States. Although shes not cured, Chu
says shes going on six years with the trial drug. Another patient hes treating has been taking their trial drug
for five years.
In many cases, the definition of a successful treatment is stabilization rather than elimination. Many
tumours shrink but arent completely gone, Chu explains. But after it shrinks, to a certain extent the cancer stabilizes. The two patients who have been on the
trial drugs for several years, he says, are doing everything that they wish to in life.
And this, says Chu, is what keeps him going. Although the outcomes are not always successful, he
knows hes making a difference in patients lives.
Whether or not the outcome is good, the patient is
very grateful, he says, and that gives meaning to your job.

Chus mother once asked him if he regretted his career choice, if he wished that
he was doing something a little happier than treating incurable cancer. His response?
A very emphatic no.
Once he chose to go into medicine, and especially oncology, he knew he would
be dealing with unhappy situations, but Chu points out that there are bleak places in
every area of medicine. Im in an area thats traditionally considered as a very bad
disease to have, but weve made a lot of gains.
Riding the wave of a new drug to see if it will let people live longer compared to the
standard treatment is a very exciting situation, he says. The responsibility is huge,
but the stimulation and knowledge you gain, you cant beat that. I have no regrets.
Asked And Answered

We asked Dr. Quincy Chu to finish our sentences.
I WILL RETIRE: I dont even know when I can retire. I look at my family history
and I have family members still travelling the world in their late 80s, early 90s.
I have quite a lot of outside interests, I like to travel. I like to go to the places
that dont make sense to visit for two weeks, you have to go for a month.
THE LAST TIME I USED A PAYPHONE: It has to be over 10 years ago. Ive
had a cellphone since 2000, the ones that would give you a concussion.
MY MOTTO IS: Expect the unexpected.
I STRUGGLE WITH: Time management. Im trying to start learning to say no.
RIGHT NOW, IM READING: A novel by Peter Robinson. I tend to like
detective stories.
MY JOB HAS TAUGHT ME: That cancer sucks, but we can help.
WHAT I MIGHT DO IF NOT MEDICINE: Merchandising, shopping for other
people. Ask [executive assistant Chantal Carriere] about my shoe collection.
My favourite things:
FAVOURITE PIECE OF CLOTHING: Shoes.
FAVOURITE FOOD: Rustic flavourful food that is not frou-frou: Italian
food, Spanish food and Southern French food. Very dainty Parisian food is
not my thing.
FAVOURITE DRINK: Single-malt scotch.
FAVOURITE CITY: Amsterdam
spring 2015
49
My Leap inspiring individual
PHOTO COURTESY SCOTT TODD
DISNEY FANS: Kristy and Scott Todd, shown with their

daughter after participating in one of their runDisney events,
exceeded the amount they were shooting to raise for the
Cross Cancer Institute, where both have received care after
being diagnosed with cancer.
Running with the Magic Kingdom

Husband and wife cancer survivors give back through fitness
By Sam Macdonald
He admits that there were struggles, especialScott Todd is no stranger to running, especially in the name of cancer research.
Todd began his marathon career in 2011, after he was diagnosed with Hodgkins lym- ly in 2012, when he was still in treatment. At first I
phoma. His goal was to complete the Disney World Half Marathon after treatment. was tired just from taking walks, Todd says. It was
Inspired by the runDisney events, he began his Coast to Coast Challenge, which cul- frustrating having such physical challenges in training when I hadnt had them when I trained for my
minated in running a marathon on the east and west U.S. coasts.
first run in 2011. Gradually,
Eventually, Todd completed both the 2012 Disney World
Half Marathon and the 2012 Disneyland Half Marathon. He The runs have provided a goal to Todd worked his way up from
was hooked, and seeing the success of his first two runs, work towards. The generosity and walks to short runs.
Looking back, he doesnt
moved on to complete the 2013 Disney World Tower of motivation from the donations has
regret any of it. After going
Terror 10 Mile night run when he was in remission. The also helped push me to complete
through diagnosis and treatproceeds from each marathon went to support the Cross all the runs, says Scott Todd.
ment myself, I had seen how
through the Alberta Cancer Foundation.
The third round of his fundraiser, which he dubbed Help Me Help Others Like Me: strong my wife was through the whole thing. I knew
Scotts Running Away From Cancer, raised $4,000. Funds raised for the first three that when we received her diagnosis, I could be nothing but the same for her, he says. The runs have
runs totalled almost $15,000.
As if one person in the family with cancer werent enough, with his wife Kristys provided a goal to work towards. The generosity and
diagnosis of the rare Merkel cell carcinoma in December 2013, Todd couldnt pass motivation from the donations has also helped push
up another opportunity to run again. After Kristy received phenomenal treatment me to complete all the runs. Without the donations,
from the Cross Cancer Institute and University of Alberta Hospital, the entire family none of it would have been possible.
Todd says donations go towards great research,
ran the 2014 Disneyland Half Marathon. Just out of treatment, Kristy hit the ground
running participating in the 10-kilometre event, while their daughter ran in the kids medical advancement and improving patient care.
race. The Todd family goal was to raise $4,800, which they exceeded. His latest fund- Kristy and I have sat in the chairs and beds that many
have, and unfortunately many more will, he says.
raiser brought in $9,180, elevating Todds total raised to almost $25,000.
50
spring 2015
myleapmagazine.ca
Together were creating

MORE MOMENTS
for Albertans facing cancer
albertacancer.ca/moremoments

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ENTS ISSUE

THE MORE MOM

Triple threat Colin Hackett

Dont discount the efficacy

EPIC RIDE. EPIC IMPACT.

JOIN THE CONQUEST!

Register for The 2015 Enbridge Ride to Conquer Cancer

Dont miss this opportunity to be part of something epic.

888 624 BIKE [2453]

SPRING 2015 VOL 6 No. 1

GIVING ALBERTANS MORE MOMENTS

A message from the Alberta Cancer Foundation

Eating healthy meals as a family is digestible

ASK THE EXPERT

Alber ta Cancer Foundation

Albertans are doing their best to be proactive

New study gives terminal patients time and helps

Doctor turned his own diagnosis into a $3-million

33 SAFE AND SOUND

Staying far from the ER is a matter of common sense,

New rowing classes can help you stroke the way

Glow Juicery ups its game for this years Bust a

Cancer can be a wake-up call for life

Scott Todds fundraising Disney races are

Red Deer nurse views her role in patients end-of-life

Dr. Quincy Chu is committed to finding new drugs

Message alberta cancer foundation

Cherish Every Moment

Angela Boehm, Chair

SPRING 2015 VOL 6 No. 1

ALBERTA CANCER FOUNDATION

Leap is published for the Alberta Cancer Foundation by

The information in this publication is not meant to be a substitute for professional

Alber ta Cancer Foundation

Donate today at albertacancer.ca

Forefront prevent, treat, cure

PHOTO COURTESY CODY BOREK

bought a brand new car in January and with it,

The Meat-Sugar Cancer Theory

A recent study from University of California

researchers, published in a journal called the

linked to an increase in the number of cancerous tumours in mice. After the

COAL BANKS TRAIL:

CALGARY-BRAGG CREEK LOOP:

Alber ta Cancer Foundation

THE BIRCHWOOD TRAILS:

Searching for Answers

PHOTO: CANADIAN PRESS

was a scientist and who believed that the answer

Kale Caesar Salad

with salt and set aside.

Staying Active to Avoid Cancer

Alber ta Cancer Foundation

for physical activity. Its good to be proactive in your

Coffee and Cancer

Journal of the National Cancer Institute reveals that

Ditch the Car

Consider using a grocery grip, which are like small

carabineers that make it easier to carry multiple bags at

Next Gen supporting young minds

Beyond Cancer stories of survivorship

Cancer can be a wake-up call that spurs living lifes

Cancer treatment has been successful at extending

Smart Eats food for life