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Every day, we at Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada strive to bring HOPE to all those affected by a brain tumour. HOPE through support. HOPE through information & education. HOPE through research. HOPE for a cure.
This year, our webinar series will bring you HOPE through a variety of presentation topics and presenters, and we would like to thank Novocure for sponsoring the 2023 Webinar Series.
Who is this webinar series for?
This series is for anyone affected by a brain tumour (patients / survivors, caregivers / loved ones, and volunteers) or anyone interested to learn more about brain tumours (health care professionals and researchers).
Which topics will be covered this year?
Topics will include neuro-oncology, neurosurgery, research, care for the caregiver, anticipatory grief, the use of cannabis and CBD to treat symptoms, managing mental health and many personal stories of hope,.
We will chat with a variety of health care professionals including a neuro-oncologist, a neurosurgeon, researchers, social workers, nurses, survivors, and caregivers along the way.
Please make sure you are signed up for Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada updates here to stay connected and updated about our upcoming webinars and / or if there are changes to the schedule.
Is registration free?
YES! All our virtual programs are FREE including our webinar series.
Once registered for a webinar, you will receive an email confirmation. Please make sure our emails are not going to your junk folder.
All webinar presentations are recorded and uploaded to the Educational Videos page. If you register for a webinar but are unable to attend, you will receive a notice as to when the video is uploaded.
1:00 pm EST – 2:00 pm EST
Glioblastoma: Update on Treatment and Research
This presentation will provide an update on our current understanding of glioblastoma. Specifically, Dr. Easaw will focus on current management and promising future therapies. He will also review recent significant updates in pathology that now provide a better understanding of the overall survival and response to treatment.
Presented by Dr. Jay Easaw
Dr. Jay Easaw is a Professor in the Division of Medical Oncology at the Cross Cancer Institute in Edmonton, Alberta. He is board certified in internal medicine and medical oncology. He is actively involved in both patient care and clinical research. Dr. Easaw’s research interests include metabolomics, database design, clinical informatics, and the introduction of technology into clinic. He is a recent recipient of awards in both teaching and research excellence.
1:00 pm EST – 2:00 pm EST
Management of Non-Malignant Skull Base Tumours
Dr. Zadeh will provide an update on the recent molecular knowledge that helps better understand tumour behaviours and guides treatment options for pituitary adenomas, acoustic neuromas and meningiomas.
Presented by Dr. Gelareh Zadeh
Dr. Gerareh Zadeh is the Dan Family Chair and Professor of Neurosurgery, University of Toronto, Head of the Department of Neurosurgery at Toronto Western Hospital and Co-Director for the Kraybill Brain Institute. Dr. Zadeh is a Senior Scientist at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre where she runs a translational research program at MacFeeters-Hamilton Neuro-oncology.
She has a dedicated neuro-oncology and skull base practice, which includes multidisciplinary specialized programs including a skull base clinic, brain metastases, pituitary clinic, and neurofibromatosis clinics. In parallel, she has an active research laboratory focusing on integrated multi-platform molecular analysis of brain tumours, focusing on understanding molecular response to targeted therapies. Dr. Zadeh is involved in several national and international organizations. As past President of the Society of Neuro-Oncology, she still holds responsibilities and is also the Co-Chair and founder of the International Consortium on Meningiomas and Editor-in-Chief of Neuro-Oncology Advances, open access journal of Society of Neuro-Oncology and the European Association of Neuro-Oncology.
1:00 pm EST – 2:00 pm EST
Brain Tumours in Adolescents and Young Adults (AYA)
This multi-disciplinary presentation will provide important updates in brain tumours for adolescents and young adults. The team will provide updates in molecular testing, surgical and oncological approaches, as well as an overview of targeted therapies and clinical trials.
Presented by:
Dr. Cynthia Hawkins
Dr. Cynthia Hawkins is a Neuropathologist and the Medical Director of Translational Molecular Pathology at the Hospital for SickKids. She is also a Senior Scientist at the SickKids Research Institute, a Professor of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology at The University of Toronto and holds a Garron Family Chair in Childhood Cancer Research. As a neuropathologist, Dr. Hawkins has been instrumental in translating high impact genomic research into the clinic using emerging technologies.
Dr. Sunit Das
Dr. Sunit Das is a neurosurgeon and scientist at St. Michael’s Hospital and the Hospital for SickKids, and Associate Professor in the Department of Surgery at the University of Toronto. He currently serves as the Provincial Lead for CNS Oncology at Cancer Care Ontario. His laboratory in the Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumour Centre focuses on the molecular and genetic mechanisms that regulate tumour evolution and treatment resistance in glioblastoma. Dr. Sunit is also co-lead for the Canadian Adolescent and Young Adult Neuro-Oncology Consortium (CANON), a pan-Canada effort to improve outcomes for young people with brain tumours.
Dr. Julie Bennett
Dr. Julie Bennett is a pediatric neuro-oncologist with a focus in adolescent and young adult (AYA) neuro-oncology. There are few studies examining the biology of these tumours, resulting in a lack of dedicated clinical trial options for this population. As a result, the Canadian AYA Neuro-Oncology Network (CANON) was launched, bringing together providers across Canada to improve access to molecular testing, expert case review and improve patient outcome. This collaboration has given us insight into the issues faced in this population and highlighted many areas for further research.
Dr. Mary Jane Lim-Fat
Dr. Mary Jane Lim-Fat is a neuro-oncologist at the Odette Cancer Centre at Sunnybrook and an assistant professor at the University of Toronto. She is the co-lead of the Canadian AYA Neuro-Oncology Network (CANON) and a board member of the Society for Neuro-Oncology. She has a clinical and research interest in targeted therapies and outcomes in AYA patients.
Dr. Derek Tsang
Dr. Derek Tsang is a radiation oncologist at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology at the University of Toronto. Dr. Tsang joined the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in 2017, where he is a member of the paediatric and adult central nervous system tumour site groups. His research interests include evaluating re-irradiation for pediatric tumours and reducing the late effects of radiotherapy. His clinical practice includes pediatric oncology, adult neuro-oncology, and stereotactic radiosurgery for non-malignant brain tumours.
1:00 pm EST – 2:00 pm EST
Moving Forward with a Brain Tumour – How Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, and Speech Language Pathology Support Patients on an Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit
This presentation will provide an overview of the roles of Occupational Therapists (OTs), Physiotherapists (PTs) and Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) on an inpatient rehabilitation unit, working with people diagnosed with a brain tumour. Discussion will include how everyday function can be impacted by a brain tumour, how function is addressed on an inpatient rehabilitation unit by the various professions, clinical considerations, and the value of inter-professional collaboration to achieve the best outcomes prior to discharge from hospital.
Presented by:
Rammjot Saini
Rammjot is an Occupational Therapist (OT) on the inpatient rehabilitation unit at Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital. She is dedicated to providing client-centred care in a collaborative manner and considers herself a life-long learner who is always seeking opportunities to grow as a clinician. Rammjot was one of the recipients of the 2022 Health Care Professional – Professional Development Grants and would like to thank the Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada for their support! Rammjot believes in supporting individuals to achieve their full potential through the provision of optimal care and the application of evidence-based practices. She has experience working with clients across the lifespan, with a variety of diagnoses and conditions, including brain injury, in various practice settings.
Bansi Shah
Bansi is a Physiotherapist (PT) in the inpatient rehabilitation unit at Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital. She has had the opportunity to work with clients with the diagnosis of brain tumour in her inpatient rehabilitation setting. Bansi knows the importance of collaboration between different healthcare professionals to work towards a patient’s goals. She benefited from the generosity of Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada professional development grant. This allowed her to pursue a course in Neuro development techniques. Bansi has been able to apply her learning to better patient outcomes and lower the burden of care of family members of this vulnerable patient population.
Michelle Zuzarte
Michelle is a Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) who has been working with adult clients in a variety of clinical settings for over 20 years in and around the Greater Toronto Area. Currently, she works on the Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit at Halton Healthcare at the Oakville-Trafalgar Memorial Hospital providing 1:1 SLP assessment and treatment for patients with neurological conditions, including brain tumours.
1:00 pm EST – 2:00 pm EST
Awake Brain Tumour Surgery and Fluorescence: Towards a Standard
This presentation will highlight the technique of awake brain mapping as well as the use of 5-ALA Fluorescence Guided Surgery to achieve maximal safe resection of malignant brain tumours. Dr. Sinclair will share the process of training other neurosurgeons across Canada to improve the care of patients with brain tumours.
Presented by Dr. John Sinclair
Dr. John Sinclair is a Neurosurgeon, Director of Neurosurgical Oncology and Director of Cerebrovascular Surgery at The Ottawa Hospital. Since completing his residency at The University of Ottawa and subsequent fellowships at Stanford University in California, he has led the introduction of new innovative treatment options at The Ottawa Hospital. He helped bring the CyberKnife radiosurgery system to Ottawa in 2010 and has established advanced awake mapping techniques over the last 10 years. He most recently introduced Fluorescence-Guided Surgery to The Ottawa Hospital after first completing his Gleolan (5-ALA) training program in Switzerland in 2017. He has been using the technique for the resection of glioblastomas in Canada since 2018 and has completed over 150 cases using Gleolan (5-ALA). Dr. Sinclair is a certified Gleolan (5-ALA) trainer in Canada and has trained over 55 neurosurgeons in this new technique with more training programs scheduled for the future.
This activity is supported by an educational grant from Novocure, Inc.
