ICRH News
Research Opportunities for ICRH Affiliated Investigators/Clinicians Involved in End of Life/Palliative Care
The CIHR Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) has determined that End of Life/Palliative Care is one of their most important strategic themes. As such, ICR is preparing to commit substantial new resources towards research in End of Life/Palliative Care. Since the majority of Canadians die from non-cancer causes (end stage heart disease, end stage lung disease, stroke, etc.), the Institute of Circulatory and Respiratory Health (ICRH) is a major stakeholder in such an initiative. There is a need within the ICRH to "build a community" of End of Life/Palliative Care researchers so that we can better collaborate with our colleagues in the ICR and other related Institutes. The purpose of this communication is to see if you are interested in being involved in upcoming initiatives related to End of Life/Palliative Care research in Canada.
End of Life/Palliative Care aims to improve the life of patients and families through early identification and impeccable management of suffering associated with advanced illness, both from cancer and end-stage medical diseases. It emphasizes the positive aspects of life inclusive of physical, psychosocial and spiritual sources. End of Life/Palliative care is an exercise in prevention - prevention of suffering through prioritizing the diagnosis and skillful care of sources of distress throughout the course of illness and for the family into the bereavement period.
You may not have considered yourself as doing End of Life/Palliative Care research before but if you are doing research that focuses on patients with end stage medical disease, then you may find a "home" with other End of Life/Palliative Care researchers. For example, if you are doing research on the quality of life or health care delivery or symptom control of patients with end stage congestive heart failure, you may benefit from the program of research being developed for End of Life/Palliative Care.
As a starting point, we are currently compiling a list of Canadian researchers and trainees who are interested in End of Life/Palliative Care research. Interested members of the community are kindly requested to complete the survey. We will follow-up with you in the coming months with more information about programs that may develop through this initiative and others.
For more information or if you want to be kept informed about upcoming research initiatives, please contact:
Daren K. Heyland MD, FRCPC, MSc
Associate Professor
Queen's University
Angada 3
Kingston General Hospital
76 Stuart Street
Kingston Ontario K7L 2V7
Tel: 613-549-6666x3339
Fax: 613-548-1351
Pager: 613-545-9099
E-mail: dkh2@post.queensu.ca
or
Salima Harji BSc, MHSc
Senior Project Officer
CIHR Institute of Circulatory and Respiratory Health
Providence Health Care/UBC
St. Paul's Hospital
Burrard Building Room 553
1081 Burrard Street
Vancouver BC V6Z 1Y6
Tel: (604) 806-8658
Fax: (604) 806-8935
E-mail: sharji@mrl.ubc.ca
