Shared on behalf of Jennifer Wintermans, EVP, Communications & Corporate Relations, COVID-19 Lead

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It is my pleasure to announce that Marcello Bernardo is the successful candidate and has accepted the position of Manager, Communications and Engagement at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC), effective March 24^th, 2022.

Reporting to the Executive Vice President, Communications & Corporate Relations, the Manager of Communications & Engagement will provide strategic expertise while leading the development of a communications strategy that is aligned with TBRHSC’s mission, vision, values and strategic priorities to deliver critical communications. The Manager of Communications & Engagement will be responsible for the development and implementation of TBRHSC’s internal and external communication strategies to ensure cohesive brand messaging, support of organizational goals, and consistent, effective communications internally and externally. The position is responsible for the planning, implementation and integration of best practices with internal and corporate communications, issues management, crisis communications, and media relations for TBRHSC. This role will also oversee TBRHSC’s varied and integrated communication tools including print publications, patient education materials, multimedia, broadcast and web initiatives and other forms of online communications.

Marcello has 15 years of experience working in health care communications, marketing, media relations, outreach, event planning, recruitment and stakeholder engagement roles at both TBRHSC and the Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute. Prior to this appointment, Marcello served as Acting Manager of Communications & Engagement and Information Officer on the TBRHSC’s COVID-19 Incident Management Team since March 2021.

Marcello has an Honours Bachelor of Commerce Degree from Lakehead University with a Major in Marketing. A life-long learner, he has certifications in social media marketing, public relations, media crisis communications and stakeholder engagement.

Please join me in congratulating Marcello on his appointment.

Link to application: https://informed.tbrhsc.net/departments/human-resources/union-boards/opseu/notices/application-with-schedule-a

Prevention and Screening Clinical Services at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre is proud to announce the return of their campaign titled, ‘Pap-A-Palooza’ for April 2022. The goal of this month-long campaign is to increase awareness about cervical cancer screening and encourage eligible individuals living in Northwestern Ontario to book a Pap test to get screened for cervical cancer.

“Cervical cancer is almost entirely preventable with regular screening, follow-up of abnormal results, and the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine,” explained Dr. Naana Jumah, Regional Cervical Screening and Colposcopy Lead for the Northwest region. “However, our most recent data shows that almost half of eligible individuals in Northwestern Ontario are not up-to-date with their cervical cancer screening.”

To screen for cervical cancer, anyone with a cervix between the ages of 25 and 69, who has ever been sexually active, should complete a Pap test every three years. Screening is for people who have no symptoms and generally feel fine.

“Most cervical cancers are found in women who have never been screened or have been screened less often than recommended by Ontario’s cervical screening guidelines,” stated Dr. Jumah. “Regular cervical screening is important because it can find early changes that could lead to cervical cancer. Treating these changes can prevent cervical cancer from developing.”

After a record-breaking year in 2019, where 700 Pap tests were completed throughout the duration of the campaign, Pap-A-Palooza was put on hold for two years due to the pandemic.

“Cervical cancer doesn’t stop for COVID-19,” said Kevin Ng, Screening Promotion Planner with Prevention and Screening Clinical Services at our Hospital. “We are happy to be bringing back Pap-A-Palooza for 2022. This campaign is great reminder to anyone who is due or overdue for cervical screening, to call and make an appointment with their primary care provider for a Pap test.”

“Since 2016, over 1,600 Pap tests have been completed across Northwestern Ontario as a part of the Pap-A-Palooza campaign,” shared Ng. “This year, we have 24 clinics participating across Northwestern Ontario and we are aiming to complete a total of 700 Pap tests.”

To find a participating clinic near you or to learn more about Pap-A-Palooza, visit www.tbrhsc.net/pap or call the Pap-A-Palooza Hotline at (807) 684-7787. For more information about cervical cancer screening, check out www.cancercareontario.ca/ccaw.

Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre is excited to announce our revised performance appraisal process: Coaching for Development (CFD).

The CFD is based on our Hospital values and links to our 2026 Strategic Plan. CFD is a performance conversation that is employee driven, but jointly owned through meaningful and interactive conversations with leadership. Performance conversations are important as they provide an opportunity to recognize quality performance and accomplishments, to discuss strengths and or opportunities for development and set goals and expectations that connect to Hospital values and philosophies. The goal is to provide employees with a performance evaluation process that they value and that makes them feel in control of their professional development. CFD utilizes the technology of the Dual Code Learning Management System for efficient notification, collection, and reporting of evaluations.

Human Resources engaged a cross-section cross of Hospital staff and leaders to form a working group to develop the core competencies found in Section A of the form. Two trials of the CFD system have been conducted, with each trial allowing for feedback and improvements to Dual Code to enhance the process. A final trial is underway prior to launch.

Process:

1. CFD’s will be assigned based on the employee’s year of hire (ex. hired in 2008, CFD assigned in 2022; hired in 2011, CFD to be assigned in 2023).
2. Employee is assigned their CFD form at the beginning of the fiscal year. An e-mail will be sent to the employee advising them of this and providing instructions for them to complete their self-appraisal in the CFD.
3. Once the employee has fully completed their CFD they will save and submit and the CFD will be sent electronically to the leader in the LMS. An e-mail notification will also be sent to the leader notifying them to complete their feedback.
4. The leader will complete their portion, save and submit, allowing the employee the opportunity to review the leader’s comments prior to the formal meeting. The leader will then schedule a meeting with the employee to review.
5. In the meeting, together the leader and employee will finalize the employee’s goals/aspirations for the upcoming performance evaluation cycle.
6. CFD meetings must occur by March 31.
7. Completed CFD’s will be stored in the LMS, eliminating the current paper based process. If an employee transfers departments, their previous CFD will be accessible to their new leader.

The Form

Section A: Core Accountabilities
In the core accountabilities section employees and leaders must reflect on Hospital values, the employee’s behaviours, and provide examples of how they exemplify these traits when providing their comments.

Section B: Goals
Jointly the employee and leader will finalize the employee’s goals/aspirations for the upcoming performance evaluation cycle. Aligning employee goals to the Hospital’s mission can empower continuous development and relate strategies from an organizational objective to specific individual behaviors.

Section C: Additional Comments
Employees and leaders can include any additional comments not covered in the above sections.

Education events and informational drop in sessions will be hosted monthly for both leaders and employees throughout 2022 to assist with this process change and the completion of the form. In addition, tools and supports are built into the system.

If you have any questions, please contact Human Resources.

The Screen for Life Coach is ready to hit the road. From April to October, this mobile health screening service will visit more than 40 different locations providing breast, cervical and colon cancer screening to individuals across Northwestern Ontario.

The Coach travels from the Manitoba border to Chapleau and everywhere in between, including many Indigenous communities. In some cases, the Coach may be in a community more than once throughout the travel season.

This year, the Screen for Life Coach will begin its travel season on April 5^th in Ignace.

Vanessa Masters, Mobile Coach Coordinator at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, is preparing for the upcoming travel season.

“We are excited to once again bring the Coach to communities across Northwestern Ontario to make cancer screening accessible for the people in our region,” says Masters. “We are well positioned for a successful travel season. Cancer screening is available for age-eligible individuals who may be due or who may be behind on their cancer screening. If you receive a letter in the mail, letting you know that you are due, be sure to call and book your cancer screening appointment so you don’t miss the bus while it’s in your community!”

Currently, approximately 50% individuals in the region are due for cancer screening. Cancer screening is for people who may be at risk of getting cancer, but who have no symptoms and generally feel fine. Routine screening is important because it can find early changes that could lead to cancer.

In Ontario, the cancer screening guidelines for average risk individuals are as follows:

• Women, who are between the ages of 50 and 74 years, should have a mammogram every two years to screen for breast cancer.
• Anyone with a cervix between the ages of 25 and 69 years, who has ever been sexually active, should have a Pap test to screen for cervical cancer every three years.
• Individuals, who are between the ages of 50 and 74 years, who have no first-degree family history of colon cancer, should complete a take-home colon cancer screening kit every two years.

All of these cancer screening tests can be accessed on the Screen for Life Coach. Those who are eligible for screening, do not require a referral from a health care provider to access services on the Coach. However, an appointment is required.

“Our team of registered nurses and medical radiation technologists are looking forward to providing high quality cancer screening services and seeing some familiar faces in the region,” says Masters.

Book your cancer screening appointment on the Screen for Life Coach today by calling (807) 684-7777.

To see the complete travel season schedule, visit www.tbrhsc.net/screenforlife or follow us on Facebook by searching for ‘Screen for Life Coach Northwest’.

Earlier this month, the Foundation was thrilled to receive a donation from waxed Candle Co, whose “Boobie Candle” fundraiser ran all through February.

The idea was inspired by their friend Kailey Elvish, who is currently undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer.

Last year, Kailey was happily living her life as a newly wed with a baby on the way, then her world turned upside down. At only 33 years old, and in the third trimester of her pregnancy she discovered a lump in her breast.

“I figured it was related to my pregnancy but as time moved on, I knew something wasn’t right,” says Elvish.

Elvish soon found herself sitting in the Linda Buchan Centre taking on several tests to investigate exactly what was going on. Her son Griffin was born in November of 2021 and on December 27th she was diagnosed with Triple Positive Breast Cancer. “It was a lot at once. I was the mom of a newborn, and then the cancer.”

Since her diagnosis Elvish has been encouraging young women to check their breasts regularly and to take action if they sense something isn’t right with their body. “I was always under the impression I was too young for this, but in reality cancer doesn’t care how old you are. It affects younger people too,” Elvish continues. “None of my family has had breast cancer. I’m healthy, so this was something we never expected. There is definitely a need to break the stigma that breast cancer is an older person’s disease.”

Although she would describe herself as a private individual, Elvish knew she had to duty to tell her story and started sharing her cancer journey on social media. “Even if I could just help one person, it would be worth it. Early detection means early prevention.”

Elvish was completely overwhelmed by the amount of messages she has received from younger local women with similar stories, along with the outpouring of community support which included a customized candle created by Waxxed Candle Co.

Elvish helped the local candle boutique present a $4,000 cheque to our Northern Cancer Fund. Waxxed Candle Co. created pink champagne scented Boobie Candles for Kailey with a goal to help raise awareness and funds. Owner and candlemaker Kate Strange explains the cause hit close to home.

“Boobs, breasts, boobies, hooters, knockers, melons… what ever you call them, we want you to check them. I have family that have had mastectomies and had a recent scare myself. This was an opportunity to produce something that supports others and shed light on a young woman’s cancer journey,” says Strange. “Waxxed sold 200 Boobie Candles in a week!”

Strange describes the Boobie Candle as an ‘in your face approach’. “The candle labels all feature different types of drawn breasts, including the option to sketch your own. We want to make this a comfortable subject for young women to discuss and this is a way to connect. People really care about this stuff, but a lot of the time we’re afraid to talk about it.”

Elvish had her fourth round of chemotherapy on March 15th and will have surgery later in the spring. She remains motivated by her four-month old son. “This is a part of Griffin’s story too— and one day I’ll tell him all about it. He helped me find the cancer and continues to help me fight through it.”

“I hope the candles and my story will encourage other women to get screened for breast cancer, learn how to do proper self-exams at home and also let those who have been diagnosed know that they aren’t alone in the fight.”

Thank you to Waxxed Candle Co and everyone who purchased Boobie Candles. Together, you’re funding equipment for better breast cancer diagnosis, treatment, and research right here in Thunder Bay & NWO.

Thank you also to Kailey for sharing her story, and we wish you well as you continue your cancer journey.

The fecal immunochemical test (FIT) is Ontario’s colon cancer screening test for individuals between the ages of 50 and 74 years who have no first-degree family history (i.e. parent, sibling, child) of colon cancer.

Why is completing the FIT correctly important? If caught early through regular cancer screening, there is a 90% chance that colon cancer can be cured.

This simple and painless cancer screening test can be completed in the privacy of your own home. However, completing the FIT correctly continues to be a struggle in the Northwest, as many are rejected for varying reasons including incorrect labelling, the test being expired, or an issue with the sample. When a FIT is rejected, you must complete the test all over again.

In addition to the instructions that you are provided with to complete the kit, here are six tips to help you to successfully complete your FIT:

1. Don’t wait to complete the test. FITs have expiry dates located on the tube. Try to complete your FIT as soon as possible after getting it in the mail. If your FIT is expiring soon, make sure you send your completed FIT (the FIT tube with your stool or poop sample in it) to the lab at least two weeks before the expiration date.
   
2. Make sure your health card is up to date. You will need a valid health card in order to receive and complete a FIT. Expired, invalid, or lost health cards can cause delays.
   
3. Labels matter!
   1. Your name and your birth date will be labelled on the FIT tube. Check to make sure this information is correct.
   2. Fill in the date that your stool sample was collected in the space provided on the tube.
      
4. Requisition form must be correct. Check that the lab requisition form is filled out correctly with your information. Return the requisition form with your completed FIT.
   
5. Mail your completed FIT right away. It is best to mail it or drop it off at your closest LifeLabs within two days of doing the FIT. If you cannot return your completed FIT right away, you can choose to keep it in the fridge for a short period of time. The completed test needs to arrive at the central LifeLabs facility for processing within 14 days of collecting your stool.
   
6. Don’t leave your FIT in an outdoor mailbox. FIT samples are temperature sensitive. If they are left in on outdoor mailbox, you risk the sample getting too hot or too cold. It is important that you drop off your completed kit to the post office or to LifeLabs.

To get your FIT kit, talk to your health care provider. If you don’t have a health care provider, you can get a kit from Telehealth Ontario by calling 1-866-828-9213 or by making an appointment on the Screen for Life Coach by calling 684-7777. For more information on colon cancer screening, visit www.tbrhsc.net/cancerscreening.

If you have a family history of colon cancer, talk to your health care provider about the best screening option for you.