abstract: Antibiotic use and risk of gynecological cancers (Saskatchewan database)

OBJECTIVES: Several studies addressed the association between antibiotic use and breast cancer risk. The objective of this study was to assess the association between antibiotic use and risk of cervical, ovarian, and uterine cancer.

Canada: Gynecologic Cancer Conference: Creating Collaborative Care - Agenda | Online Registration by Cvent

OCATS AGM Meeting Regina, Sask - Ovarian Cancer Awareness & Treatment in Saskatchewan (OCATS)

Time	Saturday, March 19 · 12:00pm - 2:00pm

OCATS AGM with Judy Wright, Guest Speaker

Darlene Gray invited you · Share · Public Event

Location	Knox Met United Church, Room 105 2340 Victoria Avenue Regina
Created By	Ovarian Cancer Awareness & Treatment in Saskatchewan (OCATS), Darlene Gray
More Info	Election of Board Members Presentation of financial Statement for 2010 Vote on Change to Bylaws/ARticles/Constitution (one) Guest Speaker: Gifted Counsellor Judy Wright, Judy will share with us a new endeavor of hers, working with clients and horses to help people overcome barriers and physical and emotional pain. Light Lunch by Donation Memberships can be renewed at the door. If you are a paid member, you can vote by proxy, email darlenegray@sasktel.net

OCATS - Ovarian Cancer Awareness & Treatment in Saskatchewan

For Medical Professionals

Because ovarian cancer has no screening tools, blood tests and the symptoms
often are mistaken for other conditions, misdiagnosed and even ignored OCATS has developed an OCATS Physician Guide (available to anyone). This guide
was developed to help medical professionals and women recognize the
symptoms, be aware of symptoms andcombinations of symptoms, the diagnostic tools available to every physician, proper referral practices for women
with the possibility of a gynecologic cancer. We will soon be sending this
guide to every medical clinic and medical
professional in Saskatchewan.
These guides are available in Australia and in the United States.
To view these documents:

OCATS Guide for Medical Professionals
Australia
GP Guide for Australia
CPO Guidelines for Ovarian Cancer, Australian Government
United States
2009.10.1-Symptons document

Strategies for Survival - Gynecologic Cancer Conference - Regina, Saskatchewan Sept 24th

click: Registration

Regina Specialist (Gynecologic Oncologist) On the Move, Media Release

Survivors display artwork-Ovarian Cancer Awareness and Treatment in Saskatchewan group (OCATS)

Press Release: Canada's Leading Ovarian Cancer "Patient" Advocate Speaks at Sask Conference

 

OCATS

Ovarian Cancer Awareness & Treatment in Saskatchewan

A SUPPORT & ACTION GROUP FOR ANYONE AFFECTED BY GYNECOLOGIC CANCERS

M E D I A   R E L E A S E

CANADA’S LEADING OVARIAN CANCER “PATIENT” ADVOCATE SPEAKS AT SASK CONFERENCE

For Immediate Release

REGINA, July 26, 2010  - Conference Co-Chairs Scott Livingstone, CEO Sask Cancer Agency and Darlene Gray, President, OCATS, in partnership with CNT Management Group, invite survivors, support people and the medical community to the first ever Gynecologic Cancer Conference, Strategies for Survival on September 24, 2010 at the Regina Inn.  Early Bird registration fees available until the end of July for this important event featuring some of the province’s most knowledgeable specialists in female reproductive cancers.  Experts will address clinical study trials for new drug therapies, managing cancer recurrence, the emotional aspects of cancer diagnoses, identifying families with hereditary risks, alternative and complimentary therapies available and the roles of our nurses, general practitioners, and pharmacists in cancer care delivery.

A conference highlight will be a presentation by Canada’s leading ovarian cancer “patient” advocate, Sandi Pniauskas.  Other experts presenting at the conference include the following.

Dr. Christopher Giede, Gynecologic Oncologist at the Royal University Hospital, Saskatoon and the team leader of Saskatchewan gynecologic oncology team of female reproductive cancer specialists.

Dr. Muhammad Salim, Medical Oncologist at the Allan Blair Cancer Centre, Regina and the specialist of all our Clinical Study Trials. 

Dr. Vicki Holmes, Medical Director of the Women’s Mid-Life Health Centre in Saskatoon. Dr. Holmes developed the concept of this centre and is the resident physician at the centre.

Rosalee Longmoore, RN, a Registered Nurse for 34 years with a wide range of experience on all Saskatchewan medical nursing issues.

Andrew Gilbertson, Pharmacist and owner of Hill Avenue Drugs, Regina, Regina’s first and currently only pharmacy that specializes in compounding custom prescription medications.

Dr. Heather Fox, Naturopath, a health specialist with over 30 years experienced and a registered doctor of Natural Medicine through the Examining Board of Natural Medicine Practitioners, Canada.

Monica Milas, Personal Growth and Healing Services Counsellor and Therapist.

Wendy Stoeber, Genetic Counsellor at the Division of Medical Genetics, Royal University Hospital, Saskatoon.

And a member of the Gynecologic Oncology Program Working Group, Scott Livingstone, the new CEO of the Sask Cancer Agency, will speak about Saskatchewan’s new Gynecologic Oncology Program.

The conference will include an exhibit hall marketplace and be followed by the OCATS Annual Benefit Gala and Silent Auction featuring Jack Semple and presentation of the OCATS 2010 Catleya Award of Collaboration & Vision.  Conference on-line registration at  http://guest.cvent.com/EVENTS/Info/Summary.aspx?e=ce9c4a0f-157e-4a42-ab49-0f19dae902e3. A group guestroom rate is available at the Regina Inn by asking for the OCATS event.  Discounted conference fees available for OCATS members and all students.  For more information please contact Darlene at 306-775-1848 or CNT Management Group Claire Bélanger-Parker [claire.belanger-parker@cntgrp.ca].

For more info contact Darlene Gray at OCATS at 306-775-1848, cell 529-3199 or darlenegray@sasktel.netdarlenegray@sasktel.net

# # #

support group meetings - feel free to share - OCATS June 7th

OCATS Ovarian Cancer Awareness & Treatment in Saskatchewan ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- GYNECOLOGIC CANCER SURVIVORS & SUPPORT PEOPLE WELCOME MONDAY, June 7th 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Knox Met United Church 2340 Victoria Avenue (Pls Use Vic Ave Entrance, Ring Buzzer for Room 105) Light Supper, $4 Donation This month our peer support gathering will have our regular check in, and then a facilitated discussion about the challenges and coping strategies for socializing and traveling after diagnosis, while having treatment, during recovery. We don’t have the answers exactly but we’ll share some of the experiences we’ve had for air travel, car travel, hotels, family holidays, special events and share how people have coped and what things they found were useful and helpful or things to avoid. Please come share in the discussion, meet other cancer survivors. It’s good to get out once in awhile and share with others, learn from others. It’s even okay to be grumpy about it! If that’s where you’re at. Please call Darlene at 775-1848 or email and let us know if you plan to attend. This helps Joan prepare those lovely meals she making for us! Thank you, Darlene Gray OCATS Ovarian Cancer Awareness & Treatment in Saskatchewan A SUPPORT & ACTION GROUP FOR ANYONE AFFECTED BY GYNECOLOGIC CANCERS RPO Box 35067, Regina, SK S4X 4C6 Ph 306-775-1848, Fx 306-775-1853 Find us on Facebook too! http://www.ocats.ca

Saskatchewan Science - National Biotech Competition awards - student award/ovarian cancer

"Brian, a Grade 11 student at John F. Ross Collegiate Vocational Institute, won the 2nd place prize for his project that found a green tea extract offered a potential new treatment for ovarian cancer."

Letter to the Edfitor: Leader Post April 14th Loss of gynecologic specialist putting women's lives at risk

Facebook | Darlene Gray: Sask Minister of Health Questioned in Leg Assembly Over the Closure of Regina Gyne Onc Office

Sask Minister of Health Questioned in Leg Assembly Over the Closure of Regina Gyne Onc Office

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THIRD SESSION - TWENTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE
of the
Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan
N.S. VOL. 52 NO. 42A MONDAY, APRIL 12, 2010, 1:30 p.m.
LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF SASKATCHEWAN 4697 April 12, 2010
April 12, 2010 Saskatchewan Hansard 4705

ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS
INTRODUCTION OF GUESTS

Ms. Junor: — Mr. Speaker, I too on behalf of the opposition want to welcome the members from the Red Hat Society, all the women that have come today. From what I know about this group, not only are they very visible because of their hats — and it’s unfortunate that the member didn’t wear hers; that would have been entertaining — I understand that these women are extremely enthusiastic and they have a lot of fun. That’s what I always hear, that you have a lot of fun. Look at all the hats nodding. So I too would like to welcome all the women here today to the legislature.

While I’m on my feet, Mr. Speaker, I want to introduce others who are in the gallery. On the very top row is Darlene Gray, the director of OCATS, the Ovarian Cancer Awareness and Treatment in Saskatchewan, and Elan Morgan board member. Wave? And sitting beside Elan are Joan and Harvey Schneider, also board members. I just want to say about Joan before I sit down and welcome them, Joan was the executive secretary to the president of SUN [Saskatchewan Union of Nurses] when that was me. So I’m very happy to see Joan here today and welcome them all to the Assembly.

QUESTION PERIOD
Gynecologic Oncologists

Ms. Junor: — Mr. Speaker, for two years the minister has ignored the pleas of women with ovarian cancer and gyne-oncologists to address substandard working conditions in southern Saskatchewan. As a result, Dr. Brydon, one of only two gyne-oncologists practising in southern Saskatchewan, has closed her practice because she is burned out. To quote Dr. Brydon, “Physically and emotionally, I can’t cope any more.”
Mr. Speaker, the minister’s incompetence and failure to address the substandard working conditions of gyne-oncologists in Regina is putting at risk the lives of women with ovarian cancer. Why?

The Speaker: — I recognize the Minister of Health.
Hon. Mr. McMorris: — Thank you, Mr. Speaker. First of all, Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the government, we want to thank Dr. Brydon for all the work that she has done in southern Saskatchewan. These people are very specialized doctors. They are, Mr. Speaker, gynecology oncologists, which is a very specialized area. We have had four in our province, Mr. Speaker. Dr. Brydon is closing her practice to move on to other options. The health region, the health region as well as the government, is working hard to ensure that that position will be filled, Mr. Speaker.
But what I will say is that in the last two and a half years of our government, we have done more to recruit physicians into this province compared to the 16 years. And especially when you look at the front page of the Leader-Post, from 2001 to 2006 the net out-migration of health care workers in Saskatchewan was 1,160 health care workers out, Mr. Speaker. In our first two and a half years, we have attracted 164 more physicians to our province than under that government, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker: — I recognize the member from Saskatoon Eastview.
Ms. Junor: — Mr. Speaker, that tired rhetoric is no consolation to women who have ovarian cancer. Mr. Speaker, in every other jurisdiction, including Saskatoon, gyne-oncologists work in a hospital setting with the proper support around them — not so in Regina where the specialists have to find their own office space and work without the support of a nurse.

Mr. Speaker, to the minister: is he going to provide immediate office space and examining room space in the Regina General Hospital along with the proper nursing support, or is he going to continue to ignore the issue until the second gyne-oncologist closes her practice?

The Speaker: — I recognize the Minister of Health.
Hon. Mr. McMorris: — Mr. Speaker, we have a gynecological oncology program working group that was established, Mr. Speaker, under our government. This working group has patient support, is represented through patient support groups. It also has a gynecology oncologist, the four that were in the province, working on this group as well as the health authorities of Regina Qu’Appelle, Saskatoon, and the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency to deal with this issue to have an ongoing program.

Mr. Speaker, the ministry officials have informed me that progress is being steadily made, Mr. Speaker. And yes, there are going to be decisions made by physicians to step aside. But, Mr. Speaker, we’re going in the right direction. It isn’t the working of that group . . .
[Interjections]

The Speaker: — Order. Order. I’d ask the opposition members to give the minister the same opportunity to respond as the government gave the member to ask the question. I recognize the minister.
Hon. Mr. McMorris: — Mr. Speaker, it isn’t the working of that group that would get into the micromanagement of what happens within a health region or the Cancer Agency. That is the auspices of the Cancer Agency or the regional health authority in their particular area, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker: — I recognize the member from Saskatoon Eastview.
Ms. Junor: — Mr. Speaker, this is clearly a lack of leadership. The working group has been ongoing for over two years. They’re going to just keep spinning their wheels unless the minister says, do this. The minister’s incompetence and failure to address the problems means there’s now only one gyne-oncologist looking after all of southern Saskatchewan women. This will put additional pressures on the remaining gyne-oncologist and potentially will increase the wait time for women who are waiting for even an initial diagnosis.

My question to the minister is this: will the Sask Party government be forced to send women out of the province for diagnosis and treatment because of their incompetence and failure?

The Speaker: — I recognize the Minister of Health.
Hon. Mr. McMorris: — As I had mentioned earlier that the health region, the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency, the Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region will be working hard in the next . . . in the past but as we move forward over the next month or so to attract another gyne-oncologist into the province. I am very proud of our government having set up a physician recruitment agency that will deal with this very issue, these very issues, Mr. Speaker.

Unfortunately that hadn’t been done for many, many years — never even contemplated under the former government when we saw hundreds and hundreds of doctors leaving this province, Mr. Speaker. In the last two and a half years, we’ve seen more doctors come to the province than leave — an increase of about 164. There is more work to do. That’s why we set up a recruitment agency, Mr. Speaker. And that’s why we’ve also increased the number of training seats in the College of Medicine and the number of residency positions, up to 108 residency positions in the province, Mr. Speaker, that will bode this province very well into the future.

The Speaker: — I recognize the member from Saskatoon Eastview.
Ms. Junor: — Mr. Speaker, ducking and weaving, I mean there is no answer in the minister’s rhetoric. And Dr. Brydon’s leaving her practice now because the province will not set up a gyne-cancer unit in Regina. This unit would allow women to be diagnosed, treated, and receive follow-up care in one place. To quote Dr. Brydon:
I actually don’t think that the way the system is structured in this province at this time allows anybody to do the job that needs to be done properly and that is because we do not have a gynecologic women’s cancer unit the way all other provinces do.
Mr. Speaker, to the minister: is the minister going to establish a gyne women’s cancer unit in the province now, or is he going to wait and wait and wait, and talk and talk, and talk and continue to risk the lives of women with ovarian cancer?

The Speaker: — I recognize the Minister of Health.
Hon. Mr. McMorris: — Mr. Speaker, we know and understand the very importance of this issue, Mr. Speaker. That’s why we set up a working group that has patient representative groups on it, that has the oncologists on it, that has the Cancer Agency, that has the health regions, to look at how to best manage this project, Mr. Speaker. There has been progress made, absolutely. But it’s interesting that they would stand and criticize the way the program and the way the health system is being run, when they have been in government for 16 years prior, setting up the very program they’re criticizing now, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, we’re looking at how we can improve this program as we move forward. We’re looking at how we can have the proper complement of gyne-oncologists within the province, Mr. Speaker, because we know that it is a very important issue, and we’re working to improve the health of women in our province, Mr. Speaker.

"No one will own the problem" Departing oncologist cites frustration - Dr. Lizabeth Brydon Saskatchewan

"No one will own the problem and it is a problem," Brydon said. "The fact of my leaving puts more pressure on it. I realize by doing this I have created a crisis, but we've given them two drop-dead dates saying, 'We're closing our office here because we can't cope.' "

Announcement: Annual International Gathering - Ovarian Cancer/ACOR

ACOR

Further information/registration (free): http://www.ocats.ca

Canadian Health Reference Guide - Saskatchewan Government and Health System Partners Release Plan to Improve Surgical Care

Note: no specific mention of ovarian cancer

OCATS requires your help

Message forwarded: website http://www.ocats.ca


H E L P!!!  We know it’s Grey Cup weekend, and Christmas is coming, and we’ve all got better things to do.  But, imagine in the middle of all this our Ministry of Health, without any consultations or even contacting the doctors with urgent and critical issues CANCELLED the meeting where they promised they would finally have a solution for us.

You know that for over a year now, since spring 2008, we’ve been asking for proper support for our gynecologic oncologists serving southern Saskatchewan.  In every other jurisdiction these specialists working in a clinical setting (i.e. a hospital!) with proper medical, nursing, pathology, radiology support.  But OH NO, not in Regina!  Here we expect these doctors to continue struggling to find simple office space to examine their patients and keep files.  They have to go out and find their own nursing, after hours and medical support.  This is beyond BIZARRE!  In the medical issues business, this has got to be something we can actually figure out and fix?  No?

Last meeting, I presented a solution for the interim.  Reimburse the doctors immediately for their private practice space, get a proper nurse in their for them.  This is minimal, while a real solution is sought.  Gov’t response – NONE, NADA.

This meeting was put off because not only is there no solution yet, no one has even contacted the doctors, visited them, observed their needs, nothing.  NADA.  Do we want/need these specialists - highly sought out and highly skilled experts who need to be in the operating room or examining patients – to be out looking for appropriate office space, trying to figure out how to PAY for it, recruiting for their own support staff, filling the supply cabinets????

Remember in the spring when a Regina gyne onc told the media that the working conditions had become unworkable?  This meant the specialists were considering closing their private practices.  This meant patients had to be shipped out of Regina?  Well – they were told a lot of promises, as was OCATS.  They were told a solution would come before Sept 1^st, then they said oh that was summer; we’ll get it done by fall.  Well fall has been deferred til next year!  Enough is Enough!!!!  Evidently the only time the Ministry seriously listens is when women in large numbers speak loudly.  The legislative assembly will be sitting for only a few more days. 

P l e a s e    h e l p    u s    s p e a k    l o u d l y !

Write to:  The Honourable Don McMorris, Minister of Health, Government of Saskatchewan, Minister's Office, Room 302, Legislative Building, 2405 Legislative Drive, Regina, SK, S4S 0B3, Fax (306) 787-0237, minister.he@gov.sk.ca, sophie.ferre@gov.sk.ca

Copy to:  (this is really the job of the Regina Qu’Appelle Health District) Dr. Dwight Nelson, CEO RQHD dwight.nelson@rqhealth.ca, Dr. Chris Vuksic, Chris.Vuksic@rqhealth.ca

And Copy to:  Dwain Lingenfelter, Leader of the Official Opposition and Opposition Health Critic, Judy Junor, c/o Dwight Yasinowsky at dyasinowski@ndpcaucus.sk.ca

cc:  OCATS too please, ocats@ocats.ca

Short, Sweet and To the Point is all you need:

Dear Minister – Ovarian cancer patients don’t have enough time for this continue bureaucratic fumbling.  There are highly paid administrators and executives are various levels who should be able to resolve the issue of poor working conditions for Gynecologic Oncologists serving Southern Saskatchewan.  Enough is enough.  At minimum get these specialist’s office space and support staff in place and paid for before the end of the year.