MSES & MDSA Newsletter - July 2025 | Upcoming Annual General Meeting | The regular timing for the annual general meeting for MSES & MDSA is being adjusted to September beginning this year. The official notice of the meeting will be sent out as an event invitation via email in the next month. Keep and eye out for it. AGM: Tuesday September 23rd, 16:30 - 18:00 | Welcoming New Medical Staff January - May 2025 | We are pleased to welcome the 34 medical staff that have join teams at BC Cancer starting between January and May this year. Take an opportunity to say hello to someone new and stay tuned for more updates on new medical staff every quarter. | Abbotsford - Dr. Lavanya Gurram, Radiation Oncologist
- Courtney Honoski, Nurse Practitioner
CON Sites - Dr. Christine Scott, General Practitioner Oncology
Prince George - Dr. Andre Guimaraes Gouveia, Radiation Oncologist
| Kelowna - Dr. Lauren Capozzi, Physiatrist
- Dr. Akaljot Grewal, Anesthesiologist
- Dr. Brian Healy Medical Oncologist
- Kathleen MCaig, Nurse Practitioner
- Gwendolyn Muir, Nurse Practitioner
- Dr. Todd Radostits, Anesthesiologist
- Dr. Thomas Riekki, Anesthesiologist
- Dr. Joel Strautman, General Practitioner Oncology
- Dr. Evan Wynne, Dentist
- Dr. Jieying Yu, Anesthesiologist
| | Vancouver - Dr. Wai Chan, Radiation Oncologist
- Dr. Alexa Dang, Radiation Oncologist
- Dr. Avni Jain, Surgeon
- Dr. Shuying Ji, Pathologist
- Sungmin Kim, Nurse Practitioner
- Dr. Maisam Makarem, Medical Oncologist
- Dr. Brian O'Meara, Radiologist
- Dr. Guliz Ozgun, Medical Oncologist
- Dr. Andrew Pritchard, Radiation Oncologist
- Dr. Alexander Roberts, General Practitioner Oncology
- Dr. Alastair Williams, Physician
- Dr. Siri Reinbold, Psychiatrist
| Surrey - Dr. Lauren Jones, Medical Oncologist
- Dr. Mairi Lucas, Medical Oncologist
Victoria - Dr. Samreen Chaudry, Radiation Oncologist
- Dr. Gurdial Dhillon, Surgeon
- Esther Ho, Nurse Practitioner
- Dr. Isabelle Savoie, Physician
- Sydney Sawyer, Nurse Practitioner
- Dr. Debjani Grenier, Medical Oncologist
| | MSES & MDSA Feature Story | Celebrating World Self-Care Day! July 24, 2025 We’re excited to bring you a feature this month that highlights some of the wellness work happening at BC Cancer and PHSA. You’ll also find some personal self-care tips from wellness leaders within BC Cancer and MDSA. | | Wellness Work at BC Cancer - BC Cancer MSES & MDSA Wellness Subcommittee was formed in 2018. MSES funds are dedicated to deepening our understanding of the workplace wellness related challenges faced by BC Cancer Medical Staff and working toward solutions. This year with funding from MSES, the subcommittee has undertaken a project to explore the value of Commensality Groups and create regional Commensality Group champions to bring this initiative to life for medical staff at BC Cancer. For more information, read the proposal.
- PHSA Medical Staff Wellbeing and Workplace Experience survey received a 47.88% response rate from BC Cancer. Thank you to everyone who completed the survey and contributed to the information that will inform action planning related to Health Authority wellness initiatives for medical staff. We look forward to hearing the findings and actions to come from this survey in the fall.
- BC Cancer Medical and Staff Wellbeing and Engagement Initiative has launched to focus on wellbeing issues and solutions specific to BC Cancer, with Dr. Sharlene Gill and Kelly Nystedt leading the way. They have shared an update on progress made to date to understand the needs and priorities from BC Cancer Staff and Medical Staff. If you have a suggestion to improve wellbeing in the workplace at BC Cancer, you are invited to email Sharlene and Kelly
| Wellness Leaders' Hot-Takes on Self-Care | Dr. Andrea Pollock, GPO, MSES & MDSA President shares a strategy in honour of her recently passed dog- Jake “17 years of walking my dog ( best dog ever) – 30 min at least 4 x/week – and I would practice some mindfulness along the way – listening for 5 different sounds, paying attention to the nature around me- in my suburban streets and in my small forest path in my neighborhood- helping to bring some calm and just slow down , he was a part of my health. And other times when one of my kids came along – a chance to connect 1:1—precious time together.” | Dr. Dylan Narinesingh, Radiation Oncologist, MSES & MDSA Vice President shares how laughter, famly, friends and movement close out his week: "My week ends with a Friday night dads and kids gym night at our school gymnasium. As one of the two organizers, it's a time for me, other dads and our kids to have an hour and a half of fun. It's a great way to leave the week behind, a time to have fun with my kids and their friends and just enjoy the time with others playing soccer, gaga ball, softball etc. A good work out, lots of laughter and a time to leave the cares of work behind." | | Dr. Sharlene Gill, Medical Oncologist and Medical Director Medical and Staff Wellbeing and Engagement, shares her syrategy to intentionally transition out of work: "I’ve recently started walking home — or at least part of the way. After a busy day, it gives me a chance to clear my head, get some fresh air, and leave the clinic day behind before I walk through my front door. It’s my daily ‘debrief with myself’ — no pager, no emails, just me and my thoughts (and sometimes a podcast!)." | Kelly Nystedt, Executive Director, Medical and Staff Wllbeing and Engagement adds peace to her routine with fresh-air, beatiful scenery and movement: “I have a small kayak and love to get out on the water. I call the ocean ‘my place of peace’. I rarely have a destination, I just go out and paddle, and make sure to pause and just float around for a bit to take in and enjoy the purity and beauty of the sights and sounds of nature; the water, the trees, the birds, the seals…No matter what else is going on in my work or home life, being out on the water leaves me overflowing with gratitude and never fails to reset and re-centre me.” | | Peer Recognition in Action! | As a community of medical staff, you are improving wellness by sharing gratitude and coffee! To date: 126 Kudos submissions have been made, 44 this fiscal year so far; both senders and recipients have received a $5 coffee gift card and a message of gratitude. Since our last newsletter, these medical staff have been recognized for leading the way, providing excellent care to patients, and supporting and inspiring colleagues. - Dr. Shrinivas Rathod, Radiation Oncologist, Vancouver
- Dr. Steve Follett, General Practitioner Omcology, Kelwona
- Dr. Elysha Vander Veer, Hematologist/Oncologist, Surrey
- Dr. Charlotte Yong-Hing, Radiologist, Vancouver
- Chelsea Murphy, Nurse Practitioner, Kelowna
- Dr. Allison Ye, Radiation Oncologist, Prince George
- Dr. Suzanne Carlisle, Dentist, Surrey
- Dr. Pippa Hawley, Palliative Care Physician, Vancouver
- Dr. Julia Ridley, Palliative Care Physician, Vancouver
- Dr. Sarah Lucas, General Practitioner Oncology, Kelowna
- Dr. Laura Callan, Radiation Oncologist, Kelowna
- Dr. David Nguyen, Medical Oncologist, Kelowna
- Dr. Simon Baxter, Medical Oncologist, Kelowna
- Dr. Mira Keyes, Radiation Oncologist, Vancouver
- Dr. Michael Peacock, Radiation Oncologist, Vancouver
It only takes a few minutes to spread your gratitude, share a coffee, and bring a little positivity to a colleague's day. | MSES & MDSA Engagement Project Review and Approval Committee | We are seeking BC Cancer physicians interested in dipping their toes into MSES & MDSA work. This newly formed committee will meet for 60 mins once per quarter to review applications for project funding from BC Cancer Medical Staff. Email us if you are curious about this opportunitiy. | | Facility Engagement Funding: Turning ideas into action | Engagement Project Funding Accepting applications for 2025/26 | If you have an idea to engage medical staff or to improve the quality of patient care at your centre or across the province, let us know. You can receive up to $7500 in funding to use during our fiscal year (April 1 - March 31). We are now accepting applications with a deadline of August 15 for review and decision in September. If you have a project that needs more urgent consideration please let us know and we will do our best to accomodate. Schedule of project reviews: - Application deadline: August 15. Review and decision: September
- Application deadline: November 15. Review and decision: December
- Application deadline: February 15. Review and decision: March
- Application deadline May 15. Review and decision: June
| If your project involves quality improvements, we can also connect you with a coach who can support your successful execution. If you're not sure whether your idea qualifies or how to get started on your proposal, we'd be happy to talk through it with you, send us an email to connect. If you're ready to go email your completed application to mses@bccancer.bc.ca | | Get Inspired! Past Engagement Projects | Tap into your colleagues across the province for inspiration See what other BC Cancer Medical Staff have done with recent project funding here. For a peak into the projects and learnings at other sites across BC check out the Site Engagement Activity Tracker (SEAT) Database from Facility Engagement | | Regional Funding Working for Medical Staff Priorities | MSES & MDSA sets aside Facility Engagement Funds to support your regional centre. Regional Representatives will be looking for ideas or topics of interest. Connect with your MDSA Regional Representative with your ideas for events. - Vancouver: Dr. Elisa Chan & Dr. Janine Davies
- Prince George: Dr. Allison Ye
- Surrey: Dr. Will Jiang & Dr. Elysha Vanderveer
- Abbotsford: Dr. Thao Nguyen
- Victoria: Dr. Zia Poonja & Dr. Sally Smith
- Kelowna: Dr. Angela Lin & Dr. Susan Ellard
- CON sites: Dr. Meghan Macdonald
| | Wellness Exchange: New weekly series starting July 30 | What's Happening at BC Cancer & PHSA | In case you missed it: Cancer Action Plan Update | Share your thoughts What's your perspective on progress of the Cancer Action Plan? Do you have enough clear information on changes happening at your centre? What progress updates would you like BC Cancer to share in future? How is the Cancer Action Plan work changing your practice?Talk to your Regional Rep or send us an email with your thoughts The latest information: In case you missed it: | | As medical staff with privileges at BC Cancer including regional centres and community oncology network sites, you are a member of MSES & MDSA and receiving this bulletin. MSES is funded through Facility Engagement, a provincial initiative of the Specialist Services Committee. | | | | | |
