Palliative Care – It’s Everybody’s Business

Laurie Ann Nicholas, BSc, RD, CFNHM, is a Wolastoqey (Maliseet) woman from the Neqotkuk (Tobique) First Nation in New Brunswick, and she has dedicated 34 years to the Indigenous health field. A registered Dietitian and Certified First Nations Health Manager, Laurie Ann graduated from St. Francis Xavier University in 1988 and completed her dietetic internship in Ottawa in 1991. Throughout her career, she has worked in various locations across Canada, including Moose Factory, Akwesasne, and the Atlantic region, and has served on numerous community, regional, and national health committees. Laurie Ann has also presented at various national, regional, and international conferences. Currently, she serves as the co-chair of the Indigenous Liaison Committee and is part of the Spiritual Care Network within the New Brunswick Horizon Health Department. She also supports the NB Anti-Indigenous Racism in Healthcare/Cultural Safety project with the First New Brunswick Peoples Wellness Circle and two NB Mental Wellness teams, contributing her Indigenous cultural knowledge, songs, prayers, and ceremonies. In 2001, she co-founded the Aboriginal Nutrition Network within Dietitians of Canada. The second youngest of eight children, Laurie Ann is the proud daughter of the late Marilyn and Andrew Nicholas Jr. She is an Indigenous Cultural Practitioner, traditional drummer, dancer, and a pipe carrier, with a passion for walking, beading, traveling, and spending time with family and friends.

Dr. Hsien Seow, PhD is the Canada Research Chair in Palliative Care and Health System Innovation and a professor in the Department of Oncology at McMaster University. He publishes health care research focused on improving the patient and family experience for those facing serious illness. He is the co-author of The Tao of Innovation: Nine Questions Every Innovator Must Answer.

Dr. Samantha Winemaker, MD is a palliative care physician who cares for patients with serious illness and their families in the home. She is a clinical professor at McMaster University in the Department of Family Medicine, Division of Palliative Care. She has won numerous awards for her leadership and palliative care education for health care professionals.

Dr. Marwa Fagir is a general internal medicine physician with a subspecialty in palliative care. She completed her internal medicine training at Harlem Hospital Center in New York City, in affiliation with Columbia University, and recently completed a palliative medicine fellowship at the University of Toronto. Now practicing in Fredericton, New Brunswick, she is passionate about integrating palliative care into the management of advanced non- malignant diseases. Dr. Fagir is actively engaged in medical education through the Stepping Stones Year 2 program at the University of Toronto and is committed to fostering healthcare equity and promoting EDI initiatives in the workplace. Outside of medicine, she is a mother and enjoys outdoor gardening.

Denise Savage RN CHPCN(C), Extra Mural Program Provincial Palliative Care Champion SPA-LTC With over two decades of dedicated experience in nursing, Denise Savage has built a distinguished career in acute and palliative care. Originally from Grand Falls, NB, graduate of the University of New Brunswick, Denise Savage completed her nursing education 21 years ago, and since then, has remained steadfast in her commitment to providing compassionate, holistic care to individuals facing life- limiting illnesses and provides education for those involved. Certified in Hospice and Palliative Care by the Canadian Nurses Association (CHPCN(C)), Denise is deeply passionate about enhancing the quality of life for patients and their families during some of life’s most difficult moments. She is dedicated to managing symptoms, supporting emotional and spiritual well- being, and helping families navigate the complexities of end-of-life care. Strengthening a palliative approach to care is a culture change that Denise believes could end suffering and promote quality of life. Outside of work, Denise enjoys spending time with her family and friends. She loves outdoor activities such as running, spinning, dancing, and snowmobiling. An adventure enthusiast, she also enjoys hiking in unique and off-the-beaten-path locations.

Jennifer Elliott is an experienced and compassionate Nurse Practitioner with a diverse career spanning long-term care, hospice care, healthcare management, and academia. A graduate of Dalhousie University (BScN) and the University of New Brunswick (MN-NP), Jennifer has demonstrated a deep commitment to providing high-quality, patient- centered care across various settings and educating the next generation of healthcare professionals. Having spent the majority of her career in long-term care and hospice environments, Jennifer has honed a deep understanding of the complexities of chronic illness and end-of-life care. She is an advocate for a focus on quality of life, consistent communication and an interdisciplinary approach. Her expertise in pain management, symptom control, and emotional support has made her a trusted provider and advocate for patients in vulnerable situations. Jennifer is one of the New Brunswick Provincial Palliative Care Champions supporting Long-term Care staff in their education and implementation of the Scaling up a Palliative Approach in Long-Term Care (SPA-LTC) project. She is also a Learning Essential Approaches to Palliative Care (LEAP) facilitator.

Colleen O’ Connell is a professor of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at Dalhousie University and a member of the Canadian ALS Research Network. She is Medical Director and Research Chief of New Brunswick’s Stan Cassidy Centre for Rehabilitation, where she is lead of the provincial ALS Clinic. Believing in strength of collaboration – or having difficulty saying no – she joins many networks and guidelines committees, including the Canadian ALS best practice recommendations and faculty of the Breaking the News in ALS education program. As Co-Chair of the World Health Organization World Rehabilitation Alliance, she collaborates with an international team to advocate for the strengthening of rehabilitation in health systems. Researcher interests are broad, tending to early adoption of technology (FOMO) in mobility and function. She has authored and provided technical guidance on rehabilitation in challenging regions, with infield emergencies humanitarian work including Haiti, Nepal and Ukraine.

Emilie Labat is a registered nurse who works at the Georges Dumont Hospital in Moncton, NB.

Tina Learmonth is the Regional Director of Operations at Bayshore Home Care Solutions, overseeing operations across Atlantic Canada and Manitoba. With over 20 years of experience in Community Care, she has successfully led teams through growth and organizational change. As President of the New Brunswick Home Support Association, Tina played a key role in securing investments for Personal Support Workers and in the designation of PSWs as a certifiable occupation in New Brunswick. Her experience with a family member’s palliative care journey has reinforced her dedication to advancing compassionate, high-quality care for others.

Shauna Wilcox is a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Pediatric Palliative Care at the IWK, working on the Pediatric Advanced Care Team (PACT). With over ten years of experience in pediatric palliative care, as well as experience in adult palliative and hospice care, Shauna brings over 20 years of pediatric nursing expertise. She is dedicated to providing collaborative, compassionate care for children and families facing serious illness. Passionate about advocacy, education, and improving accessibility and equity, Shauna is actively involved in national and provincial initiatives to enhance pediatric palliative care.

Jennifer Malley, MN, RN, CHPCN(C), is a resource nurse at Extra-Mural, specializing in palliative care. She is passionate about promoting the palliative approach to care and helping staff at her local unit practice safely and to their full scope of practice.

Paryse Ouellette, RN, Lead for palliative care strategy, Vitalité Network is a passionate young nurse. Since graduating and during her studies, Paryse has had the opportunity to support patients and their families at home and in hospitals during the final moments of life. This significant experience has awakened in her a growing interest in palliative care, a field she has chosen to pursue with determination in her role as Leader. She is now responsible for implementing an innovative vision to improve the services offered to patients and their families in our communities in accordance with the provincial strategy. She is also fully committed to strengthening education and knowledge on the palliative approach in NB.

Louise Boissonnault, Spiritual Care Practitioner Louise is from Campbellton. After a 20-year career in physiotherapy working with children in Campbellton, Vancouver and Moncton, Louise obtained a Masters in Contemporary Religious Studies in Sherbrooke and training through the Canadian Association for Spiritual Care. She has been working as a spiritual care practitioner in the Vitalité Health Network in Moncton since 2012. She is a LEAP instructor teaming up with Dr. Cynthia Savoy and Paryse Ouellette. Her past volunteer work in Haiti and her passion for personal and spiritual growth contribute to her work as a spiritual care practitioner.

For over 25 years, Kelly has been dedicating her professional and volunteer work to supporting individuals, families, organizations and communities who are coping with grief. She has received extensive training in grief support and counselling including Certificates in Children and Youth Grief and Bereavement and Perinatal Grief and Loss. Kelly is a member of the Canadian Association of Spiritual Care and a Clinical Spiritual Care Practitioner and the Manager of Spiritual Care for the Saint John area of Horizon Health Network. She is trained in Mindful Self-Compassion and Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction from the Centre for Mindfulness Studies in Toronto and includes the components of Mindful Self-Compassion: Mindfulness, Self-Kindness and Connectedness in her grief programs, her work and is practicing (trying) in her daily life. Kelly believes that all of us should have grief skills and at its truest nature, grief support can be defined by Brene Brown’s quote: “It’s simply listening, holding space, without judgement, emotionally connecting and communicating the incredibly healing message of “You are Not Alone.”