NBHPCA-ASPNB 2026 Annual Conference on Palliative Care

Living Well With Palliative Care

Friday April 24th, 2026

Registration deadline is Friday April 10, 2026

Overall
Learning Objectives
for This Program

After attending this program
participants should be able to:

  • Identify best practices when initiating a palliative approach to care of patients with non-malignant diagnoses, including Parkinson’s disease, renal disease.
  • Recognize the importance that the Indigenous perspective is considered by the entire interdisciplinary team when delivering patient-centred palliative care in NB.
  • Participate in a community of palliative practice to enhance collaboration, mutual support, and access to palliative care expertise across NB.

Featured Presentations & Speakers

Managing Cancer and Living Meaningfully (CALM)(*E)

Dr. Sarah Hales is a psychiatrist and researcher in the Division of Psychosocial Oncology at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto and Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto. Her research has been funded by numerous funding agencies including the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Canadian Cancer Society, and Prostate Cancer Canada/Movember. Her clinical and research interests include the advanced cancer experience as it affects patients and families, and psychotherapeutic interventions aimed at alleviating their distress. She is also the co-developer of Managing Cancer and Living Meaningfully (CALM), a brief semi-structured psychological intervention Aimed at helping patients with advanced disease and their families live well despite awareness of mortality.

Palliative Care and Chronic Kidney Disease (*F)

Dr. Nawel Mazari is currently the lead for palliative care strategy at Vitalité. She works to strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration and team training. She has completed specialized medical studies in nephrology and nephropathology in France and Algeria and served as an associate professor of nephrology at the University of Medicine in Algiers. Her research has focused on longevity and quality of life, using innovative and non‑invasive methods to identify cardiovascular risk factors in patients with end‑stage chronic kidney disease treated by different modalities. Dr. Mazari also has experience in the nephrological management of patients with life‑threatening conditions.

Palliative Considerations in Persons with Parkinson’s Disease (*E)

Dr. Jessica Dawe is a neurologist currently undertaking additional training in palliative medicine at Dalhousie in Halifax, NS. After completing her neurology training, she practiced in rural Nova Scotia as a general neurologist, then in Halifax in a chronic pain clinic before deciding to expand her scope of practice into palliative medicine. She has roots in Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick, and is delighted to be able to talk with her colleagues about palliative considerations for patients with neurologic disorders.

Etuaptmumk/Two Eyed Seeing: Allyship in a Palliative Approach to Care (*E)

Recognized by the Canadian and Nova Scotia Association of Social Work with a 2020 Distinguished Service Award, Serena Lewis is a social worker, consultant and educator committed to values of social change. Her career in Nova Scotia has been diverse in non-profit, provincial, and federal systems. She has been a champion in each of these sectors advocating for, and with the people she engages. In 2018 awarded the Wesley and Jeanne Drodge Award for Health and Social Policy, Serena has been committed to asking hard questions of systems, leaders, and the public. Serena is honoured to have joined Tajikeimɨk Mi’kmaw Health and Wellness team as a Healing Through Loss Lead for the province, inclusive of all thirteen Mi’kmaw communities. As a clinician who has specialized in the field of dying, death and grief, she has mentored, educated and case consulted with teams locally, provincially, and nationally. Facilitator and committee participant on various national groups, she has elevated the necessity for social justice in end of life. Her participation and activism in the Nova Scotia Mass Casualty tragedy have demonstrated that Canadians need to rethink how we live and die. Family and community centered approaches are necessary for natural death and grief, and they become critical when violence, and disasters intersect. Serena holds a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor and Master of Social Work. She is the proud mother of two sons, and a Bernese Mountain dog.

(E) – presentation in English/ présentation en anglais
(F) – presentation in French/ présentation en français

Simultaneous translation offered for all sessions/ Traduction simultanée à toutes les sessions

Evaluations will be accessible through the entire conference. Please remember to save & submit!
Les évaluations seront accessibles tout au long de la conférence. N’oubliez pas de sauvegarder et de soumettre !

Full Conference Program

08:00 – 08:15: Login & Virtual Networking.

08:15 – 08:25: Welcome & Opening Remarks (Emma Vibert, CNS).

08:30 – 10:00: Session 1: Managing Cancer and Living Meaningfully (CALM).
(Q&A 09:35-10:00)

10:00 – 10:15: Health Break.

10:15 – 12:00: Session 2: Palliative Care and Chronic Kidney Disease.
(Q&A 11:35-12:00)

12:00 – 12:30: Lunch Break.

12:30 – 14:00: Session 3: Palliative Considerations in Persons with Parkinson’s Disease.
(Q&A 13:35-14:00)

14:00 – 14:15: Health Break.

14:15 – 15:15: Session 4: Etuaptmumk/Two Eyed Seeing: Allyship in Care.
(Q&A 14:50-15:15)

15:15 – 15:30: Closing Remarks (Dr. Thomas McNally).

Takeaways from each presentation

Managing Cancer and Living Meaningfully (CALM)
Presented by Dr. Sarah Hales, MD PhD

  • Identify the diverse factors that contribute to emotional and existential distress in patients facing advanced disease.
  • Describe the theoretical foundations, structure, and therapeutic process of CALM therapy.
  • Identify specific therapeutic skills and approaches that can be immediately incorporated into your palliative care practice.

Palliative Care and Chronic Kidney Disease
Presented by Nawel Mazari

  • Identify patients with chronic kidney disease who would benefit from an early palliative care intervention.
  • Describe the specific challenges of palliative care in this population, specifically symptom management and impacts on quality of life.
  • Define care goals and end-of-life therapeutic options using a patient-centered, shared decision-making approach.

Palliative Considerations in Parkinson’s Disease
Presented by Dr. Jessica Dawe, MD, FRCPC

  • Identify non-motor symptoms of advanced Parkinson’s and implement initial management strategies.
  • Recognize and avoid parkinsonism-hyperpyrexia and dopamine agonist withdrawal syndromes.
  • Plan the management of Parkinson’s medications at the end-of-life, specifically anticipating the loss of the ability to swallow.

Etuaptmumk/Two Eyed Seeing: Allyship in Care
Presented by Serena Lewis, MSW

  • Define the concept of Etuaptmumk and understand its critical importance within a palliative approach to care.
  • Describe why implementing culturally safe and trauma-informed practices is a form of active allyship.
  • List actionable ways to become a courageous ally for individuals and families within the palliative care system.

Credit Hour Statement:

This activity meets the certification criteria of the College of Family Physicians of Canada and has been certified by Dalhousie University Continuing Professional Development and Medical Education for up to 5.75 Mainpro+® Certified Activity credits.

This activity is an Accredited Group Learning Activity (Section 1) as defined by the Maintenance of Certification Program of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, and approved by Dalhousie University Continuing Professional Development and Medical Education. You may claim a maximum of 5.75 hours (credits are automatically calculated).

Approval Statement:

Educationally approved by Dalhousie University Continuing
Professional Development and Medical Education.