Todd Cunningham, PhD: Assistive Technology After Childhood Cancer
Assistive Technology After Childhood Cancer
While the survival rate for childhood cancer is 82%, approximately 60% of these young survivors will experience long-term effects because of their cancer or treatment. The late effects that affect the brain and learning and cognition can range from mild to severe and can include cognitive impairment resulting in learning difficulties that can affect a young person’s success at school or in the workplace. Assistive technology is any technology that allows someone to use their natural strengths to overcome an area of weakness. Todd Cunningham explains that new technology exists to help with cognition, like reading and identifying important parts of the text. With artificial intelligence, the software can analyze a document and highlight the most important bits of information for the reader, cuing them to pay attention to that passage. Assistive technology reduces the cognition load, allowing you to pay attention to what’s really important and relevant.
Todd Cunningham, PhD, C.Psych is a psychologist with Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON. He spoke at POGO’s 2013 Survivor Conference: Life after Childhood Cancer where he presented these and other ideas.
Download a PDF of Todd's full presentation
Straight Talk about Childhood Cancer is POGO’s series of video shorts featuring the insights of experts whose leading-edge work impacts the care, treatment and quality of life of childhood cancer patients, survivors and their families.
Dr. Sean Phipps: Post Traumatic Stress vs Growth in Pediatric Oncology
The traumatic stress model starts with the assumption that cancer is a traumatic event, and people often think of children with cancer as having depression or post-traumatic stress. But that is not always the case.
Dr. Sean Phipps and his team discovered that for some survivors their personal function actually improved as a result of their cancer experience.
Sean Phipps, PhD is the Chair of Psychology at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. He spoke at the 2013 POGO Multi-Disciplinary Symposium on Childhood Cancer.
Straight Talk about Childhood Cancer is POGO’s new series of video shorts featuring the insights of experts whose leading-edge work impacts the care, treatment and quality of life of childhood cancer patients, survivors and their families.
Dr. Christopher Recklitis: Emotional Health After Childhood Cancer
For many patients, the childhood cancer experience takes them away from school, hobbies and friends and thrusts them into the adult world.
In his talk Emotional Health After Childhood Cancer, Dr. Christopher Recklitis stresses the importance of talking to your healthcare professionals about how to maintain balance between regular life and treatment.
Christopher Recklitis, PhD, MPH, is the Director of Research and Supportive Services at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School in Boston. He spoke at POGO’s 2013 Survivor Conference: Life after Childhood Cancer.
Straight Talk about Childhood Cancer is POGO’s series of video shorts featuring the insights of experts whose leading-edge work impacts the care, treatment and quality of life of childhood cancer patients, survivors and their families.
Dr. Mike Neal: Male Fertility Concerns for Survivors
Dr. Mike Neal: Male Fertility Concerns for Survivors
One false assumption is that childhood cancer treatment won’t have an effect on fertility. It is important to increase awareness about the options men have prior to and post treatment. Procedures can be easy and inexpensive and can offer insurance to young men who are hoping to have a family down the road.
Michael Neal, BSc. (Hons), MSc is the Scientific Director at ONE Fertility in Burlington Ontario. He spoke at POGO’s 2013 Survivor Conference: Life after Childhood Cancer.
Straight Talk about Childhood Cancer is POGO’s series of video shorts featuring the insights of experts whose leading-edge work impacts the care, treatment and quality of life of childhood cancer patients, survivors and their families.
Dr. David Malkin: New Approaches in Childhood Cancer
New Cures and Approaches to the Diagnosis and Treatment of Childhood Cancer
Two notable advancements in the diagnosis and treatment of childhood cancers are the science of genomics (how genetic changes occur in tumour cells) and the use of developing cancers in model organisms, such as the zebra fish, in order to develop new drugs to test and translate to human use. POGO Medical Director Dr. David Malkin discusses how now, more than ever, it is important to develop and fund collaborative research groups, across Canada and internationally, in order to catalyze significant leaps forward in the field of pediatric oncology.
David Malkin, MD, FRCSC is the POGO Medical Director and POGO Chair in Childhood Cancer Control and Professor of the Department of Paediatrics and Medical Biophysics, School of Graduate Studies at the University of Toronto. He is also a Senior Staff Oncologist of the Haematology/Oncology department for the Hospital for Sick Children. He spoke at the 2013 POGO Multi-Disciplinary Symposium on Childhood Cancer.
Straight Talk about Childhood Cancer is POGO’s series of video shorts featuring the insights of experts whose leading-edge work impacts the care, treatment and quality of life of childhood cancer patients, survivors and their families.
Dr. Ellen Greenblatt: Female Fertility Concerns for Survivors
Dr. Ellen Greenblatt: Female Fertility Concerns for Survivors
It is crucial for childhood cancer patients to remember that life does go on after cancer. Understandably, fertility is an important aspect of that. Cancer treatments, however, can jeopardize reproductive health, most notably due to certain chemotherapy agents, particularly the class called alkylating agents that can kill off eggs in women and sperm in men. Radiation treatment to the pelvis can also affect ovarian function or the ability for the uterus to carry a pregnancy.
Despite such concerns, Dr. Greenblatt assures young survivors that there are many therapies that are less toxic and that pregnancy after cancer is not associated with a higher risk of abnormalities in children. She recommends visiting a reproductive endocrinologist and infertility centre if you have undergone treatment yourself. While such measures are recommended, Dr. Greenblatt provides a healthy reminder: all women, not only survivors, must think of family planning as planning their family rather than leaving it up to chance.
Ellen Greenblatt, MD, FRCSC is the Medical Director for the Centre for Fertility and Reproductive Health at the Mount Sinai Hospital and Associate Professor of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Toronto. She spoke at POGO’s 2013 Survivor Conference: Life after Childhood Cancer.
Straight Talk about Childhood Cancer is POGO’s new series of video shorts featuring the insights of experts whose leading-edge work impacts the care, treatment and quality of life of childhood cancer patients, survivors and their families.
Dr. Jim Drake: The Role of Medical Robotics in Pediatric Surgery
https://youtu.be/4wUhWDBSwbg
Currently, medical robotics plays a significant role in the surgical treatment of certain diseases such as prostate and abdominal cancers. Over the next ten years, robotics will play an increasing role in every aspect of surgery, significantly impacting the field of pediatric oncology.
Dr. James Drake explains that, in certain instances, using robotics produces better results that are often faster and safer than traditional surgical procedures. He envisions that in the next ten years we will see semi-autonomous robots assisting with complicated surgeries, accessing areas that surgeons have difficulty reaching. With a vast pool of talent and expertise, Canada is poised to lead the way, but the field of medical robotics needs everyone’s advocacy and support to achieve its exciting and ambitious goals.
James Drake is the Head of Neurosurgery at the Hospital for Sick Children and Professor of Surgery at the University of Toronto. He spoke at the 2013 POGO Multi-Disciplinary Symposium on Childhood Cancer.
Straight Talk about Childhood Cancer is POGO’s new series of video shorts featuring the insights of experts whose leading-edge work impacts the care, treatment and quality of life of childhood cancer patients, survivors and their families.
Dr. Anne Katz: Navigating Relationships after Childhood Cancer
Childhood cancer treatment can have a variety of side effects for patients, including sexual dysfunction, reproductive issues and sexual problems that may last for only a few months or persist for years. It can become even more difficult for the survivor when these problems begin to involve others and they need to communicate these side effects to their partners. People respond very differently and often unexpectedly when they learn someone they care about once had cancer. How much do you share, and when should you begin speaking about the experience?
Dr. Katz explains that when looking for support or advice, it might seem easy to turn to the internet but due to the complicated and often individual nature of the issues, it requires a discerning mind to sift through and find relevant information. What she recommends as helpful, is a conversation with a nurse, social worker or a counsellor who is more familiar with individual patients and has experience dealing with concerns like these.
Anne Katz, PhD, RN is a Clinical Nurse Specialist & AASECT Certified Sexuality Counsellor with Cancer Care Manitoba. She spoke at POGO’s 2013 Survivor Conference: Life after Childhood Cancer where she presented these and other ideas.
Straight Talk about Childhood Cancer is POGO’s new series of video shorts featuring the insights of experts whose leading-edge work impacts the care, treatment and quality of life of childhood cancer patients, survivors and their families.
Dr. Paul Rogers: The Role of Nutrition in Childhood Cancer
Dr. Paul Rogers explains that malnourishment can in fact result from receiving very high dose chemotherapy, and, as a consequence, medical teams need to be more proactive in supporting children’s dietary needs. He suggests that weight, though it’s the most common measure, isn't a sufficient indicator on its own. Dr. Rogers points out that while nutritional supports can diminish the effects of chemotherapy and help a child maintain their health while in treatment, he is clear that research is still needed to determine the overall impact on disease.
Dr. Paul Rogers is a pediatric oncologist at BC Children’s Hospital and Professor Emeritus at the University of British Columbia. He presented “The Role of Nutrition in Pediatric Oncology” at the 2013 POGO Symposium on Childhood Cancer, an annual education event to help health care professionals remain up-to-date in the rapidly advancing field of pediatric oncology.
Straight Talk about Childhood Cancer is POGO’s new series of video shorts featuring the insights of experts whose leading-edge work impacts the care, treatment and quality of life of childhood cancer patients, survivors and their families.