The Toronto Central Regional Cancer Program is led by a team including two Cancer Care Ontario Regional Vice Presidents and physicians who have taken on the role of Regional Clinical Leads in a particular area of cancer care. Regional Clinical Leads help ensure partner hospitals are aligned with Cancer Care Ontario’s goals, promote collaboration within the region, and work toward measurable improvements in the quality and organization of cancer services within their region.
A steering committee provides further support and guidance in developing and implementing strategies to improve the delivery and quality of cancer services in the region.
Dr. Andrew J. Smith
Interim Cancer Care Ontario Regional Vice President, Toronto Central Regional Cancer Program
Dr. Andrew Smith completed medical school and General Surgery residency at the University of Toronto. During residency, he completed a Masters of Science studying the molecular biology of colorectal cancer. Subsequently, he completed a Surgical Oncology Fellowship at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York.
Dr. Smith is a Surgical Oncologist the Odette Cancer Centre, Interim CEO of the Odette Cancer Centre and Vice President of the Regional Cancer Program at Cancer Care Ontario, Head of the Division of General Surgery at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Associate Professor and the Bernard & Ryna Langer Chair of General Surgery at the University of Toronto. Most recently, he has completed extensive travel around the U.K, Australia and Hong Kong representing Canada as the James IV Travelling Fellow for 2009.
His major clinical and research interest is metastatic, locally recurrent and locally advanced colorectal cancer and knowledge translation. In addition to his surgical practice, he maintains an energetic leadership role promoting cancer quality improvement initiatives in Ontario.
Dr. Mary Gospodarowicz
Cancer Care Ontario Regional Vice President, Toronto Central Regional Cancer Program
Dr. Mary Gospodarowicz is the Medical Director of the Cancer Program and Chief of the Radiation Medicine Program at Princess Margaret Hospital in the University Health Network. She is also the professor and chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology at the University of Toronto, and chairs the International Union Against Cancer’s Task Force on Prognostic Factors.
Dr. Gospodarowicz received her medical degree from the University of Toronto and holds specialty certifications in internal medicine, medical oncology and radiation oncology. She is engaged in active radiation oncology clinical practice and is considered an expert in malignant lymphomas and genitourinary cancers.
Her research interests include the role of radiation therapy in lymphomas, prostate cancer, bladder cancer, and testis cancer. She is also interested in developing and implementing image guided precision radiotherapy, late effects research, survivorship programs and research.
Regional Clinical Leads in the Toronto Central Regional Cancer Program
Cancer Surgery
Dr. Jonathan Irish, Princess Margaret Hospital
Dr. Sherif Hanna, Odette Cancer Centre
Systemic Treatment (Chemotherapy)
Dr. Malcolm Moore, Princess Margaret Hospital
Radiation Treatment
Dr. Padraig Warde, Princess Margaret Hospital
Dr. Shun Wong, Odette Cancer Centre
Palliative Care
Dr. Camilla Zimmermann, Lederman Palliative Care Centre, Princess Margaret Hospital
Dr. Jeff Myers, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
Primary Care
Dr. Sandy Buchman, Toronto Central Regional Cancer Program
Regional Steering Committee Members
Dr. Mary Gospodarowicz, Regional Vice President, Princess Margaret Hospital
Dr. Andrew J. Smith, Interim Regional Vice President, Odette Cancer Centre
Sarah Downey, Vice President, Princess Margaret Hospital
Martha Wyatt, Director, Regional Cancer Program Planning, Princess Margaret Hospital
Yvette Matyas, Director of Operations and Regional Planning, Odette Cancer Centre
Susan Blacker, Administrative Lead, St. Michael’s Hospital
Dr. Ori Rotstein, Clinical Lead, St. Michael’s Hospital
Marlene Beallie, Administrative Lead (A), Mount Sinai Hospital
Dr. Lisa Del Giudice, Family Physician, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
Dr. Andrea Eisen, Prevention and Screening Lead, Odette Cancer Centre
Sue Bell, Administrative Lead (A), St. Joseph's Health Centre
Dr. John Blondal, Clinical Lead, St. Joseph’s Health Centre
Terri Stuart-McEwan, Administrative Lead, Women’s College Hospital
Dr. Heidi Roberts, Clinical Lead, Women’s College Hospital
Penny Walcott, Administrative Lead, Women’s College Hospital
Dr. Jacinta Meharchand, Clinical Lead, Toronto East General Hospital
Judy Van Clieaf, Administrative Lead, The Hospital for Sick Children
Carol Turriff, South Central Region, Canadian Cancer Society
Bill Manson, Senior Director, Performance, Contracts and Allocations, Toronto Central LHIN
Debbie Fisher-Holmes, Lead, Breast & Colorectal Cancer Screening – GTA
Kim Pearson, Manager, Patient Care Services, Toronto Central Community Care Access Centre
Other Regional Committees / Networks
Regional Cancer Surgery Committee
Led by co-chairs Dr. John Irish and Dr. Sheriff Hanna, this committee provides a forum for discussing regional performance with respect to volumes, wait times and quality of care as well as presenting opportunities for collaboration and planning within the region. All hospitals are represented. The Regional Cancer Surgery Committee meets eight times a year.
Regional Systemic Therapy Planning Committee
Chaired by Dr. Malcolm Moore, this committee provides a forum for sharing information, discussing challenges and opportunities for collaboration, engaging in quality initiatives and providing direction for systemic therapy regional planning. All hospitals providing systemic treatment are represented in this committee, which meets three to four times a year.
Ontario Cancer Symptom Management Collaborative Steering Committee
Chaired by Martha Wyatt, this committee’s purpose is to support the increased use of symptom screening and palliative care tools within the Toronto Central Regional Cancer Program by sharing knowledge, successes and challenges and by engaging new partners in the collaborative.
Greater Toronto Area Cancer Prevention and Screening Network
Chaired by Dr. Andrea Eisen, the Greater Toronto Area Cancer Prevention and Screening Network is developing and implementing a coordinated strategy for cancer prevention and screening in the region. Using Cancer 2020 targets and the relevant Cancer Services Quality Indicators to determine priority areas, the network acts as a forum for knowledge exchange and collaboration on matters related to cancer prevention and screening. For more information about the Greater Toronto Area Cancer Prevention and Screening Network, visit http://gtacancerpreventionscreeningnetwork.webexone.com/
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