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Wednesday February 10 2016 7 HEALTH WELLNESS CANCER By DALI CARMICHAEL Marie-Christine Aubrey owner of the Whooping Crane guest house in Fort Smith and an employee of the local health author- ity for over 20 years is also a breast cancer survivor. Im not afraid to say that she exclaimed as she described her experience with the disease. I remember how dicult it was to communicate with somebody who has no clue what cancer is like to go through. There were many questions so many times they went unanswered. Then youre getting upset because youre not getting anywhere. Even though Im a strong person there were times that it wasnt easy. It was this insider knowledge - coupled with her time working with cancer patients at the health care centre - that drove Aubrey and fellow survivor Louise Fraser to Vancou- ver last year where they trained to be care coordinators under Willow Breast and He- reditary Cancer Support. In a two-day workshop at the Northern Life Museum and Cultural Centre on Feb. 11 and 12 Aubrey will nally get the chance to pass on her knowledge in the rst of what she hopes to be many community care events. Weve been trying for a few years to put something together. Since 2013 the NWT Breast HealthBreast Cancer Action Group and its partners at Lutra Associates Ltd. have been conducting research on the typical cancer journey in order to understand where the gaps in care are and how they can be lled. The biggest challenge in the NWT - and even for patients outside of the jurisdiction - was found to be keeping track of care. What medications need to be taken and how often Which doctors are you supposed to meet with on what day Have your health care specialists communicated so everyone is on the same track Throw in the stresses of traveling to Yellowknife from an outside community for cancer treatments and the situation quickly becomes overwhelming. That is why the Action Group has honed its focus on developing and delivering can- cer care plans documents that track all of the variables involved in cancer treatment and aftercare for survivors. However a piece of paper simply isnt enough the research uncovered. Having a community of prepared supporters can make all the dierence in ones cancer journey. Were to bring support to cancer pa- tients the people going through cancer and also the family members she said noting that every cancer journey is unique. When a person is affected by cancer it is also difficult for the family members to understand the impact of it. There is can- cer where youre being told well you have so much time to live a lot of cancer which is curable there are all kinds and no one reacts the same way. There isnt the same cancer as we know for everybody. The Fort Smith workshops will focus on three of the 18 recommendations made as a result of the research developing and implementing cancer after-care plans and improving access to counselling and resources necessary for positive lifestyle changes. In community cancer sharing circles other consultations and research car- ried out as part of the development of the recently released Charting our Course Northwest Territories Cancer Strategy 2015-2025 NWT cancer survivors and other residents have expressed the need for access to holistic support during the cancer journey Chief Public Health Offi- cer for the NWT Dr. Andre Corriveau said. The Action Groups input and needs will contribute to patients quality of life and increase their likelihood of living longer and surviving cancer. The upcoming workshop is geared to- wards anyone who may be involved in helping cancer survivors to complete or fulfill their cancer care plan including medical and community health staff and community members. One of the five goals of Charting our Course is to improve the quality of life of cancer patients their families and caregiv- ers and cancer survivors Corriveau said. One of our strategic priorities under this goal is to enhance care and support services for cancer survivors. The Action Group has taken the lead in developing survivorship care planning tools and support through the demonstration project and we are pleased to collaborate with their eorts. The survivor care plans are potentially an eective tool to engage NWT cancer survivors in their own health and wellness and link them to com- munity support services that will be trained through the project. Similar workshops are also being piloted in Fort Good Hope. Louise and I would really like to be there for people who have questions Aubrey said. We are not doctors we just want to help to do the best we can give the best support we can give them and there are many ways to give support. For more information or to sign up for the workshop interested parties are encouraged to contact Aggie Brockman at aggiebrock- mangmail.com 867-873-1000 or Robyn Hall at 867-621-2020. Community care for cancer patients piloted in Fort Smith First NWT survivor care plan workshop planned for Feb. 11 12 PhotocourtesyofMarie-ChristineAubrey Continued from Page 1. Recommendations from the panel include the immediate development of a Traditional Land Use Management Framework. Failing to implement such a framework leaves industry regulators stakeholders governments and First Nations asking im- portant questions about Aboriginal Peoples constitutionally-protected rights in their Traditional Land Use territories which conflict with future development activi- ties in the Lower Athabasca Region the report reads. Other recommendations include un- dertaking a critical health study on con- taminants in the Athabasca River as well as a baseline human-health study. The re- port also calls for the government to stop examining development on a project-by- project basis. The Alberta Government did not return requests for comment before print dead- line however Environment Minister Shan- non Phillips did speak to the Canadian Press about the matter. There are a lot of babies in this particular bathwater and it is not in the public interest to completely scrap the process she said. What is in the public interest is to hear loud and clear what is said about the relationship with indigenous people and work together collaboratively in order to improve on those very clear shortcomings. Phillips said there are still ways First Nations can be involved in already-ap- proved projects in order to mitigate their concerns. She added the government will consider the health and environmental studies called for in the report once it is tabled in cabinet. Mikisew Cree Chief Steve Courtorielle is encouraged with the tone the NDP govern- ment has taken on relations with First Na- tions since the election last May. The new NDP government theyve made some headways with First Nations he said which is good and I hope we will move on from there with the best plan going forward. Im sure theres some good policies we can make and have something so we can work together to protect the en- vironment and the best interests of First Nations. The most important thing is that the willingness is there to work with First Nations and I see a stronger relationship going down the road. ENVIRONMENT OILSANDS New cancer care coordinator Marie-Christine Aubrey. Panel calls for traditional land use framework