Marigold PR Announces Agenda and Expert-Driven Lineup for Second Annual Womxn, Wellness, and Cannabis Conference
Toronto, ON, April 28, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Award-winning cannabis marketing and PR firm, Marigold PR, today announced the agenda for its second annual Womxn, Wellness and Cannabis Conference (WWC Conference) on May 26-27, 2021.
Hosted in celebration of the feminine cannabis and psychedelic experience, the largest free event of its kind provides a unique opportunity to network with industry trailblazers, in an inclusive, fun and educational online environment.
In association with Platinum Partner Lift & Co. Expo, North America’s largest cannabis industry conference and tradeshow, WWC Conference will feature two full days of engaging panel discussions, keynotes and live Q&As, with day one committed to cannabisand day two dedicated to psychedelics. Highlights of this year’s event include talks on:
The International Cannabis Industry: Charlotte Bowyer (Head of Consulting, Hanway Associates), Priya Mishra (Hempvati), Barinder Rasode (CEO of Grow Tech Labs), Maya Glogowski (Vice President, Cannabilog & Business Development, WomenCanCann) and Ulla Haaning Singapuri (CSO, KannaSwiss)
Compliant Marketing: Sarah Clowater (Cannabis Consultant), Alison Gordon (Founder and former CEO, 48North), Heather Schurr (Director of Operations, CFN Media Group) and Katie Pringle (Co-Founder & CEO, Marigold PR)
Evolution of the Psychedelics Industry: Barinder Rasode (Co-Founder, Havn Life), Salimeh Tabrizi (Co-Founder, Canadian Psychedelic Association) and Stacey Wallin (CSO & Co-Founder, Numinus)
Patient Insights: Ashleigh Brown (Founder, SheCann), Ashley Keenan (Journalist & Communications Specialist), Sabrina Ramkellawan (Co-founder, Knowde Group), and Dr. Jenna Valleriani (Director Patient Advocacy, Canopy Growth Corporation).
Cannabis Operations: Loretta Eldridge (Marketing Leader, EQUA Specialty Risk Partners Corporation), Kayla Mann (CFO, Habitat), Dr. Toni Rinow (CFO and Global Operating Officer, Neptune Wellness Solutions) and Theresa Robert (Vice President Finance, Mariwell),
Spearheaded by Marigold PR, with assistance from an advisory committee of industry experts, this year’s conference is sponsored by VIP Partners Flow Scientific and VIVO Cannabis. Flow Scientific supplies therapeutic naturally sourced terpenes, while VIVO Cannabis provides medical and adult-use cannabis products and services.
Katie Miller, Sales and Business Development at Flow Scientific, comments, “Flow Scientific is proud to partner with WWC Conference and promote industry inclusivity. As the wellness landscape continues to develop, participating in thoughtful discussions with passionate contributors is essential to support product innovation”.
Attendees are encouraged to register to claim their free ticket here. In addition to comprehensive free programming, WWC Conference provides participants unparalleled opportunities to forge relationships with industry influencers, through exclusive ticketed networking events.
VIVO Cannabis’ Carole Chan, Chief Commercial & People Officer, says, “We’re excited to collaborate with WWC Conference this year. Now more than ever, women coming together during the peak of a global pandemic is critical to supporting mental health and wellness. Patient, consumer and employee needs have changed dramatically over the last year, and its impact is shaping the future of the cannabis industry.”
You Can TRUST Him When Your Life is Spinning Out of Control
Houston, TX, April 27, 2021 — The disruption and difficulties of 2020 also uprooted our time with the Lord when churches closed their doors and our daily routines changed dramatically. Many people lost their jobs or lost their loved ones, despite praying diligently for different outcomes. As we adjust to a new normal, now is the perfect time to reestablish our faith and rebuild our trust in God.
Joan E. Murray’s inspirational new book, You Can TRUST Him: Anchoring Your Hope in God During Difficult Times, is filled with powerful reminders that God is always working in our favor, even when it seems that he hasn’t heard our prayers.
“We get disappointed with God because our expectations of what He should have done when we prayed is not what He actually did,” Joan said during a recent interview with Prayer on Purpose. “We have to recognize that delays are not denials. They’re simply holding patterns while God is working on the situations in our lives.”
You Can TRUST Him takes an in-depth journey into inspirational, personal and Biblical stories that reveal trust truths in the midst of hardship. Joan takes us into the lives of many people who were unsure they could survive their painful struggles: Hagar, Jeremiah, Caleb, John the Baptist, Mary Magdalene and Leah, just to name a few. She shares how even when they struggled with trusting God, He showed up powerfully in their lives and provided victorious outcomes. You Can TRUST Him brings the Bible alive and aims to help us trust His Word, trust His timing and trust that He will help us navigate through the painful seasons of life.
Author Joan E. Murray is the founder and CEO of Joan Murray Ministries and Seeds of Hope Worldwide Missions. She is an international Bible teacher, pastor, speaker and missionary who loves the Word of God and desires to see people experience freedom, wholeness and victory in all areas of life. She has 25 years of experience in management, counseling and in providing help and humanitarian aid to those who are struggling in life.
She serves the veterans in Houston, provides annual back-to-school outreaches and serves as an advisor to several churches and ministries, locally, nationally and internationally. Joan has travelled the world, sharing the gospel message and serving the needs of vulnerable populations.
Joan has been featured on TBN, Daystar, TCT Network, Destiny TV and on international television networks and in various magazines and newspaper articles. She can be heard daily on BPNRadio.com and weekly on Wilkinsradio.com. You Can TRUST Him is her 16th book.
For more information, please visit www.joanmurrayministries.org, or follow the author on Facebook (Joan Murray or Joan Murray Ministries/Seeds of Hope Worldwide Missions); on
Instagram (jmmcontactus); and on Twitter (@jmmseedsofhope). You can also visit her YouTube channel, Joan Murray Ministries.
You Can TRUST Him: Anchoring Your Hope in God During Difficult Times
Calgary Based Travel Clinic expanding Private Covid Testing to all major cities in Canada
CALGARY, AB, April 27, 2021 /CNW/ - Head quartered in Calgary, Canadian Travel Clinics is one of the leading names in the travel healthcare industry of Canada. The company's successful expansion in providing Covid-19 RT-PCR testing is 100 percent patient focused and currently operates from 5 locations across Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg & Vancouver. Founded in 2016 by Usman Hashmi & Michele Fasolino, the company providestravel vaccinations and comprehensive Covid-19 RT-PCR Swab Test, Antigen test & Antibody Test solutions to travelers and businesses. Since its formation, Canadian Travel Clinics has established successful partnerships with well reputed healthcare companies including TELUS Health and now looking to capitalize on its existing and new industry relations to expand its Covid testing operations nationwide.
The company is also actively working to launch operations in Eastern Canada and expects to go LIVE in Ontario by June 01, 2021 with further expansion into other major town centres shortly afterwards.
"Canadian Travel Clinic strives to provide cost-effective services in the most expedient manner and our prices are being the lowest compared to what other people are charging for similar or even an inferior service. We are trying to make essential travel more affordable for public during these difficult times. Unfortunately, as a healthcare provider we are not able to recover GST on our purchases as most of the services we provide are exempt. We are requesting the Federal government to make the inputs for Covid testing such as, PPE, test-reagents and machinery to be exempt or Zero rated for GST purposes so that we are able to further bring the costs down for the public" CEO, Usman Hashmi
"At Canadian Travel clinics, we go above and beyond to accommodate our patients whether they are facing a family emergency and are needing to get on a flight last minute or if they are in desperate need to travel for a rushed business trip. We are proud to say that we can and will accommodate our patients in these uncertain times" says Nurse Manager Talia Toeg.
As a leading travel clinic in Canada, we understand things have changed nowadays, we try to advise as much as we can to our patients regarding the new covid-19 entry requirements depending upon their destination. We are committed to make everyone's trip possible! - Operations Manager, Liseth Casanova
ADELAIDE, AUS, Apr 29, 2021 - (ACN Newswire) - Agilex Biolabs, Australia's largest and most technologically advanced specialist bioanalytical laboratory for clinical trials, and B2S Life Sciences, a biotherapeutic enablement company advancing improved analytical methods and outcomes for developers of biotherapeutic drugs and diagnostics, shared key ways to navigate the immunogenicity and biomarker requirements for clinical trials via webinar.
"Hot Topics in Immunoassay Bioanalysis - Key points in navigating the immunogenicity and biomarker requirements for clinical trials" was presented by Endpoints Webinars on April 6. Hosted by Endpoints Editor Arsalan Arif, the webinar featured Dr Kurt J. Sales, Agilex Biolabs' Director of Immunoassay, Ronald R. Bowsher PhD, Partner and Chief Scientific Officer at B2S Life Sciences, and Amy Rosen, Associate Director of Statistics at B2S.
The panel shared insights from many years working in immunoassay bioanalysis for clinical trials. Ronald R. Bowsher said B2S has been working with Agilex Biolabs for more than four years, "Our relationship has evolved very well, and we understand each other's needs. And despite the geographic differences, I think we've had a very productive collaboration serving Agilex Biolabs' customers," he said.
Dr Kurt J. Sales said, "Our world-class laboratories feature state-of-the-art equipment including Gyrolab Xplore, MSD Quickplex 120, Luminex Magpix, BD FACSymphony A3 flow cytometer and soon to be released, digital droplet quantitative real-time RT-PCR, while our scientists have experience in solving the most complex immunogenicity and drug tolerance issues, often encountered in immuno-oncology studies in both an early phase and later phase setting."
Agilex Biolabs specialises in bioanalysis of small molecules and biologics for PK, immunogenicity, biomarkers and immunological pharmacodynamics assessments utilising LC-MS/MS, immunoassay (Mesoscale, Gyrolab, Luminex) and flow cytometry (BD FACSymphony A3, 20 colour cell analyser), and has leading certifications including OECD GLP Recognition with NATA (Australian Government OECD GLP Compliance monitoring authority) and ISO 17025 Accreditation for global recognition.
Australian clinical trials have remained open for business. Agilex Biolabs, a designated essential service so clients can be assured of study continuity, can assist international clients with a rebate of up to 43.5% on clinical trial bioanalytical services spend as part of the Australian Government clinical trial attraction program. The company has recently expanded its labs by more than 30% to accommodate biotech demand from APAC and the USA. Watch the new lab video walkthrough here: https://youtu.be/WNdPGkdr9FA.
Agilex Biolabs, Australia's leading bioanalytical laboratory, has more than 20 years' experience in performing regulated bioanalysis, including quality method development, method validation and sample analysis services. We have successfully supported hundreds of preclinical and clinical trials around the world where customers choose Australia for the streamlined regulatory process and access to the world's most attractive R&D rebate of more than 40% on clinical trial work conducted in Australia. We offer services for both small molecules and biologics for PK, immunogenicity (PD) and biomarker bioanalysis utilising the two platforms of LC-MS/MS and Immunoassay.
EMD Serono Announces New Data Strengthening Evidence for Use of MAVENCLAD® During the COVID-19 Pandemic
New analysis indicates a specific immune repopulation pattern in people treated with PrMAVENCLAD®, which may allow the ability to fight infections and develop protective antibodies from vaccine 1
Independent study from Israel showed MAVENCLAD-treated patients receiving COVID-19 vaccine were able to mount antibody response similar to that of healthy subjects 2
Updated safety data show MAVENCLAD-treated patients with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 continue to have a disease course similar to the general population 3
MISSISSAUGA, ON, April 28, 2021 /CNW/ - EMD Serono, the biopharmaceutical business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, in the U.S. and Canada, announced a new analysis from the MAGNIFY-MS sub-study showing a specific immune repopulation pattern in patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis (RMS) treated with MAVENCLAD® (cladribine) tablets, which may allow the ability to fight infections and develop protective antibodies from vaccines.1 The data were presented at the 2021 American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Annual Meeting that was held virtually April 17 – 22, 2021.
In the MAGNIFY-MS study, reduction of memory B cells occurred as early as one month after MAVENCLAD initiation with lowest levels sustained for up to 12 months, while naïve B cells, which are typically required for the generation of antibody responses following vaccination, began recovering immediately.1 Previously shared data from MAGNIFY-MS indicated that patients receiving MAVENCLAD are able to mount responses to influenza and varicella zoster vaccines, irrespective of lymphocyte count. 4,5
"The findings presented at AAN further our understanding of how this treatment impacts the immune system, and how it may exert a therapeutic effect in patients with multiple sclerosis – a particularly important finding at this time," said Caroline Lemieux, PhD, Regional Medical Director of Neurology & Immunology, North America at EMD Serono. "In addition to addressing MS relapses and progression, the data shows that patients may be able to continue with their regular MS management while mounting a vaccine response".
In addition, a recent independent study conducted by Anat Achiron, MD, PhD, FAAN and colleagues, The Multiple Sclerosis Center at Sheba Medical Centre and Sackler School of Medicine Tel Aviv University, Israel, and recently published in Therapeutic Advances in Neurological Disorders, shows that patients who have taken MAVENCLAD were able to generate COVID-19 antibodies following the mRNA vaccine from Pfizer/BioNTech administered as early as 4.4 months after last MAVENCLAD dosing.2 The observational analysis showed that all 23 MS patients treated with MAVENCLAD who received the Pfizer/BioNTech mRNA vaccine developed a protective SARS-COV-2 IgG antibody response [antibody titer >1.1 is considered positive; median=7.0], which was similar to the comparison group of MS patients not receiving any immunomodulatory treatments and healthy subjects.2 No unexpected safety findings post first and second dose of Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccination were identified in MS patients, according to another recent publication in the Multiple Sclerosis Journal.6
The ability to mount an adequate immune response is critical as the COVID-19 pandemic impacts patients living with chronic disease around the world. As published in theMultiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders(MSaRD), an updated post-market safety analysis provided a look at outcomes from cases of COVID-19 in MAVENCLAD-treated patients. The safety database analysis included cases of confirmed (n=160) or suspected (n=101) COVID-19 in MAVENCLAD-treated patients. Based on the analysis, the majority of patients had mild to moderate respiratory symptoms, and none required mechanical ventilation. MAVENCLAD-treated patients had a similar disease course with COVID-19 compared with the general population who acquired COVID-19.7
"Our aim is for Canadian MS patients to be able to live their lives with as much normalcy as possible during the COVID-19 pandemic," said Manuel Zafra, Managing Director, EMD Serono. "We're pleased that the data shows encouraging initial evidence for patients on this treatment course."
About MAVENCLAD MAVENCLAD (cladribine) is indicated as monotherapy for the treatment of adult patients with RRMS to reduce the frequency of clinical exacerbations and delay the progression of disability. MAVENCLAD is generally recommended in MS patients who have had an inadequate response to, or are unable to tolerate, one or more therapies for multiple sclerosis.
MAVENCLAD has been approved in over 80 countries including the United States, European Union (EU), Australia and Switzerland, for various relapsing MS indications.
The clinical development program of MAVENCLAD in MS comprises more than 12,000 patient years of data with over 2,700 patients included in the clinical trial program, and up to 10 years of observation in some patients. These clinical trials include the Phase III CLARITY, CLARITY extension and ORACLE MS trials, the Phase II ONWARD trial and the PREMIERE Long-term Safety Registry.
About Multiple Sclerosis Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a degenerative autoimmune disease in which the myelin sheath around the nerves in the brain and spinal cord are inflamed and often damaged.8 It is estimated that approximately 2.8 million people have MS worldwide.9Canada has one of the highest rates of MS in the world with approximatly, 12 Canadians diagnosed with MS everyday.10While symptoms vary, the most common symptoms of MS include extreme fatigue, lack of coordination, weakness, tingling, impaired sensation, vision problems, bladder problems, cognitive impairment and mood changes.11 The relapsing forms of MS are the most common type at the time of diagnosis.12
About EMD Serono, Canada EMD Serono, Canada, is the Canadian biopharmaceutical business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. EMD Serono, Canada has integrated cutting-edge science, innovative products and devices, and industry-leading patient support and access programs. EMD Serono, Canada has deep expertise in neurology, fertility and endocrinology, as well as a robust pipeline of potential therapies in neurology, oncology, immunology and immuno-oncology. Today, EMD Serono, Canada has more than 100 employees across Canada with headquarters in Mississauga, Ontario.
About Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, a leading science and technology company, operates across healthcare, life science and electronics. Around 58,000 employees work to make a positive difference to millions of people's lives every day by creating more joyful and sustainable ways to live. From advancing gene-editing technologies and discovering unique ways to treat the most challenging diseases to enabling the intelligence of devices – the company is everywhere. In 2020, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany generated sales of € 17.5 billion in 66 countries.
The company holds the global rights to the name and trademark "Merck" internationally. The only exceptions are the United States and Canada, where the business sectors of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany operate as EMD Serono in healthcare, MilliporeSigma in life science, and EMD Electronics. Since its founding in 1668, scientific exploration and responsible entrepreneurship have been key to the company's technological and scientific advances. To this day, the founding family remains the majority owner of the publicly listed company.
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1 Wiendl H, Schmierer K, Hodgkinson S, et al. Characterization of Peripheral Immune Cell Dynamics and Repopulation Patterns in the First 12 Months of Cladribine Tablets Treatment: MAGNIFY-MS Study. S11.004. AAN Virtual Annual Meeting. 17 – 22 April 2021. 2 Achiron A, Mandel M, Dreyer-Alster S, et al. Humoral immune response to COVID-19 mRNA vaccine in patients with multiple sclerosis treated with high-efficacy disease-modifying therapies. Therapeutic Advances in Neurological Disorders. April 2021;14:1-8 https://doi.org/10.1177/17562864211012835 3 Giovannoni G, Berger J, Leist T, et al. Updated Post-Approval Safety of Cladribine Tablets in the Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis, With Particular Reference to Respiratory Viral Infections in COVID-19. P15. AAN Virtual Annual Meeting. 17 – 22 April 2021. 4 Roy S, Boschert U. Analysis of Influenza and Varicella Zoster Virus Vaccine Antibody Titers in Patients with Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis Treated with Cladribine Tablets. P059. ACTRIMS Virtual Forum 2021. 25-27 February 2021. 5 Wu GF, Boschert U, Hayward B, et al. Evaluating The Impact Of Cladribine Tablets On The Development Of Antibody Titres: Interim Results from the CLOCK-MS Influenza Vaccine Sub-Study. P071. ACTRIMS Virtual Forum 2021. 25-27 February 2021. 6 Achiron A, Dolev M, Menascu S, et al. COVID-19 vaccination in patients with multiple sclerosis: What we have learnt by February 2021. Multiple Sclerosis Journal. 2021;1-7 https://doi.org/10.1177/13524585211003476 7 Jack D, Damian D, Nolting A, et al. COVID-19 in patients with multiple sclerosis treated with cladribine tablets: An update. MSaRD. 2021;(51):102929 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msard.2021.102929 8 MS Society of Canada. What is MS. Accessed April 26, 2021. Available at https://mssociety.ca/about-ms/what-is-ms 9 MS International Federation. Atlas of MS. Accessed April 26, 2021. Available at https://www.msif.org/about-us/who-we-are-and-what-we-do/advocacy/atlas/. 10 MS Society of Canada. About MS. What is MS. Accessed April 26, 2021. Available at https://mssociety.ca/about-ms/what-is-ms 11 Ibid 12 MS Society of Canada. About MS. Types. Accessed April 26, 2021. Available at https://mssociety.ca/about-ms/types
SOURCE EMD Serono, Canada
TELUS Health launches next evolution of its national employer-focused Virtual Care service
Enhanced service focused on personal human connections; brings together best-in-class features of its Akira by TELUS Health and EQ Care virtual care services
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 28, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TELUS Health, Canada’s largest health IT company and the leading provider of virtual care services for business and consumers across Canada, today announced the launch of TELUS Health Virtual Care - the next evolution of its national, employer-focused virtual care service. TELUS Health Virtual Care is built on more than 35 years of combined experience delivering healthcare services to Canadians by merging the best-in-class capabilities and features of Akira by TELUS Health -- the company’s bilingual, on-demand virtual care service; and EQ Care -- its recently acquired virtual care company that delivers specialized virtual care functionalities and advanced employee assistance features like LifeJourney. This robust virtual care service provides more than 2.8M Canadians, with confidential access to nearly 500 healthcare professionals from a variety of disciplines to support every step of their healthcare journey. Further, through a recent integration, TELUS Health Virtual Care is also the first service in Canada to be able to securely share patient information, with appropriate consent, with any one of the 30,000 clinicians using a TELUS Health EMR providing care to the patient ensuring improved continuity of care.
“In this time of rapid innovation and the accelerated adoption of digital healthcare services across the country, we’re excited about this next phase in evolution of virtual care prioritizing interconnectivity and improving health outcomes,” said François Gratton, executive vice president, TELUS and group president, TELUS Health. “Supported by our extensive presence across Canada’s health industry and more than 35 years of combined leadership in health technology, our TELUS Health Virtual Care service is in a category of its own when it comes to offering Canadian employees compassionate, end-to-end, human interactions throughout every step of their care journey and access to healthcare professionals on demand.”
With the pandemic shifting the way many Canadians work and blurring the boundaries of work and home life, services like TELUS Health Virtual Care allow Canadian employers to:
Support their employees’ physical and mental health Timely access to care with numerous provincially regulated restrictions continues to be a challenge for many, exacerbating mental health issues. The 2020 TELUS Health Virtual Healthcare Industry Report showed that 56 per cent of Canadians have reported negative impacts to their mental health since the outbreak of the global pandemic. TELUS Health Virtual Care offers not only non-emergent primary care support, but also mental health and allied health services so employees can get the care they need where and when they need it.
Increase productivity, reduce absenteeism, and minimize benefits costs Seventy per cent of virtual care consults are initiated during the workday and 85 per cent of health concerns are resolved without an in-person visit. That means services that enable employees to remotely access care from anywhere reduces time spent away from work. Addressing health concerns immediately also helps avoid worsening conditions that could lead to higher benefits costs.
Provide seamless continuity of care With consent, TELUS Health Virtual Care can be seamlessly integrated with medical charts managed by clinicians who use a TELUS Health EMR allowing patient information to be securely exchanged between the patient’s care team. This helps in preventing gaps in patient care and allows for more timely interventions, which are crucial in treating chronic conditions; a recent Sanofi Canada Healthcare Survey has shown that poor chronic disease management has been linked to issues with workplace productivity, absenteeism, and disability leaves. For employees without a family doctor but needing in-person care for non-emergent issues, TELUS Health Virtual Care can refer them to a physician at one of its more than 15 TELUS Health Care Centres across the country.
Recruit and retain top talent In a talent-driven market, competitive salaries are no longer enough. Increasingly, employees are looking for benefits that help them proactively maintain and manage their health. In fact, 67 per cent of millennials say they want virtual care access and 77 per cent of Canadian employees would consider changing jobs for an employer who provides better support for their mental health and wellbeing.
Benefit from a proven ecosystem of solutions and services For more than a decade, TELUS Health has built an ecosystem unlike any other company in Canada working with health authorities, community partners, and stakeholders to ensure a more sustainable healthcare system. Leveraging its vast network infrastructure and through guidance from its team of medical experts on the TELUS Medical Advisory Council, the company continues to drive innovation not only through programs and digital services, but also through the delivery of high quality medical care for Canadians regardless of their socio-economic status. Such initiatives include -- Home Health Monitoring which enables safe, at-home recovery from COVID-19 or other illnesses; and Health for Good that brings primary care to marginalized populations across the country. Each initiative is underpinned in a human-first, medically-credible approach and meets or exceeds the highest standards for security and privacy by design.
With virtual care as a key component to modern health benefits plans, TELUS Health Virtual Care serves as a valuable complementary service to TELUS Health Benefits Management offerings, enabling insurance providers, advisors, and employers to offer holistic health benefits plans that meet the evolving needs of Canada’s workforce.
With more than $3 billion invested in health to date, TELUS Health continues to expand its suite of virtual care services -- from remote patient monitoring technology and EMR-integrated solutions to consumer virtual care services covered by provincial healthcare plans -- furthering its mission of transforming the healthcare system through the power of technology and empowering every person to live their healthiest life.
About TELUS Health TELUS Health is a leader in digital health technology, providing virtual care, home health monitoring, electronic medical and health records, benefits and pharmacy management, and personal emergency response services. By leveraging the power of technology to deliver connected solutions and services, TELUS Health is improving access to care and revolutionizing the flow of information while facilitating collaboration, efficiency, and productivity for physicians, pharmacists, health authorities, allied healthcare professionals, insurers, employers, and citizens, to progress its vision of transforming healthcare and empowering people to live healthier lives.
Through the TELUS Health Care Centres, teams of renowned and passionate healthcare professionals deliver best-in-class patient-centric care to thousands of Canadian employers, professionals, and families in more than 15 medical clinics located across the country.
Don’t Let Your Vet Pay the Ultimate Price: Happy Vet Happy Pet Delivers Life-Saving Insights
Atlanta, GA, April 28, 2021 — If you have a pet, then you have a vet. And if you know a vet, you know someone statistically at a higher risk of anxiety, depression and even suicide. But you have the power to positively impact — and even save — that veterinarian’s life, asserts Sandy Weaver, author and Program Director of the Center for Workplace Happiness.
Her groundbreaking new book, Happy Vet Happy Pet: Caring for Your Pet’s Caregiver, outlines three simple rules that all pet owners should follow when interacting with their pet’s veterinarian.
“I’ve known for years, as have those in the veterinary field, that there was an issue with suicide and veterinarians,” Sandy says. “Then in early 2019, the CDC report on veterinary suicide was published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, and what had been anecdotal became data: male veterinarians are 2.1 times more likely, and female veterinarians are 3.5 times more likely, to complete suicide than their non-veterinarian peers.”
Happy Vet Happy Pet is a distillation of Sandy’s research into neuroscience, neuroplasticity and positive psychology mixed with data from the CDC report. The result is an impactful approach that weaves easy-to-understand science with stories that touch the minds and the hearts of pet owners — empowering them to be part of the solution.
Chapters dive deep into topics all pet owners should understand, including:
1. The heart, mind and life of a person who decides to become a veterinarian; 2. The very human, very vulnerable person behind the scrubs; 3. The ways clients unknowingly mistreat their pets’ caregivers; 4. Three simple rules to follow to help your veterinary team; and 5. What to do if you feel that someone near you is facing suicidal desperation.
Happy Vet Happy Pet will change your relationship with your veterinarian and their team forever. And what you learn in this book could save your veterinarian's life.
Author Sandy Weaver is an expert speaker, trainer, mastermind facilitator and lover of all things dog.
As the Program Director of the Center for Workplace Happiness, Sandy creates the training programs, workshops, mastermind groups and keynotes that help people lead happier, more successful lives. She is also a citizen-scientist in the fields of neuroscience, neuroplasticity and positive psychology. In 2019, she took the resilience tools and strategies she’d been teaching to general audiences and crafted programs specifically for veterinary teams. Her goal is to touch the life of every veterinarian and technician in a way that helps them avoid the pain and despair that comes with an inability to manage stress.
Now in her 40th year of Siberian Husky ownership, Sandy is a passionate advocate for veterinarians and their teams and an ongoing donor to Not One More Vet.
Serendipity Illuminates Ways to Prosper from Unexpected Events
San Diego, CA, April 28, 2021 — Happy accidents led to the invention of many things that we take for granted, such as the microwave oven, the phonograph and the curiously resilient CorningWare dishes. Maybe you don’t aspire to inventing a life-changing consumer product, but perhaps you’d like to switch career paths, meet new people or learn a new skill. Serendipity is all around you, and it can help you achieve personal and professional growth.
“In addition to the occasional case of the monumental, unexpected occurrence that may be researched and exploited, situations may arise that also lead to a useful and/or profitable outcome,” says Neil J. Farber, MD. “One can know what one wants to achieve but be unable to get to that outcome. … sometimes by chance, the way to proceed may appear.”
Dr. Farber’s new book, Serendipity: Utilizing Everyday Unexpected Events to Improve Your Life and Career, thoroughly explores the role that serendipity could play in our lives and explains that recognizing serendipitous events is better achieved with a certain set of skills.
“You have to have a mind-set that allows you to think that such events canhappen,” he explains, adding that by practicing self-awareness and cultivating keen visual and auditory observational skills, we are more likely to spot even the most subtle of serendipitous happenings.
Serendipity describes how to understand the different types of serendipitous events and how they are common to all of us; how to recognize these events when they do occur; how to acquire the skills necessary to become more aware of serendipity; how to “connect the dots” to bring the serendipitous event to a fortuitous conclusion (that is, what skills, assistance and resources may be necessary); and what to do with the end product or idea if it is profitable, or as sometimes happens, when it is not.
Dr. Farber uses events recorded in literature and the history books, as well as events that have occurred in his own personal and professional life to create a helpful guide for recognizing and turning common events into meaningful moments.
Author Neil J. Farber is a Professor Emeritus of Clinical Medicine at University of California, San Diego, and a docent at the San Diego Air & Space Museum. He has been an academic internal medicine physician for 40 years, teaching, researching and providing patient care in medical schools initially on the East Coast. For the past 12 years, he was Professor of Clinical Medicine at University of California, San Diego, retiring at the end of April 2019. He has received numerous awards, including Top Doctor of San Diego five times, and is a member of the FDA Non-Prescription Drug Advisory Committee. He has published over 60 research papers and has had a multitude of serendipitous events occur, which have significantly (and positively) influenced his career and his personal life.
Serendipity: Utilizing Everyday Unexpected Events to Improve Your Life and Career Publisher: Boyle & Dalton
Inspiring Stories of Real People Who Turned Pain into Purpose
Los Angeles, CA, April 28, 2021 — In the aftermath of hardship or trauma, it’s perfectly natural to enter what Dr. Randall Bell terms the “Dive Stage.” After all, the rug has just been pulled out from under you. But with the right strategies, it’s possible to not only get back up and find your footing, but to also use the experience to grow in entirely new directions.
“How do you take that energy from the trauma and tap into it to do something really remarkable that you wouldn’t have done otherwise?” asks Dr. Bell.
Stories of real people (many of them familiar) who have done exactly that unfold in his latest book, Post-Traumatic Thriving: The Art, Science, & Stories of Resilience.
Among the inspirational journeys Dr. Bell shares are:
• A deaf man with a glass eye invented the electric guitar and became a household name, remarkably wealthy and most importantly, happy.
• A convicted murderer took responsibility for the damage he caused, graduated with honors from college, became a minister and turned around the hearts of the most hardened criminals.
• A girl born with cerebral palsy landed the world’s first starring role on national television and spoke at the White House three times.
• A woman hid in a basement for years and lost her entire family in the Holocaust. She eventually found true love and paints stunning artwork.
• The sister of a murder victim helped millions of women in toxic domestic relationships.
• A woman’s car crash resulted in an addiction to prescription drugs, a divorce, a loss of her children and a cot in a homeless shelter. She has rebuilt it all back and more.
• A man set to go to the Olympics had his hopes dashed by Jimmy Carter and went on to build a worldwide business empire.
Dr. Bell juxtaposes outcomes of scientific studies with these stories to reveal common denominators among “thrivers.” He divides his insights into three sections: The Dive Stage, The Survive Stage and The Thrive Stage, and outlines a step-by-step process toward authentic healing.
Post-Traumatic Thriving documents the science of happiness, as well as the individual styles and common thread that all post-traumatic thrivers have to emerge with a fulfilling life. When trauma hits, your most significant decision will be to dive, survive or thrive. If you choose to thrive, this book is for you.
As a socio-economist, Dr. Randall Bell has consulted on more disasters on earth than anyone in history and is widely considered the world’s top authority in the field of post-traumatic thriving. His clients include the Federal Government, State Governments, International Tribunals, major corporations and homeowners. Dr. Bell believes that “the problem is not the problem — the problem is how we react to the problem.”
Often called the “Master of Disaster,” Dr. Bell is squarely focused on authentic recovery and resilience. His research has been profiled on major television shows and featured in numerous magazines and the international media. More information can be found at www.posttraumaticthriving.com.
Post-Traumatic Thriving: The Art, Science, & Stories of Resilience
Merck Canada and MaRS Announce Winners of the Lung Cancer Innovation Challenge
Challenge participants presented solutions aimed at improving patient outcomes and reducing time between diagnosis and treatment for lung cancer patients
Challenge winners includethe Kingston Health Sciences Centre and the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, with solutions to help improve timely access to specialized care in rural South Eastern Ontario and accelerate lung cancer diagnosis and treatment through liquid biopsy
KIRKLAND, QC, April 28, 2021 /CNW/ - Merck Canada and MaRS Discovery District (MaRS) are proud to announce the winners of the Lung Cancer Innovation Challenge: the Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC), competition winner and the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, runner up winner. The competition, which launched in January 2021, challenged Ontario-based innovators to identify, implement and scale solutions that could help enhance the lung cancer patient journey by seeking to reduce the length of time between diagnosis and treatment, and enable improved treatment outcomes, especially for priority patient groups such as rural and lower socioeconomic populations.
In 2020, approximately 30,000 new cases of lung cancer were diagnosed in Canada and more than 21,000 people died of the disease.1 Alarmingly, the survival rate for lung cancer is among the lowest of all types of cancer and approximately half of all cases are diagnosed at stage 4, further worsening chances of survival.1,2
"From diagnosis to treatment, lung cancer patients face a huge number of access barriers, which may ultimately impact their health outcomes. Today this has been even further exacerbated due to the COVID-19 pandemic," said AnnA Van Acker, President and Managing Director at Merck Canada. "As a patient-centric biotech company with a passion for and a focus on saving and improving lives, we know we need to play our part in finding solutions for patients, and that is why we partnered with MaRS on the Lung Cancer Innovation Challenge. We are very grateful and feel inspired by all participants who brought forth unique and innovative solutions. Together, we have the power to transform lung cancer care for the better!"
"We have been incredibly inspired by all of the solutions presented during the challenge," said Alex Ryan, SVP, Partner Solutions at MaRS. "As North America's largest innovation hub, our focus at MaRS is on empowering new ideas that drive change, and this challenge has really showcased the best of local talent and of ingenuity. We hope that these winning solutions will grow and act as a blueprint to help improve outcomes for Ontario lung cancer patients."
Lung cancer's impact is particularly acute in Ontario, where an estimated 35 per cent of Canada's new lung cancer cases in 2020 were diagnosed.3 However, on a positive note, Ontario is also a hub for best-in-class life sciences talent, with incubators, research organizations, private enterprises and academic institutions. More than half of Canada's Research and Development spending in the life sciences sector happens in Ontario and the province has been a driver for major breakthroughs in healthcare.4
"Ontario is a world-class centre for talent and innovative ideas," said Vic Fedeli, Ontario Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. "The challenge has been a great opportunity for Ontario-based innovators to showcase their skills and demonstrate the power of collaboration across different perspectives with the common goal of supporting lung cancer patients."
"Now more than ever, we need innovation and new ideas to better our healthcare system," said Nina Tangri, Parliamentary Assistant to the Ontario Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation, and Trade. "On behalf of the Ontario Government, I would like to thank Merck Canada, MaRS and all of the participants for joining forces to launch this competition and to help improve outcomes for lung cancer patients."
Competition winner – The Kingston Health Sciences Centre
$100,000 prize
KHSC runs the Lung Diagnostic Assessment Program, a rapid assessment clinic for patients with suspected lung cancer in South Eastern Ontario. The team won the competition with their solution to launch an outreach clinic in the Lennox and Addington County General Hospital, a community hospital located in a rural region of South Eastern Ontario.
Through the outreach clinic, patients referred to the program for evaluation of a suspected diagnosis of lung cancer and who live in Napanee or further west in Ontario will have the opportunity to select the community hospital as the site at which their first consultation with a respirologist can take place, versus needing to travel to the KHSC. Patients will undergo initial diagnostic and staging investigations locally where possible with more complex and sophisticated procedures being coordinated centrally through KHSC where required.
"Our team is composed of a multidisciplinary group of individuals with expertise in quality improvement and epidemiology, and we're constantly looking for opportunities to collaborate and improve through innovation," said Dr. Geneviève C. Digby, Respirologist, Clinical Lead for the Diagnostic Assessment Programs at KHSC and team representative. "Together, we've launched several innovative system solutions to address local delays in lung cancer care during the diagnostic phase. We would like to thank this challenge for giving us a platform to present our proposal for this new outreach program, which will help more Ontarians diagnosed with lung cancer get timely access to specialized care."
Competition runner-up - The Lung Cancer Site Group at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre
$50,000 prize
The Lung Cancer Site Group at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre - one of the top five cancer research centres in the world - came in second place with their proposal to help significantly reduce the time between diagnosis and treatment for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Their solution proposes the use of a liquid biopsy versus the conventional diagnostic pathway of molecular testing of tumour tissue after imaging and biopsy.
The team proposes that this "blood-first" approach could enable faster turnaround time for molecular results, as blood samples can be processed while patients await their diagnostic tissue biopsy. Molecular information from liquid biopsies can help diagnose and discover molecular targets faster than with standard tissue biopsy and tissue testing, which could allow patients to start treatment faster than through the conventional diagnostic pathway.
"Our team at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre is passionate about getting the right treatment to the right person as soon as possible," said Dr. Natasha B. Leighl, Thoracic Medical Oncology Site Lead, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and team representative. "We are testing whether our solution to incorporate liquid biopsy into our Lung Cancer Rapid Assessment and Management Program will help get patients to treatment faster, with fewer delays and avoiding extra tests. This could change the way we diagnose lung cancer in Ontario, and have a positive impact for patients."
Please go here for more information and to learn more about the winning solutions.
About Merck For more than 125 years, Merck, known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, has been inventing for life, bringing forward medicines and vaccines for many of the world's most challenging diseases in pursuit of our mission to save and improve lives. We demonstrate our commitment to patients and population health by increasing access to health care through far-reaching policies, programs and partnerships. Today, Merck continues to be at the forefront of research to prevent and treat diseases that threaten people and animals – including cancer, infectious diseases such as HIV and Ebola, and emerging animal diseases – as we aspire to be the premier research-intensive biopharmaceutical company in the world.
About MaRS MaRS is North America's largest urban innovation hub. A registered non-profit, MaRS supports high-growth startups and scale-ups tackling key issues in health, cleantech, fintech and other sectors. In addition, MaRS convenes all members of the tech ecosystem to drive breakthrough discoveries, grow the economy and make an impact by solving real problems for real people — in Canada and around the world.
