Job flexibility, mental health supports are top Canadian priorities, especially for women
Poll identifies priority needs – from government, employers and family
TORONTO, Feb. 01, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Flexible working hours, free at-home testing kits, safe re-opening of schools and mental health supports are among the top priorities for Canadians at this stage of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the latest Prosperity Project cross-country poll.
Conducted by Pollara Strategic Insights in partnership with The Prosperity Project, CIBC and Enterprise Canada, the pulse survey found men and women largely aligned on top priorities, with the exception that women are almost twice as likely as men to cite emotional support from family (35% and 19%, respectively) and mental health support from government (30% versus 17%) as important needs.
Asked what is most needed from government, more COVID-19 home testing kits free of charge was a top choice for 35% of respondents. More mental health support was also high on the list of top priorities, cited by 24%.
From employers, working Canadians chose flexible hours (31%), increased number of sick days (31%), hazard pay for essential workers (27%), flexible working locations (22%) and opportunities to take time off work without losing their position (21%) as priority needs.
At home, emotional support from family members was cited as a top need by 27% of respondents, followed by better load sharing of household responsibilities (24%) and more time to themselves (22%).
“Moving forward from the pandemic will clearly be a group effort – at home, at work and in government,” said Pamela Jeffery, founder of The Prosperity Project, a registered charity created to ensure Canadian women are not left behind in the COVID-19 recovery. “As a society, we must recognize and respond to these needs, collectively putting the supports in place.”
Other highlights from the poll:
What Canadians Said They Need From Government
Government providing at-home testing kits free of cost was cited as a high priority for 40% of parents of children under 18, and 37% of all employed Canadians.
Safely re-opening schools is also a high priority for parents (35%).
Among employed Canadians, high priorities for government include hazard pay for essential work (30%), mandatory sick leaves (29%) and mental health support (27%).
Working mothers are more likely than working fathers to need mental health support (25% vs. 13%), financial support for a childcare provider when schools are closed (20% vs. 15%), and affordable childcare (16% vs. 7%).
What Canadians Said They Need From Employers
Women and men have slightly different requirements from their employers:
Women are more likely to want an increase in the number of sick days (35%) and hazard pay (30%), than men (27%, 24% respectively).
While more men need flexible working hours compared to women (33% vs. 28%), women need to be able to take time off from work without losing their position (24% vs. 18%).
For working parents, flexible working hours (33%) was cited as a top need from employers, followed by providing or increasing sick days (30%), hazard pay (23%) and flexible working locations (22%). Flexible hours are a more important need for fathers than mothers (35% vs. 31%), while flexible working locations are more important to mothers than fathers (27% vs. 19%).
Working mothers are more likely to want support for advancing their career, learning and development than working fathers (27% vs. 12%) and need opportunities to reduce working hours or job share without losing their jobs (22%, compared to 15% of working fathers).
What Canadians Said They Need From Family
As noted above, women are twice as likely as men to need more emotional support from family (35% vs. 19%). This is in line with women needing more mental health support. Women are also more likely to need financial support from family than men (21% vs. 15%).
37% of working women cited emotional support from family as a top priority (compared to 19% of working men), while 30% need better sharing of household chores and responsibilities (versus 26% of men).
Family emotional support ranked even higher as a priority need for working mothers (44% vs. 21% of working fathers). For working mothers, other high priorities include better sharing of household responsibilities (42%, compared to 33% of working fathers), and better sharing of childcare responsibilities (24% vs. 15% of working fathers). Working mothers are also more likely to want time to themselves (33%) than working fathers (25%).
Parents (23%) are more likely to need financial support from their family than those who don’t have children (17%).
“Canadians know what they need,” said Pollara Vice-President Lesli Martin. “It isn’t any one thing, but a range of supports in all aspects of our lives.”
On behalf of The Prosperity Project, Pollara Strategic Insights conducted online interviews with a random sample of 1,513 Canadians 18 years and older, on January 13, 2022. The data is weighted as per the most recent national census by age, gender and region. Working parents are defined as those who are employed and are parents to children under 18 years; working mothers = women who are employed and parents to children under 18 years; and working fathers = men who are employed and parents to children under 18 years.
This survey is part of The Prosperity Project’s Canadian Households’ Perspective on the New Economy initiative. Partner organizations in the initiative are CIBC, Enterprise Canada and Pollara Strategic Insights.
About The Prosperity Project
Launched in May 2020, The Prosperity Project is a volunteer-driven, registered charity conceived by a diverse group of 62 female leaders from across the country – women who have historically made a difference and are committed to continuing to promote positive change as active participants in The Prosperity Project.
The organization was founded and is being led by Pamela Jeffery, founder of the Women’s Executive Network and Canadian Board Diversity Council. The Prosperity Project is taking action to explicitly link women and prosperity, underscoring the economic importance of gender equality. Specific initiatives include an awareness campaign – modelled on the famous “Rosie the Riveter” campaign from World War II – to promote women’s workforce participation and advancement and a matching program connecting registered charities with business expertise to bolster these organizations’ in-house skills and expertise.
Karma Box Project, Part of Larger State-Wide Effort, to be Hosted by Non Profit Vegas Stronger
Las Vegas, NV – February 1, 2022 – Vegas Stronger, a non profit whose mission is to help eradicate homelessness through treatment and housing in Las Vegas, has accepted, and drilled into the foundation of their building, the first official Karma Box of Las Vegas.
Karma Boxes are part of the Karma Box Project, a community initiative that allows people to give non-perishable food, hygiene products, toiletries, and other useful items to those in need. Karma Box is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit that relies on donations of food and other supplies.
“We are thrilled to take part in anything that helps our most underserved members of the community,” said Dave Marlon, Founder of Vegas Stronger. “When Grant approached me about a Karma Box at Vegas Stronger, I couldn’t think of a more perfect place for Vegas’ first Karma Box.”
Once a box is placed, it’s up the community to both take the supplies, and refill the supplies. Currently, there are currently 53 Karma boxes around the state of NV
“Continuing our mission of helping the community is 95% of what we are doing with Karma Boxes,” said Karma Box CEO Grant Denton. “Partnering with an organization like Vegas Stronger, is a natural step towards continuing our good work in the community.”
“One story I like to tell, is a few years ago we had a couple of preschool kids who wrote kind notes on index cards in crayon and drove around with their family placing them in boxes across town, they read things like –
You're a beautiful person
You are loved
Keep your head up
“A lot of them were misspelled and in different colored crayon. It was very cute!”
“About a month or so after that,” continued Grant, “my outreach team was taking someone from a camp by the river to a detox facility because he was ready for treatment. We had been working with this gentleman for quite a while, so it was a big deal. When they got to detox and he was digging through his pockets to find his ID, he pulled out a hand full of folded up documents, a lighter, a couple of already smoked cigarette butts, and a barely legible crumpled up index card that said, in orange and green crayon, " KEEP SMILLING."
“We realized then we are making a difference.”
We ask members of the community to stop by whenever possible and stock the Karma Box. The address is:
Vegas Stronger:
916 North Main St
LV, NV 89101
About Vegas Stronger
Vegas Stronger is a unique Non-Profit Organization 503(c)(3) focused on reversing the devastation caused to our community by the opiate epidemic and addiction. Our out-of-the box approach helps anyone afflicted, regardless of their race, socio-economic status, or housing situation, in an outpatient facility. We offer more than just traditional groups and are a growing facility with a sober boxing gym, coffee shop, bookstore, bicycle mission, and our customized “13 Core Elements Method.”
We facilitate that restoration to wholeness for individuals, families, and society at large, by creating awareness and providing access to both state-of-the-art and historically reliable remedies. Our services cater to all suffering from the depths of addiction. In many instances, residential rehab is not a viable or financial option.
About Karma Box Project
Karma Box is a community initiative that allows people to give non-perishable food, hygiene products, toiletries, and other useful items to those in need. Karma boxes are filled up with goods by anyone who wants to lend a helping hand to those in need. Visit Karma Boxes donation page here or contact them.
NFL commits $500,000 (USD) to fund concussion research at the University of Regina
More than $1 million in total will help a U of R-led team of researchers explore how medical cannabis products may help prevent and treat concussions
Regina, Saskatchewan, Feb. 01, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Dr. Patrick Neary, exercise physiologist and professor in the Faculty of Kinesiology and Health Studies at the University of Regina, has received more than $500,000 USD from the National Football League (NFL), along with $400,000 of in-kind support from My Next Health Inc. to investigate the use of cannabinoids – the naturally occurring compounds found in the cannabis plant – in the treatment of concussions and for pain management.
Concerns about the prevention and treatment of concussions in sports have been growing over the last several years.
“As with the league’s broader approach to health and safety, we want to ensure that our players are receiving care that reflects the most up-to-date medical consensus,” said Dr. Allen Sills, NFL Chief Medical Officer. “While the burden of proof is high for NFL players who want to understand the impact of any medical decision on their performance, we are grateful that we have the opportunity to fund these scientifically-sound studies on the use of cannabinoids that may lead to the discovery of data-based evidence that could impact the pain management of our players.”
Neary, who has been working in the area of concussion prevention and treatment for more than 15 years, says he’s excited to have the NFL’s support.
"Our interdisciplinary research team believes that different cannabinoid formulations found in medical cannabis have the potential to benefit athletes suffering from the acute and long-term chronic effects of concussions. Our research will also examine whether cannabinoids can be used as an alternative to opioids and other prescription medications for pain management. Ultimately, this study has the potential to change not only the lives of current and former NFL players, but also the lives of anyone who may suffer from a concussion, whether it’s sport-related or acquired elsewhere.”
The main cannabinoids are tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) and Neary says the research team will investigate the effects of different CBD/THC formulations, which is being provided by My Next Health Inc., for pain management in those suffering from post-concussion syndrome and chronic pain, and as a neuroprotective treatment for concussion. The Canada-wide team includes physicians, cardiologists, psychologists, pharmacologists, neuroscientists, and researchers from other fields.
“The University of Regina’s research enterprise supports governments, industry, communities and, most importantly people,” said Dr. Kathleen McNutt, Vice-President (Research) with the University of Regina. “Dr. Neary and his team’s research on the use of cannabinoids in the treatment of concussions and pain management has the potential to help alleviate life-altering injuries affecting millions of people each year and we very much appreciate the support of the NFL and My Next Health Inc. in these endeavours.”
Preparatory work for this research project will begin immediately and the next steps will include obtaining Health Canada approval for the clinical trials.
“We anticipate our CBD/THC formulation will show significant and positive changes to what it does to the brain – that it will reduce pain and use of prescription medications (opioids), show a reduced number of concussions during athletic competition, and provide physiological and psychological benefits,” said Neary.
This research is also designed to demonstrate the safety, efficacy, and tolerability of CBD.
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About the University of Regina
The University of Regina—with campuses located on Treaty 4 and Treaty 6 territories, the ancestral lands of the Cree, Saulteaux, Dakota, Lakota and Nakoda nations and the homeland of the Métis—is a comprehensive, mid-sized university that traces its roots back to the creation of Regina College in 1911. Today, more than 16,000 students study within the University's 10 faculties, 25 academic departments/schools, 18 research centres and institutes, and three federated colleges (Campion College, First Nations University of Canada, and Luther College). The University of Regina has an established reputation for excellence and innovative programs that lead to undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral degrees.
Numbers Reveal COVID Lockdown’s Human Toll
St. Paul, MN, Feb. 1, 2022 — How does a nation, and a world, respond to one of the greatest public health crises of our times? And at what cost?
With the logic of a lawyer and the scientific expertise of an immunologist, Hugh McTavish, J.D., Ph.D., walks readers through the COVID-19 pandemic and the policy decisions that were made to keep the virus in check in his eye-opening book, COVID Lockdown Insanity. Dr. McTavish’s fact-filled exploration reaches beyond the simple metrics of case and death counts and reveals the unsettling consequences of society’s responses to this disease. His careful examination of the scientific evidence related to COVID-19 transmission and his analyses of both the human and economic costs of the lockdown strategy illuminate the dysfunctionality of the government’s policy response. In the end, he lights a path toward making more enlightened decisions that offer hope of real solutions.
In the book, Dr. McTavish dissects the data that shows:
- The COVID lockdowns threw 63 million Americans into major depression.
- All evidence suggests that the lockdown response to COVID failed to decrease COVID deaths at all.
- Even if the lockdowns prevented 200,000 COVID deaths, which they probably did not, the lockdowns caused more loss of life in increased suicides, drug overdose deaths, cancer deaths and heart disease deaths than they saved in prevented COVID deaths.
- For every 1 COVID death prevented, the lockdowns caused these harms: 1/3 of a death of despair (suicide or drug overdose); 316 people thrown into major depression; 127 people out of work; 350 students out of school; 1,640 people denied the right to live their lives as they wish.
- Mask wearing has “little or no effect” on COVID cases or deaths.
- Hand washing and hand sanitizer use is the best intervention and could dramatically reduce COVID deaths, but this was underemphasized.
- Asymptomatic people very rarely spread COVID.
- Children do not spread COVID, and closing schools had no effect on COVID spread at all, and we knew that by the summer of 2020, and CDC staff wrote a paper saying so in January 2021.
In conclusion, Dr. McTavish says, “Lockdowns have no advantage at all. If you think life is better than death, a long life is better than a shorter life, happiness is better than depression, more money is better than less, education is better than ignorance, child abuse and domestic abuse are bad things, and more personal freedom is better than less, then you agree the lockdowns were a mistake.”
Hugh McTavish is a Ph.D. biochemist and immunologist and a patent attorney. He has authored 18 refereed scientific journal articles and is the inventor of 21 U.S. patents. He has also written two prior books on public policy and nature. He has started two pharmaceutical companies off his own inventions. He lives near St. Paul, Minnesota.
COVID Lockdown Insanity: The COVID Deaths It Prevented, the Depression and Suicides it Caused, What We Should Have Done, and What It Shows We Could Do Now to Address Real Crises
For every Black History Month movie rental, TELUS is donating the full cost to the Black Health Alliance
Optik and Pik TV customers can access the collection of 42 exceptional films honouring Black History Month through On Demand
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 01, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TELUS is honouring Black History Month by donating the full cost of rentals from the Celebrating Black History collection, up to $10,000 to The Black Health Alliance, a community-led charity working to improve the health and wellbeing of Black communities in Canada. The Celebrating Black History collection is available to all Optik and Pik TV customers through the TELUS Video on Demand library from February 1 to March 1, and features a curated selection of films featuring Black artists and honouring Black history including award-winning titles such as Just Mercy, Harriet, I Am Not Your Negro, and Selma. Rentals cost between $5 and $7.
“TELUS is deeply committed to helping create a more inclusive society. Recognizing and celebrating the diversity of our team, customers and communities enables a broader exchange of ideas and perspectives, and ultimately means we can better understand and support the needs of the people we serve,” said Zainul Mawji, Executive Vice-president, Home Solutions & Customer Excellence. “Black History Month is an important opportunity to learn about and reflect upon the stories, experiences and accomplishments of Black leaders, past and present. TELUS is proud to support the important work of the Black Health Alliance and to amplify the voices and powerful stories of Black artists and producers through our curated Celebrating Black History collection on Optik TV. We stand united in promoting equity, fairness, and systemic change across Canada and well beyond.”
To celebrate Black artists in Canada, Optik and Pik TV customers can also access a curated selection of free titles from TELUS originals, STORYHIVE, and YouTube playlists available on Community Connections, channel 345. Customers can watch films produced by Canadian filmmakers such as Dance Like Everybody’s Watching produced by Simone Blais and The Walk On produced by Marshall Lee, along with TELUS original produced series including Secret Calgary: Kicking Up a Fuss and Secret Victoria: Rush to Freedom.
The full list of featured titles in the Celebrating Black History collection can be found On Demand through Optik and Pik TV. For more information about Optik and Pik TV, visit telus.com/tv.
About TELUS TELUS (TSX: T, NYSE: TU) is a dynamic, world-leading communications technology company with $16 billion in annual revenue and 16 million customer connections spanning wireless, data, IP, voice, television, entertainment, video, and security. We leverage our global-leading technology and compassion to enable remarkable human outcomes. Our longstanding commitment to putting our customers first fuels every aspect of our business, making us a distinct leader in customer service excellence and loyalty. In 2020, TELUS was recognized as having the fastest wireless network in the world, reinforcing our commitment to provide Canadians with access to superior technology that connects us to the people, resources and information that make our lives better. TELUS Health is Canada’s leader in digital health technology, improving access to health and wellness services and revolutionizing the flow of health information across the continuum of care. TELUS Agriculture provides innovative digital solutions throughout the agriculture value chain, supporting better food outcomes from improved agri-business data insights and processes. TELUS International (TSX and NYSE: TIXT) is a leading digital customer experience innovator that delivers next-generation AI and content management solutions for global brands across the technology and games, ecommerce and FinTech, communications and media, healthcare, travel and hospitality sectors. TELUS and TELUS International operate in 25+ countries around the world. Together, let’s make the future friendly.
Driven by our passionate social purpose to connect all citizens for good, our deeply meaningful and enduring philosophy to give where we live has inspired TELUS, our team members and retirees to contribute more than $820 million and 1.6 million days of service since 2000. This unprecedented generosity and unparalleled volunteerism have made TELUS the most giving company in the world.
Dying to Survive: Not in Vain, A Promise Kept ExploresLife and Death Impact of Patient Advocacy
New York, NY, Feb. 1, 2021 — They were killing her mother with negligence, Melissa Mullamphy recalls. And eight months later, Mullamphy’s mother succumbed following a cancer battle fraught with frustration, medical missteps and the endless bureaucracy that goes hand in hand with navigating our complex healthcare system.
Not in Vain, A Promise Kept isMullamphy’s candid account of her mother’s journey and the family’s roller coaster of emotions. Readers will witness the mistakes that compounded their pain, the small victories that gave them hope, and above all, the love that kept them going during an indescribably difficult time.
Each chapter in Not In Vain, A Promise Kept represents one month from her mother’s diagnosis to her passing. Mullamphy recalls the experiences with vivid detail (the names of doctors and nurses have been changed), hoping to prompt others to ask the tough questions and learn by her example.
“My goal in writing this book is to keep the promise that I made to my mom … to share her story so others don’t go through what she and my family went through,” Mullamphy says. “You can have input, control and make a difference in your loved one’s healthcare.”
Mullamphy shares shocking lapses in her mother’s care, including blood clots the doctor fails to notice, the confusion surrounding her mother’s DNR order, the time she found her mother wearing another patient’s bracelet and the unspeakable heartbreak of learning that that all along, the hospital had used the wrong type of chemotherapy drug for her mother’s specific cancer.
Not In Vain, A Promise Kept is not without moments of hope, such as when the family is told the tumor has shrunk and when her mother’s last-ditch surgery to remove the tumor is declared “wildly successful.”
Ultimately, Not In Vain, A Promise Kept pays homage to a life well-lived and a woman well-loved, and it’s Mullamphy’s aim to help other patients and their loved ones find their voices, understand their rights and learn how to navigate a deeply complex, imperfect healthcare system.
“Use your voice, and remember that you are not there to make friends,” she adds. “Sometimes you have to be the biggest mouth in the room, but speaking up can save your loved one’s life.”
Author Melissa Mullamphy has a master’s degree in clinical psychology and has worked in psychiatric emergency rooms and step-down houses. Forever a student of mental health, she has also worked with many nonprofits, including those benefiting military veterans. For almost 20 years, she worked as a domestic operations manager for a major corporation. Following her experience with her mother’s cancer diagnosis and treatment, she began blogging about current events as they relate to healthcare.
Dying to Survive: Not in Vain, A Promise Kept ExploresLife and Death Impact of Patient Advocacy
New York, NY, Feb. 1, 2021 — They were killing her mother with negligence, Melissa Mullamphy recalls. And eight months later, Mullamphy’s mother succumbed following a cancer battle fraught with frustration, medical missteps and the endless bureaucracy that goes hand in hand with navigating our complex healthcare system.
Not in Vain, A Promise Kept isMullamphy’s candid account of her mother’s journey and the family’s roller coaster of emotions. Readers will witness the mistakes that compounded their pain, the small victories that gave them hope, and above all, the love that kept them going during an indescribably difficult time.
Each chapter in Not In Vain, A Promise Kept represents one month from her mother’s diagnosis to her passing. Mullamphy recalls the experiences with vivid detail (the names of doctors and nurses have been changed), hoping to prompt others to ask the tough questions and learn by her example.
“My goal in writing this book is to keep the promise that I made to my mom … to share her story so others don’t go through what she and my family went through,” Mullamphy says. “You can have input, control and make a difference in your loved one’s healthcare.”
Mullamphy shares shocking lapses in her mother’s care, including blood clots the doctor fails to notice, the confusion surrounding her mother’s DNR order, the time she found her mother wearing another patient’s bracelet and the unspeakable heartbreak of learning that that all along, the hospital had used the wrong type of chemotherapy drug for her mother’s specific cancer.
Not In Vain, A Promise Kept is not without moments of hope, such as when the family is told the tumor has shrunk and when her mother’s last-ditch surgery to remove the tumor is declared “wildly successful.”
Ultimately, Not In Vain, A Promise Kept pays homage to a life well-lived and a woman well-loved, and it’s Mullamphy’s aim to help other patients and their loved ones find their voices, understand their rights and learn how to navigate a deeply complex, imperfect healthcare system.
“Use your voice, and remember that you are not there to make friends,” she adds. “Sometimes you have to be the biggest mouth in the room, but speaking up can save your loved one’s life.”
Author Melissa Mullamphy has a master’s degree in clinical psychology and has worked in psychiatric emergency rooms and step-down houses. Forever a student of mental health, she has also worked with many nonprofits, including those benefiting military veterans. For almost 20 years, she worked as a domestic operations manager for a major corporation. Following her experience with her mother’s cancer diagnosis and treatment, she began blogging about current events as they relate to healthcare.
Vegas Stronger Awarded State Opioid Response Grant (SOR)
Second Consecutive Year Vegas Stronger Receives the Award; Continuing their Mission of Eradicating the Opioid Crisis in Nevada
Las Vegas, NV – January 31, 2022 – Vegas Stronger, a non profit whose mission is to help eradicate opioid addiction through treatment and housing in Las Vegas, has been awarded for the second consecutive year, the State Opioid Response (SOR) grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
The SOR is awarded to states/territories to address the growing opioid crisis. Initially awarded in FY 2018, these grants aim to increase access to medication-assisted treatment (MAT) using the three FDA-approved medications for the treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD), reduce unmet treatment need, and reduce opioid overdose deaths through the provision of prevention, treatment and recovery activities.
“It’s no secret the pandemic has made the epidemic of opioid abuse in our state, in and in our country, much worse,” said Dave Marlon, Founder of Vegas Stronger. “This grant helps us accept all humans (18 and over) as patients when they have a Substance Abuse Disorder (SUD). This grant will also allow us to continue the hard work of reversing the epidemic of opioid abuse we are seeing – just in the past year we’ve seen 100k people die of opioid related overdoses nationwide.”
Vegas Stronger offers quality alcohol and other drug treatment to our most underserved. People of Color tend to have longer wait times to access Substance-Use Disorder (SUD) treatment and have shorter treatment episodes of care. Vegas Stronger provides fast access to care and treatment for as long as medically appropriate, which is atypical for nonprofit clinics treating homeless clients. Integrating mental health, primary care, and substance-use disorder treatment (as well as incorporating our 13 Elements - www.vegasstronger.org) are too uncommon in nonprofit community clinics.
As a research based clinic with Internal Review Board (IRB) studies at 2 major Universities ensure that the treatment provider is both evidenced bases and focused on delivering the best outcomes to our patients.
About Vegas Stronger
Vegas Stronger is a unique Non-Profit Organization 503(c)(3) focused on reversing the devastation caused to our community by the opiate epidemic and addiction. Our out-of-the box approach helps anyone afflicted, regardless of their race, socio-economic status, or housing situation, in an outpatient facility. We offer more than just traditional groups and are a growing facility with a sober boxing gym, coffee shop, bookstore, bicycle mission, and our customized “13 Core Elements Method.”
We facilitate that restoration to wholeness for individuals, families, and society at large, by creating awareness and providing access to both state-of-the-art and historically reliable remedies. Our services cater to all suffering from the depths of addiction. In many instances, residential rehab is not a viable or financial option.
Dying to Survive: Not in Vain, A Promise Kept ExploresLife and Death Impact of Patient Advocacy
New York, NY, January 31, 2021 — They were killing her mother with negligence, Melissa Mullamphy recalls. And eight months later, Mullamphy’s mother succumbed following a cancer battle fraught with frustration, medical missteps and the endless bureaucracy that goes hand in hand with navigating our complex healthcare system.
Not in Vain, A Promise Kept isMullamphy’s candid account of her mother’s journey and the family’s roller coaster of emotions. Readers will witness the mistakes that compounded their pain, the small victories that gave them hope, and above all, the love that kept them going during an indescribably difficult time.
Each chapter in Not In Vain, A Promise Kept represents one month from her mother’s diagnosis to her passing. Mullamphy recalls the experiences with vivid detail (the names of doctors and nurses have been changed), hoping to prompt others to ask the tough questions and learn by her example.
“My goal in writing this book is to keep the promise that I made to my mom … to share her story so others don’t go through what she and my family went through,” Mullamphy says. “You can have input, control and make a difference in your loved one’s healthcare.”
Mullamphy shares shocking lapses in her mother’s care, including blood clots the doctor fails to notice, the confusion surrounding her mother’s DNR order, the time she found her mother wearing another patient’s bracelet and the unspeakable heartbreak of learning that that all along, the hospital had used the wrong type of chemotherapy drug for her mother’s specific cancer.
Not In Vain, A Promise Kept is not without moments of hope, such as when the family is told the tumor has shrunk and when her mother’s last-ditch surgery to remove the tumor is declared “wildly successful.”
Ultimately, Not In Vain, A Promise Kept pays homage to a life well-lived and a woman well-loved, and it’s Mullamphy’s aim to help other patients and their loved ones find their voices, understand their rights and learn how to navigate a deeply complex, imperfect healthcare system.
“Use your voice, and remember that you are not there to make friends,” she adds. “Sometimes you have to be the biggest mouth in the room, but speaking up can save your loved one’s life.”
Author Melissa Mullamphy has a master’s degree in clinical psychology and has worked in psychiatric emergency rooms and step-down houses. Forever a student of mental health, she has also worked with many nonprofits, including those benefiting military veterans. For almost 20 years, she worked as a domestic operations manager for a major corporation. Following her experience with her mother’s cancer diagnosis and treatment, she began blogging about current events as they relate to healthcare.
Switch Health Announces New Medical and Scientific Advisory Board to Continue Guiding Evidence-Based Growth
TORONTO, Jan. 31, 2022 /CNW/ - Switch Health today announced that it has formed a new Medical and Scientific Advisory Board, with four leading physicians and scientists, Dr. Mark Gelfer, Dr. Christopher McCudden, Dr. Helen Tran, and Dr. Robert Petrella as the first appointees to the Board. The Board will be chaired by Dr. Gregory Taylor, Switch Health's Chief Medical Officer and Canada's former Chief Public Health Officer.
This new Board builds on Switch Health's commitment to reliable, science-based, and independent guidance on diagnostic testing as well as other patient-focused solutions. The Medical and Scientific Advisory Board's work will be critical as Switch Health identifies new opportunities and brings more innovative products and services to market.
Together, Doctors Petrella, McCudden, Tran and Gelfer will be working to advise the leadership team and Dr. Gregory Taylor, who was appointed Chief Medical Officer in May 2020 to lead Switch Health's growing team of healthcare professionals and advise on medical operations. As Canada's former top doctor in 2014 in his role as Chief Public Health Officer, Dr. Taylor provides a unique understanding and expertise in what Canada has learned to date on global disease prevention and is helping forge a strong future for Switch Health through more Canadian-based innovative digital solutions to protect Canadians through this pandemic and in the future.
"We are extremely pleased that this respected group of physicians and scientists have agreed to join our Medical and Scientific Advisory Board," said Dilian Stoyanov, Chief Executive Officer at Switch Health. "It's imperative for us to get reliable and independent science-based advice from experienced and esteemed medical and scientific professionals to help guide our growth as a company. These experts have had a profound impact in academia and research across many medical fields in Canada."
"We are very proud to welcome Dr. Petrella, Dr. McCudden, Dr. Tran and Dr. Gelfer to Switch Health's growing team of medical and scientific experts," said Dr. Gregory Taylor, Chief Medical Officer at Switch Health. "I will rely on their advice to continue to re-tool how Canadians receive safe and reliable decentralized testing, and as Switch Health continues to play a lead role in transforming healthcare in Canada with innovative new diagnostic solutions and services."
The Board identified four pillars to guide its mandate, including: credibility; accuracy and validity in Switch Health's testing practices; ensuring best practices; and maximizing value of Canadian delivery models regarding integration, support, and innovation within the Canadian health care system.
Dr. Robert Petrella is Head (Chair) of the Department of Family Practice at the University of British Columbia (UBC) and Professor Emeritus at the Center for Studies in Family Medicine at Western University. He also serves as Professor of Kinesiology at both UBC and Western. Dr. Petrella's research is focused on lifestyle interventions for chronic disease prevention and management. Dr. Petrella's has dedicated his career to furthering multi- and inter-disciplinary research on lifestyle management, physical activity, chronic diseases, and innovative technologies to improve the lives of all Canadians.
Dr. Mark Gelfer is a family physician specializing in Preventive Medicine at the TELUS Health Care Centre in Vancouver, British Columbia and until recently he was Corporate Medical Officer. He is a longstanding member of Hypertension Canada and as Co-Chair of the Hypertension Canada Guidelines Blood Pressure Measurement and Diagnosis sub-committee , Dr. Gelfer led the drafting of substantial medical advances in accurate measurement and diagnosis of high blood pressure. Dr. Gelfer gained global recognition for developing the BpTRU device, the first automated office blood pressure monitor, enabling the standardization of office blood pressure assessment through Automated Office Blood Pressure (AOBP), a practice now recommended by guideline bodies worldwide. Dr. Gelfer received the Hypertension Canada Innovation Award in 2019 and the George Fodor Award in 2021. Dr. Gelfer is also Co-Founder and Chairman of GenXys, a digital health company focused on precision prescribing with integrated pharmacogenomics.
Dr. Christopher McCudden is a Clinical Biochemist at the Ottawa Hospital and Vice Chair of the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the University of Ottawa, where he also serves as Associate Professor. He is the Deputy Chief Medical Scientific Officer and Medical Director of Informatics and Information Technology for the Eastern Ontario Regional Laboratory Association. Dr. McCudden's scientific expertise spans the disciplines of automated chemistry, laboratory informatics, quality improvement, plasma cell dyscrasias, and audit and feedback for laboratory test utilization.
Dr. Helen Tran is an Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto in the Department of Chemistry. She obtained a BS in Chemistry (minor in Chemical Engineering) from UC Berkeley and a PhD in Chemistry from Columbia University, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at Stanford University. Dr. Tran is currently researching next-generation electronics that will autonomously respond to local stimuli and be harmonious with the human body, which will open doors for remarkable opportunities in environmental monitoring, advanced consumer products, and health diagnostics for personalized therapy. Dr. Tran has been awarded the Agilent Cary Recognition for Scientific Innovation Award, the Dorothy Shoichet Women Faculty in Science Award of Excellence, and the George Pegram Award.
About Switch Health
Switch Health Holdings Inc. (Switch Health) is an industry leader that is transforming how healthcare is delivered in Canada through cutting-edge decentralized next-generation diagnostics and patient-focused digital solutions. Switch Health developed an end-to-end, innovative, and accessible testing solution in Canada's fight against COVID-19, with its at-home and mobile collection kit to test Canadians safely, rapidly, and reliably for COVID-19. Switch Health's services are driven by its secure, proprietary patient portal, ASMO. Switch Health offers its gold standard of rapid and PCR testing in over 200 languages from the comfort of peoples' own homes or workplaces, with the guidance of trusted healthcare professionals and the delivery of results through some of Canada's top laboratories.
SOURCE Switch Health Inc.
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