The Membership Subcommittee is diligently working to broaden our organizational base by actively reaching out to potential members from diverse geographical regions. This initiative aims to enhance representation from different professional networks, ensuring a richer tapestry of contributions and perspectives on supportive care within the iPOG Network. The Subcommittee will also be launching a new initiative for individual iPOG Network membership. Watch for news on how you can become more active in our Network!
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Lessons Learned

The Atlantic Provinces Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Network (APPHON) recently launched a project, Pediatric and Young Adult Fertility Preservation in Atlantic Canada, aiming to increase fertility preservation awareness and supports for patients, families, and clinicians in the four Canadian Atlantic provinces. Toni Leamon, a Nurse Navigator from Newfoundland, reflects on the project launch.

Guideline development and implementation is no easy task, especially when it surrounds a topic that is not readily discussed in our cancer care systems. We met this hurdle during our project to adapt and implement a fertility preservation guideline for use across four provinces. The IWK Health Centre’s guideline, adapted from the clinical practice guideline developed by the American Society of Clinical Oncology, was our source guideline. The project includes the development of patient and family-centered resources, as well as detailed and accessible guidelines and clinical care pathways for clinicians. These resources and guidelines are the first of their kind in Atlantic Canada.

We started by surveying cancer centres across Atlantic Canada to discover how they screen for fertility needs in patients newly diagnosed with cancer. In most organizations, chart audits uncovered that fertility was not discussed with patients. We used this information to frame educational sessions for clinicians to highlight the importance of fertility discussions. During these sessions we reviewed the adapted guideline recommendations and explained how fully informing patients and families about fertility during cancer treatment improves their quality of life. We also introduced the fertility preservation clinical care pathways to clinicians. These quick references delineate exactly which steps to take depending on the patient’s fertility care choices, addressing the misconception that clinicians would be overwhelmed by extra work.

A great strength of our project was our robust patient and family advisor (PFA) working group. This diverse group of patients and family members included those from equity-denied populations. All materials, including the resources, guideline, and clinical care pathways, were developed in consultation with PFAs. During clinician education, we shared PFA insights regarding the importance of fertility conversations and fertility care, using quotes from PFA members’ personal reflections about their experience with cancer. PFA members’ lived experience, perspectives and expertise were key to guideline acceptance by the organizations and clinicians delivering fertility care.

With the PFAs championing this work and the willingness of organizations and individual clinicians to listen, fertility care for oncology patients across Atlantic Canada is changing in a big way. An evaluation of uptake and outcomes of the project is now underway.

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iPOG Network | Supportive Care Guidance for Pediatric Oncology