Meet the McCain Centre Pancreatic team!
Back row: John Kim, Anna Dodd, Malcolm Moore, Terri Stuart-McEwan, Steven Gallinger
Bottom: Tracy DesRoches, Allyson Nowell, Alice Wei, Sarah Jennings, Sarah Buchanan
(Photo: UHN Photographics)
The Wallace McCain Centre for Pancreatic Cancer is now open at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, providing rapid diagnosis and coordinated care by a dedicated, inter-professional team across all specialties, and in collaboration with endoscopy colleagues at St. Michael’s Hospital.
For patients and their families, this integrated, streamlined approach is already transforming care delivery by significantly reducing to one week the time required from referral to treatment planning. Previously, this process took many weeks and multiple visits.
The Centre, located in the fourth floor Gastrointestinal (GI) clinic, is led by Director Malcolm Moore, Head of Medical Oncology and Hematology, and co-Director Steven Gallinger, Head of the Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgical Oncology Program. Clinical Nurse Specialist Allyson Nowell triages referrals and responds directly to patients within 24 hours. Clinical Research Coordinator Anna Dodd is the primary contact for recruitment into clinical studies.
Dr. Moore says: “The Centre provides one-stop shopping for pancreatic cancer patients, giving them access to all the services they require at their first visit, including the opportunity to participate in clinical trials and the many new treatments we’re testing here.” He expects the team will treat about 350 pancreatic patients each year.
A $5 million donation from the Wallace and Margaret McCain family to The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation enabled development of the new Centre, which also received funding support from Pancreatic Cancer Canada and other donors.
“The McCains wanted to provide for patients the best possible chance to fight this often lethal disease and, thanks to the tremendous generosity of this family, we are now able to do so,” says Dr. Moore.
Physician referrals can be faxed to: 416-946-2043.
