Congratulations to Shereli Soldevilla, nurse practitioner (NP), Cardiovascular Surgery & Critical Care in the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre Cardiology Department, for receiving the Nurse Practitioner Provincial and Territory Award of Excellence from the Nurse Practitioner Association of Canada.
This award is given to an individual NP in each province and territory who has demonstrated excellence in clinical practice, leadership, advocacy, research, or education and has shown efforts to advance the image, profile, and visibility at the provincial and territory level.
Shereli completed her nurse practitioner and Master's in Nursing from the University of Toronto.
Shereli was nominated for the award by her colleague and mentor, Barbara Bailey, nurse practitioner, Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program.
"She has an eagerness to learn, specifically with the adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) patient population, a great work ethic, and most importantly, kindness and compassion towards our patients," Barb says of her colleague. “Shereli is never afraid of a challenge and any time she is invited to be involved in research, leadership and educational opportunities she welcomes the opportunity and never says 'we can't.'
"On top of all this, she is a wonderful mother and partner. She has a very full life outside of her work here at PMCC, and is an inspiration for all."
Congratulations to Dr. Elena Elimova, General Internal Medicine physician and gastrointestinal oncologist in the Department of Medical Oncology and Hematology (DMOH), for being a recipient of the Clinical Trials Fund as part of their Biomanufacturing and Life Sciences Strategy announced by the Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR).
Dr. Elimova, in partnership with the Canadian Cancer Trials Group, was granted more than $3.7 million over three years to fund the CCTG GA4 study in HER2 overexpressing advanced gastroesophageal carcinoma.
There is minimal research diving into gastrointestinal cancer, and thus minimal treatment options. The phase II study will determine whether adding the drug zanidatamab to the treatment of patients who are resistant to their current therapy can better slow the growth of their tumours.
"I hope this trial will help to provide a new and potentially better option for patients with gastroesophageal cancers and HER2 positive disease in Canada," says Dr. Elimova.
According to the Government of Canada's news release, the CIHR Clinical Trials Fund will be foundational in ensuring that Canadians are well served by a national clinical trials network that fosters all aspects of therapeutics development, from discovery through to delivery. It will be crucial to preparedness for future pandemics or other health emergencies and to grow a strong life sciences sector.
