Self-Management Program Central East Advisory Council
Trish Topping
Chair
Trish Topping is the Senior Manager of the Self-Management Program Central East and Chair of the Advisory Council. She has experience working with a variety of both rural and urban communities with a focus on health promotion. Trish holds a Bachelor of Science in Health Promotion from Dalhousie University, and a Masters of Health Science in Health Administration and a Masters in Social Work from the University of Toronto. She is also a Certified Health Executive (CHE) through the Canadian College of Health Leaders and is a Registered Social Worker (RSW).
Although Trish grew up in Toronto, she has also worked in Nova Scotia and Alberta. Her work experience includes positions in Peel Public Health, the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), and Alberta Health Services. Trish is passionate about working to improve the health of communities and individuals by focusing on the prevention and self-management of chronic conditions, the social determinants of health, quality improvement methodologies and health system collaboration.
Nancy Leung
Nancy has worked at Carefirst since 2001 with over 6 years of experience as program director. Carefirst is a non-profit charitable organization serving the Asian community in the Greater Toronto Area. She oversees the social & recreational programs for the seniors and supervises a team of over 1,000 active volunteers to support the services. Just recently, she has started overseeing the Ministry’s funded community exercise & falls prevention programs among three LHINs. Nancy is a licensed Master Trainer for the Chronic Conditions, Diabetes and Chronic Pain Self Management Programs and has been actively involved since 2008 in the coordination of self-management program workshops, peer leader training programs and peer leader refresher programs for Central East LHIN.
Karin DesChamp
Karin is a retired special education consultant and vice-principal from the Trillium Lakelands District School Board. In her roles as lead educator, she has had many experiences with program planning, evaluation, strategic planning, research, quality improvement, best practice, and verbal and written communication which are salient transferrable skills; all required for our success in fulfilling our mandate. Karin enjoys the grassroots approach to the sharing of information and resources in organizations and excels in the administrative/management/visionary levels. Her interest in the self-management programs grew from her own involvement as a participant in the “Living a Healthy Life with Chronic Conditions” Workshop in 2008 for support with several significant personal health issues at the time. She was exhilarated by the support received and so empowered by the knowledge and skills imparted that she was asked to receive the required training to engage others in this excellent adult learning model of self-advocacy. She became a co-peer leader in all three “Living a Healthy Life” workshops beginning in 2009. Since then Karin has very successfully co-led many community workshops, a peer leader refresher workshop, helped to edit the Peer Leader handbook, and spoke at a CECCAC staff meeting about the workshops. She has been active in her community promoting the program in retirement homes, churches, seniors’ groups, namely “Positively Aging” and at Trent University’s gym classes for seniors, and at a seniors’ symposium. She is also a master trainer for the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program. Karin has served as a volunteer in many capacities in her church as outreach co-ordinator, food share organizer, reader, lay minister, presbytery representative, and chair of a group that raised $8,000.00 and took a trip to the mountain schools in Honduras to deliver supplies, furniture, uniforms, and books. She is the administrator for KIVA loans to entrepreneurs in developing countries for two churches. In her community; for example, she has co-ordinated volunteers for Lifeline Telecare and responded to their hotline calls personally. She was the literacy co-ordinator for matching tutors with clients at the John Howard Society along with also providing in-service to the tutors. Karin’s personal passion is travel and some of her recent adventures have included climbing the Great Wall of China, dancing with the Maasai people of Tanzania, going on safari in the Serengeti, and climbing a volcano/glacier in Iceland. She is feeling both privileged and humbled as a cancer survivor and mother to a daughter presently battling leukemia to have been asked to sit on the Self-Management Program Central East Advisory Council where she hopes to help further advance the “development and integration of self-management as key component of chronic disease prevention and management into the health care system in Central East.”
Candace Roker
Candace Roker is an entrepreneur living in Durham Region. She holds Bachelor of Social Work and Master of Social Work degrees from Dalhousie University. Candace also has a Master of Arts degree in Education from Mount Saint Vincent University, and is currently working towards completing an MBA at the University of Massachusetts.
Prior to operating her business, Candace worked in the health and social services sector for 16 years in progressive roles in a variety of sectors including: child welfare, community health, children’s mental health, acute medical care, chronic disease management, adult inpatient mental health and mobile crisis program.
While working at The Scarborough Hospital in chronic disease management, Candace developed an interest in self-management skills training and is a “Choices and Changes” faculty member with the Self-Management Program Central East. In addition, Candace has been a Sessional Instructor at Dalhousie University School of Social Work and an Adjunct Lecturer with the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work at the University of Toronto.
Candace is originally from Nova Scotia, and is very passionate about health equity and working collaboratively to find strategies that help improve the psychosocial conditions that impact the health status of individuals and communities. She serves on the Ontario Association of Social Workers Health Care Advisory Council.
Samim Hasham
Samim Hasham obtained her Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Pharmacy from Robert Gordon University, Scotland, her Master’s in International Health Leadership from McGill University, and her Doctorate in Pharmacy from the University of Colorado. She has been involved in community pharmacy, and specifically with mental health, for over 25 years and is the owner of Morrish Pharmacy in Scarborough, Ontario. She is the satellite pharmacist for the New Dimensions, East Metro, and Scarborough Hospital ACT programs.
Samim was instrumental in initiating ACT Now, a weight loss, healthy living, and fitness challenge program for CMHA and helped develop the Medication Management Standards for CMHA Toronto’s successful application to Accreditation Canada. She runs a number of smoking cessation and diabetes clinics for patients with mental illness often utilizing the Ontario Telemedicine Network (OTN). She is also involved in community-level Primary Health Care and Chronic Disease Management initiatives, with previous hospital pharmacy experience in ICU, nephrology, and transplant units.
Samim frequently presents at community, local, regional, and international conferences, including at the Toronto District School Board. She recently delivered a web lecture on Clinical Pharmacy Practice in Psychiatry for the University of Florida’s graduate degree program. She is also a contributor to the Highland Creek Villager community newspaper.
Samim is a board member of the Central East LHIN Health Professionals Advisory Council, a member of the Human Justice Services Coordinating Committee for Scarborough, and a member of the Scarborough Addictions Services Providers. She is excited to be on the Pharmacy Team for the upcoming Toronto 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games.
Samim is the recipient of the Spirit of Belonging Award from the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Toronto for her outstanding commitment and dedication in the area of mental health.
Parnaz Sadighi
Parnaz Sadighi has a Master of Science in Nutrition and is a registered dietitian and a certified diabetes educator. She has over 18 years of experience as a dietitian working in community–based health care and engaged with different health care projects including developing a “Diabetes Exercise Tool Kit” as a joint effort with Toronto Rehabilitation Institute. Currently she is working as a clinical dietitian at East GTA Family Health Team. Parnaz is a trained peer leader for the Chronic Conditions and Diabetes and has been delivering the “Living a Healthy Life” workshops since 2010 for community members. Also she is a faculty member of the Institute for Healthcare Communication (IHC) and has been delivering “Choices & Changes” workshops for healthcare professionals since 2011. Parnaz is an advocate and a member of Ontario Advocacy Committee of Canadian Diabetes Association since March 2013. She has been volunteering as a secretary of the Toronto Chapter of Diabetes Educators Sector of Canadian Diabetes Association from 2008 to 2012. She was recognized by Canadian Diabetes Association because of her role in the 2008 Canadian Diabetes Guideline Dissemination and Implementation committee. She is also involved in the Ministry of Health and Long-term Care’s working group on developing a “ Diabetes Passport”. Parnaz is a founder of an “Iranian-Canadian Community Diabetes Program” under the Canadian Diabetes Association in order to increase diabetes self-management skills within this population. She runs this group since June 2011.
Martin Kengo
Martin Kengo is the Project Officer for the Toronto East Quadrant Local Immigration Partnership. The TEQ LIP is a government funded project to assist in the coordination of settlement and integration services for newcomers.
Martin oversees the Health and Wellness workgroup activities centered on newcomer health within Scarborough as well as collaborating with regional partners across the City of Toronto. He has over eight years of experience working in the settlement and not-for profit sector; proving capacity building training to organizations and community members and developing program and policy recommendations with various research networks and health institutions, most notably, the implementation of the Newcomer Health Strategy with Toronto Public Health.
He is an advocate for health awareness and self-care within immigrant and at- risk communities, empowering and motivating individuals to make smart choices to live healthier lives through education and resources. Having served as a member of the project team for Get Active in Your Neighbourhood Scarborough (GAINS), Martin is also involved in the recruitment and training of Peer Leaders to run workshops on topics such as cancer care awareness, recreational use of space and health systems navigation. Martin brings a multi-disciplinary approach to improving individual and community health through a social determinants of health perspective and working with stakeholders to improve collaboration across the health service system.
Ted Phillips
Ted became a Volunteer Peer Leader delivering the Living a Healthy Life Workshop for Chronic Conditions in 2013. Ted is retired from a Sales occupation and suffers from Osteoarthritis in many of his joints. Ted has been dealing with Volunteers for over 50 years in the Scouting Movement and holds the highest National Award for training Adult Leaders and the second highest National Award for continued service. For five years he was responsible for the program of about 14,000 youth and adults in a portion of Ontario. In 2002 he was awarded the Queens Golden Jubilee Award for service to fellow citizens. Ted retired from Scouting in 2006 and has since dedicated his volunteer service to his Church, and now to Living A Healthy Life workshops.
Heather Eatson
Heather graduated from the University of Guelph, with a Bachelor of Applied Science in Gerontology. She currently works as the Regional Integration Lead for Osteoporosis Canada, implementing initiatives of the Ontario Osteoporosis Strategy. Heather covers the four-county areas of Peterborough, Haliburton, City of Kawartha Lakes and Northumberland. Her role focuses on raising knowledge and awareness of osteoporosis, bone health and fracture risk reduction, both within the communities and amongst health care professionals. She has taken a lead within her organization in developing pre and post self-management workshops, working together with the CE LHIN and other LHINs, educating and offering support to people who are living with osteoporosis. Heather is trained as a Stanford chronic disease self-management peer leader and has lead two workshops in the Peterborough area. She is a member of many committees involving other health service providers in the four county areas, including Partners in Aging Well Peterborough, Northumberland Falls Prevention Coalition, Trent Hills Age Well Network, Ross Memorial Health First Advisory Committee and Peterborough City Seniors Planning Table.
Maria Chu
Maria Chu is the Director of Community Support Services of the Yee Hong Centre, a multi-service centre for seniors with 805 nursing home beds and a big basket of community support services. Maria is overseeing all community-based social services of the Centre including Adult Day Program, Congregate Dining Program, Caregiver Education and Support Services, Friendly Visiting Services, Transportation Services, Chronic Disease Self-Management Program, Health Promotion and Community Education Programs across Central East LHIN, Central LHIN and Mississauga Halton LHIN. She has a Master Degree and Bachelor Degree of Social Work. She was trained to be a Master Trainer of Chronic Disease Self-Management Program at Stanford University in 2006. She is a Master Trainer of Pain Self-Management and Diabetes Self-Management Program. Currently, Maria is one of the five T-Trainers of Stanford CDSMP Program in Ontario. Maria is a published author of her book, “Life with Love and Blessing”. She is also a volunteer Radio Program Host for Chinese community in Toronto.
Patricia Taylor
Pat is the patient care manager of the Center of Integrative Medicine at the Scarborough Hospital, in partnership with the UoT, integrating evidence informed complementary therapies into Western medicine care delivery. The program focuses on three pillars: clinical, education of patients and families & HCP, and research. A primary goal of the Center of Integrative Medicine is to provide informed choice toward a holistic approach to optimal wellness.
Progressive roles in 35 plus years at TSH include critical care and cardiology nursing, transitioning to outpatient cardiac diagnostics and pacing. As coordinator of the Heart Function Clinic, Pat implemented the program and facilitated an interactive home monitoring pilot project. The team won the 3M Award for innovation in health care. She coordinated numerous clinical trials on behalf of the cardiologist group. She was recipient of the Chairman’s Award of Excellence for work in these areas.
Pat transitioned to the patient care manager in medicine/stroke and then Chronic Disease Management, including the DEP’s, HFC, Family Medicine Teaching Unit and CDK & Home Dialysis. She facilitated the implementation of home nocturnal dialysis. In partnership with TSH, Peterborough and Lakeridge, led by CCAC, she implemented the CCBC at TSH. Members of the care teams in these areas have participated in Choices and Changes, integrating the philosophy into care delivery approach.
Marina Hodson
Marina resides in Haliburton County and has been the Executive Director of the Kawartha North Family Health Team since 2008. Prior to this she worked in the Community and Social Services Sector, including Community Living, the YWCA and Community Care, for nearly 20 years.
Having experienced the impact of poor self-care within her family, she has been an avid proponent of Self-Management and ensuring patient engagement. She is an advocate for system transformation to ensure health equity and address the social determinants of health and has been involved with the Association of Community Health Centres as a member and current vice chair of the board.
Carole Dove
Carole is currently working with VON Canada-Ontario Branch, Hastings, Northumberland, Prince Edward as the Manager of Administration and External Relations for the SMILE Program, a Regional Program in the South East supporting Frail seniors in remaining independent at home. Her past professional experience includes 25 years in a senior nursing management position in the Long Term Care sector. Carole was educated in La Belle Province as a registered nurse and has a Bachelor of Health Administration.
Carole has served on numerous committees and boards, actively participated on task force
projects and research. Carole chaired the then Civic Hospital Mental Health Services Advisory Board for a number of years, the Peterborough and Area Alzheimer Board, was a member of the South East DHC until the Councils were eliminated and participated as a member of the CDSMP planning committee in Central East from the onset and until the project became a program.
As a Master Trainer for the Stanford Chronic Disease Self Management program, a Faculty member for the Institute of Health Care Communication and workshop facilitator for the Centre for Collaboration Motivation and Innovation, Carole feels passionately about the power of self management and self management support, having experienced the benefits both at a personal and professionally level.
Devorah Garland
Devorah Garland is the Women and HIV/AIDS Community Development Coordinator at the AIDS Committee of Durham Region. This position was created in 2011 through funding from the AIDS Bureau of the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care. From its inception, Devorah has created this program into the strong, women-focused presence it now enjoys in the region.
Through her committee work, targeted conferences and presentations, she raises awareness about the intersecting oppressions in women’s lives which increase their vulnerability to HIV infection. She develops and delivers trainings to address these issues, covering topics ranging from HIV to sexual violence and rape culture, sexual harassment, and the unique needs of trans women.
She is a member of 8 inter-agency committees: the Durham Elder Abuse Network, Durham Advisory Council on Homelessness, North Durham Social Development Council, Community Development Council Durham, Sex Trade Workers Support Circle of Durham Region, Women’s Committee of Durham Region, Durham Region Aboriginal Advisory Circle, and the Violence Prevention Community Council.
Prior to assuming this position, Devorah spent 30 years as a journalist and professional communicator, writing for numerous magazines and newspapers as well as developing websites, communications plans, bios, press releases and other communications materials.