Established in 2014, the Pathfinder's Award recognizes individuals who have contributed significant service to helping men and their families deal with prostate cancer. See below for previous winners and their ceremonies.
Dr. Shelley Spaner is our 2019 Pathfinder's Award recipient. She is a specialist in diagnostic radiology at Mayfair Diagnostics where she became a partner in 2003. Dr. Spaner has provided medical imaging and specialized radiology services in Calgary, across Southern Alberta, Saskatchewan, the Yukon and the North West Territories. Shelly is a member of the Alberta Society and the Canadian Association of Radiologists, the Society of Abdominal Radiologists, along with the Radiological Society of North America.
Shelley became a Board Member at the Prostate Cancer Center in Calgary in 2015, and in 2017, founded the initiative called “Women for Men’s Health”. Motivated by the visible gap in the current system, which frequently sees men “fall through the healthcare cracks” the primary goal is to shift men’s behaviour towards preventing treatable disease and maintaining good health, as well as mobilizing women in this effort.
This Award is presented to individuals who have made a significant contribution through education, research, support, and leadership afforded to men and their families who are dealing with prostate cancer. Dr. Spaner has demonstrated the highest level of excellence and leadership and contributed significant advancements in prostate cancer research and treatment.
Dr. Spaner is no stranger to PROSTAID Calgary having given several presentations to our meetings. Many of our members are beneficiaries of Dr. Spaner's work for which we are most grateful.
Congratulations Dr. Spaner.
The Pathfinder Award is given to individuals who have made a significant contribution to the education, research, treatment, and support for men and their families dealing with prostate cancer.
Dr. Nicole Culos-Reed is our 2018 Pathfinder's Award recipient. She is a Professor in Health and Exercise Psychology in the Faculty of Kinesiology, and a Professor in the Department of Oncology in the CUMMING SCHOOL of Medicine, University of Calgary. She is a Research Associate with the Department of Psychosocial Resources at the Tom Baker Cancer Centre.
Much of her work deals with physical activity for cancer survivors, the psychological factors that they experience, and focuses on improving their quality of life.
Nicole leads the Health and Wellness Lab, which focuses on delivering community-based, 12-week physical activity programs. For prostate cancer survivors and their families, this has included the TrueNTH Lifestyle Management Program.
Dr. Culos-Reed along with Dr. Lauren Capozzi, also founded the Thrive Centre, where many of the research programs begin. This currently includes the Alberta Cancer Exercise (ACE), program, which is offered at the Thrive Centre, Wellspring Calgary, City of Calgary Recreation Centres, and the YMCA.
Nicole is no stranger to PROSTAID Calgary having given several presentations to our meetings. Many of our members are beneficiaries of Nicole’s programs for which we are most grateful.
The 2017 recipient is renowned Calgary oncologist Dr. Dean Ruether. Dr. Ruether is a Medical Oncologist at the TBCC who has worked in the GU program for over 20 years. His undergraduate training was done at the University of Calgary and medical school completed at the University of Alberta. Post graduate training in internal medicine, hematology and medical oncology was completed at the University of Calgary with focus on Clinical Trials in GU, Endocrine and Neuroendcrine malignancies and Patient Education. He is an active member of the Medical Oncology training program, serves on a number of administrative capacities, as the Lead for local tumour group teams and is responsible for bringing clinical trials for the Endocrine and NET and Prostate patient population in Alberta. Dr. Ruether is also the current Medical Director, Community Oncology, CancerCare Alberta for 4 regional and 11 community sites whose directive is to bring cancer care closer to home for Albertans.
In previous leadership roles for the local and provincial GU and Endocrine & Neuroendocrine programs in Alberta, Dr Ruether played a pivotal role in bringing clinical trials for patients affected by GU and Endocrine malignancies to Alberta. Results of some of these trials have changed practice in both of these subspecialty areas of oncology. Dr Ruether has also been involved in a series of clinical trials looking at the benefits of providing consultation recordings to patients affected by GU, Breast, CNS and Neuroendocrine tumors. Results of these trials have been instrumental in establishing a consultation recording service in Cancer Care Manitoba and work to establish a similar service as part of standard operations is underway here in Alberta. As the Medical Director for Community Oncology, Dr. Ruether has been successful in obtaining funding from the ACF to support the development of the necessary clinical infrastructure needed to provide access to clinical trials in 3 of our 4 regional cancer centers. Dr. Ruether has been involved as the local principal investigator in multiple phase 2 and 3 trials in the GU, Endocrine, Breast, and malignant hematology as well as a phase 1 trial in bladder cancer over a career spanning 22 years and is coauthor on more than 50 peer reviewed publications that have come out of participation in clinical research trials.
Dr. Ruether was awarded at the Kerby Centre in Calgary on December 10th. A large gathering at the venue and abroad via Skype were all there to congratulate a gracious and deserving winner.
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