The Canadian Liver Meeting
Thank you to all our members who helped make the first Canadian Liver Meeting a successful event.
The premier Canadian Liver Meeting that became known as CLM was a partnership between CAHN, CASL and CanHepC . It became apparent that the longstanding affiliation with the Canadian Digestive Disease Week as we have known from the past was no longer a reality. The three hepatology professional organizations were committed to ensuring an annual meeting would take place, and worked together to develop an outstanding educational event to meet the needs of our various delegates.
The CLM conference was held over 3 days at the downtown Toronto Intercontinental Hotel February 9 – 11, 2018. The total number of delegates that registered for the CLM was over 400 and over 155 abstracts were submitted to the meeting. Although as CAHN, we had our designated times and hosted speakers, what made this year different was that any conference attendees could take in any sessions. The “CAHN” sessions were attended by various health care professionals, with some sessions being standing room only. Early feedback has been positive. Your conference organizers welcome further feedback, as we work with our counterparts in evaluating this years meeting and moving forward with planning the 2nd CLM.
Feedback can be sent anonymously using the form at https://cahn.ca/about-us/contact-us/ just type CLM in the “name” field and clm@cahn.ca in the “email” field.
For those who attended, a friendly reminder to send your Travel Expense Form to treasurer@cahn.ca by March 25.
2018 Annual General Meeting
Our 2018 AGM was short and sweet with only two hours, we reviewed 2017 AGM minutes, updated members on CAHN’s happenings and planned initiatives, approved the 2018 budget, elected two Board members and took the time to recognize our hard-working and deserving members.
Click here to see the AGM member hand-out package and presentation.
The following members were recognized by their fellow nurses for their contributions to Hepatology in various ways. The nomination letters are heartfelt and truly showcase the amazing work our members do in the challenging and ever-evolving field of Hepatology. We encourage you to read the full nominations letters.
 Leanne Cadden, Kelowna | Rising Star Award Presented to a novice Hepatology nurse & new CAHN member (<3 years’ membership) who in a short time has been able to demonstrate an exceptional commitment to Hepatology Nursing; through strong evidence-based practice reflecting the CAHN standards & competencies; who shows evidence of leadership qualities; participates in community development. | “When she was attending her first days of orientation with me in the summer of 2016, she obviously went home and did more reading and research on what we had been discussing. She returned the next day(s) with more questions! Within the first few weeks of working with me, she signed up for the BCIT Viral Hepatitis course. She is very responsive to learning, embracing all educational opportunities and showing a willingness to learn from both her mentor and the clinic physician” |
 Denise Thomas, Vancouver | Distinguished Service Award Presented to a long-time CAHN member (> 6 years) who has contributed significantly to CAHN as an organization; through dedicated service & participation on Executive committees, or other notable roles within CAHN. | “Early in her hepatology career, she became an active member of CAHN – in fact within a couple years of being a member she had joined the executive as vice president. Within a year and a half of being vice president – she graciously accepted the job of being interim president.” |
 Lynda Watson, Calgary | Award for Exceptional Contribution to Hepatology Nursing “Nurse of the Year”: Presented to a CAHN member who has made an outstanding contribution to the field of Hepatology nursing; has contributed to the growth of CAHN; is recognized for their work outside of their immediate practice setting. | “Lynda has been able to demonstrate her everlasting compassion in direct relation to society’s most vulnerable.” |
 Bernadette Lettner & the Toronto Community Hep C Program | Innovation & Inspiration Award Presented to a CAHN member or multidisciplinary team containing at least one CAHN member; who advances Hepatology care through their visionary (ahead of the curve), creative (out of the box), and inspiring nursing practice. | “Excellence in community nursing sometimes requires that we sniff the wind, step out of our comfort zone and take risks rather than wait for permission to act.” |
A Message from CAHN President, Donna Zukowski
I would like to extend a warm welcome to our new board member Mary Guyton and returning member Liza Abraham. We also have a new membership west, Anna DeWolff, with Shannon Taylor returning in the membership east role. Thank you to both and I know they are already planning how the membership role can reach out to new and continuing members. We are very happy that Sandi Mitchell will take the lead on our Standards and Competencies committee and Mia Biondi is joining as Conference Co-chair. Thank you to Colina Yim and Kathy Poldre for mentoring her in the coming year. And, we’re pleased Lesley Gallagher is returning in the Vice President role.
Thank you to all the members who were able to attend the CAHN/CASL/CanHepC collaborative education event. There will be more news shared about next year’s event as plans unfold.
Sneak Preview of the Summit: History in the making, come and be a part of the Special Nurse Education Day at the Summit. This is the first time CAHN is bringing international nurses together. There will be collaborative sharing of nurse initiatives in the represented countries. The nursing breakfast will be an additional highlight. Do not miss it!
Donna Zukowski,
CAHN President
Meet the New Executive Team Members
 Mary Guyton, Board of Director | Mary Guyton currently resides in Toronto and works as a Hepatitis C Program Nurse on an inter-professional, community-based team at Sherbourne Health Centre – one of the sites of the Toronto Community Hep C Program (TCHCP). Mary’s experience in adolescent health, anti-poverty activism, and LGBTQ movement-building in New York City informed a move to Canada to pursue Nursing. She completed a Masters of Educations from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education with a focus on nursing curricula that better reflect our urban populations. Mary’s current teaching at U of T’s Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing builds on her academic work by challenging students to take a critical social justice lens toward practice. Mary enjoys sharing meals with friends, knitting, running and co-raising a wirehaired vizsla puppy. |
 Liza Abraham, Board of Director (2nd term) | Liza began her career in 2006 working solo in the GTA (greater Toronto) community during the interferon era. She joined the St. Michael’s Hospital team in downtown Toronto in 2014 where she works alongside the HIV and Hemophilia clinics, treating the Hep C mono and co-infected patients with the new DAA’s. As part of the Hepatitis C Secretariat, her mandate is to treat the urban patient population in the St. Michael’s catchment area, primarily marginalized and IVDU. |
 Lesley Gallagher, Vice President (2nd term) | In 2005, Lesley Gallagher began her work as a Hepatitis C Clinical Research Nurse, at the Pender Community Health Centre in the DTES of Vancouver, B.C. In 2013, Lesley moved to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan to assist in developing a Hepatitis C treatment program, for patients living in the city and in northern regions of the province. Lesley continues to work for Vancouver Coastal Health, at both Pender Clinic and Raven Song Clinic and in Saskatoon, for the Saskatchewan Infectious Disease Care Network (SIDCN). Lesley is the Vice President for the Canadian Association of Hepatology Nurses (CAHN) and sits on the CAHN Board of Directors as Education Chair. In this role, she organizes the annual BC Nurse Leaders’ Education forum, attended by nurses throughout the province. Lesley represents CAHN, as a member of the Steering Committee for Action Hepatitis Canada. She is a member of the working group for the CTAC project, “Newcomers to Canada and Treatment Access”. and has recently been elected to CATIE’s Board of Directors as an At-Large Board Member. Lesley has a special interest in educating, treating and advocating for all individuals living with Hepatitis C. |
 Mia Biondi, Conference Co-Chair | Mia Biondi, PhD, NP-PHC is a primary care nurse practitioner in London, On where she practices at a Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic. Although she treats hepatitis C in this role, outside of this Mia also works in community-based settings to offer hepatitis C treatment, as well as street-outreach. Clinically, she has experience working with street-involved populations, sexual health, mental health, and paediatrics. Before entering the nursing profession, Mia completed a PhD in HIV drug resistance at McGill University and a post-doctoral fellowship under Dr. Jordan Feld at the Toronto General Research Institute. Since becoming an NP, Mia has returned to Toronto Centre for Liver Disease in a research capacity and currently focuses on increasing hepatitis B and C screening through alternative diagnostic and systems approaches. Mia is especially interested in increasing screening uptake and linkage to care among prenatal, pediatric, and street-involved populations; as well as increasing screening and treatment in primary care. |
 Anna DeWolff, Membership West | I have been involved in Hepatology nursing for the past 13 years, running a small hepatitis C clinic within a rural community hospital. Prior to this, I primarily worked in critical care areas – ICU/CCU, PACU, Oncology. I am truly grateful that I have, for the most part, thoroughly enjoyed my career… all the interesting challenges found within a variety of different nursing areas, the opportunity of continually improving my knowledge base, but mostly, the privilege of sharing in life experiences of all the different patients/clients we help and work with each day! I have recently retired from my permanent nursing position and am now really looking forward to working with CAHN in this volunteer role! |
 Shannon Taylor, Membership East (2nd term) | Shannon Taylor has worked for over 20 years in community-based primary care, with her focus for the past 15 years being on HCV care and treatment. She has a passion for social justice, peer education & support, and improving health systems navigation for stigmatized and vulnerable groups. Shannon joined CAHN in 2007 and this is her second term as Membership East rep. Shannon has worked with and learned from individuals and communities in a variety of urban and remote settings across the country – including Halifax, downtown Toronto, Vancouver Island, and the Northwest Territories. Originally from Montreal, she is now permanently settled in beautiful rural Nova Scotia where she is engaged in community outreach initiatives helping to link people to care. |
 Sandi Mitchell, Standards & Competencies Chair | Sandi Mitchell has lived and worked as a Nurse in a variety of settings throughout Canada and Australia focusing on vulnerable populations. She recently completed her PhD, which focused on women living with HCV and is now working with Dr King and community organizations providing HCV treatment in Vancouver and rural areas of BC. |
A Special Liver Nurse Summit
CAHN invites you to attend the “Special Liver Nurse Summit” taking place June 14, 2018, as part of the Global Hepatitis Summit, in Toronto, Canada.
The Liver Nurse Summit is focused on the nursing care of individuals with liver disease. Speakers and delegates from around the world will be attending and presenting a well-rounded range of topics. This meeting offers a unique opportunity to meet and network with colleagues from around the world. Click here to see the program.
Abstract submissions for oral and poster presentations is now open. Abstract Submissions Close on April 15, 2018. Click here to submit your abstract.
Register at http://www.globalhepatitissummit2018.com/registration by March 26 to receive the Early Bird rate. Use the nurse registration code, CAHN18GHS, to receive your nurse discount. Hotel reservations can be made during the event registration process and we encourage members to book with the Fairmount Royal York Hotel.
$175 CAD is the early bird rate to attend the Nurse Summit on June 14 or $425 to attend the entire Global Hepatitis Summit weekend (June 14-17).
CAHN is encouraging members to attend by offering travel reimbursement as per the linked policy. which reimburses up to $500 in travel expense plus up to $246 for hotel expense (50% of the hotel conference rate for two nights). As there is no AGM at this meeting, members MUST attend the Networking Breakfast on Friday, June 15 in order to receive travel reimbursement. The hotel rate is based on negotiations with the Fairmount Royal York. Hotel reservations can be made during the event registration process.
As the Global Hepatitis Summit only happens every 3 years, we encourage our members to register for the entire weekend meeting.
If you have further questions, please contact membership@cahn.ca. We welcome you sharing this message with your colleagues.
BC Nurse Leaders & Dr. Ramji’s Liver Forum
Save the Date! Oct 19-21, 2018, in Vancouver at the Four Seasons Hotel.
More details coming soon.
Thank you to our Sponsors
