By Cheryl Harewood
When someone hears, “We have found a tumour”, even before they know exactly what it means, their thoughts can go straight to their family.
Some people worry about dying, leaving their spouse, missing a child’s wedding or the birth of a first grandchild. It can be very difficult to take in medical information when those thoughts are going through one’s head.
Don Thomson, vice-president, strategic alliances, of Carepath Caribbean, told Easy their focus was on making things easy for their patients.
Carepath Caribbean was established in 2020 by its president Dr Denny DePetrillo, who founded the original Canadian Carepath Programe in 2002, at the Princess Margaret Centre in Toronto, Canada.
Today, Carepath Caribbean has formed an alliance with Bayview Hospital.
This means that in the before- and-after-care treatment, patients are now provided with a dedicated oncology nurse, experienced in their type of cancer and backed by the organisation’s oncologists, someone who has time to listen, explain and help patients prepare for what comes next, all the while working alongside the patient’s doctors.
“We work closely with the hospital’s team through diagnosis and treatment. That coordination helps people understand their care and receive support close to home wherever appropriate. The navigation support is by telephone or video, so the person and their family can speak with their nurse from home,” Thomson said.
With the organisation’s programme having supported more than 10 000 patients, Thomson, who has been involved with Carepath in Canada since 2005, explained, “We wanted to bring that experience to people in the Caribbean.
“A person can receive excellent medical care and still have questions they did not ask, answers they did not fully understand and concerns that come up after they get home. Carepath Caribbean gives them continuing support through those moments.”
The team behind Carepath Caribbean includes Denny, a gynaecologic oncologist whose work in the region goes back decades. He has mentored Caribbean doctors, helped arrange specialist training in Toronto, Ottawa and Calgary, and organised specialist coverage where it was needed. He has also co-authored a 2014 position paper with Professor Michael Fung Kee Fung that helped lay the foundation for the Caribbean Gynaecologic Cancer Society. In April, the society awarded Denny its Presidential Medal in recognition of founding medical training, and care in the region.
Carepath Caribbean’s medical director Dr Peter Anglin specialises in internal medicine, haematology and medical oncology, with a focus on blood cancers. Dina Linardos leads the nursing team and previously led nursing and operations for the Canadian programme, while Flavia St Clair coordinates the organisation’s programmes.
Carepath Caribbean core values are all-inclusive.
“The starting point is that no one should ever have to walk through a cancer diagnosis alone. That means listening without rushing people, respecting their privacy and giving them information they can understand,” Thomson noted.
“People react differently. Some feel frightened or anxious, some experience low mood, and others mainly want clear answers and a plan. We need to understand who the person in front of us is.
“It also means recognising the family. A spouse or adult child may be trying to help while feeling overwhelmed themselves. With the patient’s agreement, we include them. We are clear about our services and costs, and we respect the relationships patients already have with their doctors.
“We want every person who is newly diagnosed with cancer or already receiving treatment, and their family, to have the opportunity to receive information, guidance and support. A lot of that is practical,” Thomson added.
“Before a specialist appointment, the nurse helps prepare a list of questions and explains why those questions matter. Afterwards, they can go through the answers again. We help organise reports, clarify next steps and discuss ways to retain the information, such as taking notes or having a trusted family member at the appointment.
“We also look at everyday life. Fatigue may affect work and responsibilities at home. Poor sleep, eating difficulties and worry can make things harder. Relationships and family roles can change. The nurse helps people talk through those concerns, offers guidance and involves their treating team or other support when needed.”
Concerning helping patients get whole again, Thomson said: “To me, that means paying attention to their life beyond the diagnosis: their relationship with their spouse, their role as a parent, their work and the things that matter to them.
“After treatment, some people worry about the cancer returning. That worry may sit quietly in the background or become much stronger around a test or follow-up appointment. We help them discuss those concerns, understand their follow-up plan and prepare for them for returning to work and other parts of daily life.”