Are you a patient or a caregiver of a patient with mesothelioma? If yes, please watch for news to join us for upcoming sessions of facilitated live support groups that the CMF hosts for mesothelioma patients and caregivers. These sessions provide a supportive way for adults affected by mesothelioma to connect with peers and to share resources associated with mesothelioma, navigating the health care system, and self care strategies. The groups will also offer support and information through themed discussions, guest speakers, and topics selected by group members.
The live support groups sessions are offered over Zoom and are facilitated by Robin Forbes, an oncology social worker and the co-lead of Psychosocial Oncology at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre. She is familiar with the Mesothelioma program and knows about mesothelioma compensation options and the need for emotional and practical support for people diagnosed with mesothelioma and their family members.
For confidentiality and privacy, Zoom invitations for discussion groups will only be sent to registrants for each session - register for sessions by emailing skirouac@cmfonline.org and include your connection to the disease.
Past Sessions
In February 2025, Dr. Paul Demers joined the Support Group Session to give a presentation "Mesothelioma by the Numbers: Tracking the Impact of Asbestos." Dr. Demers is the Scientific Director of the Occupational Cancer Research Centre (OCRC), as well as a Senior Scientist with Ontario Health and a Professor with the Occupational and Environmental Health Division of the University of Toronto’s Dalla Lana School of Public Health. He has a PhD in Epidemiology and an MSc in Industrial Hygiene, both from the University of Washington in Seattle. Paul is internationally recognized for his expertise on the health effects of workplace exposures and has sat on many expert panels, including the International Agency for Research on Cancer working groups that evaluated carcinogens such as dusts and fibres, firefighting and formaldehyde. He is also a member of the CMF Scientific Advisory Committee. The session was moderated by Robin and Dr. Demers answered questions and joined in a discussion following his presentation.
Our June 2024 CMF Mesothelioma Discussion group was on pain management with Dr. Camille Munro, a pain management specialist and a member of the CMF Scientific Advisory Committee and Assistant Professor and Clinician-Teacher with the Division of Palliative Medicine at the University of Ottawa. Dr. Munro's presentation to the live support group on palliative care and pain management is available for viewing here: Palliative Care and Pain Management.