The 2025 Canadian Association of Nurses in Oncology (CANO/ACIO) Annual Conference, themed “Striving for the Summit: Empowering Oncology Nurses Toward Excellence,” highlighted four decades of innovation and leadership in oncology nursing. Members of the ACCESS Lab from the University of British Columbia’s School of Nursing made significant contributions, advancing dialogue on aging, navigation, and equity in cancer care.
Workshop: “Strengthening Care of Older Adults in Everyday Oncology Nursing Practice” (W-03)
Presented by Fay Strohschein, Susie Monginot, Allison Wiens, Bonnie Leung, Kimberly Shapkin, Ailsa Sirois, Kristen Haase, Juliana Tebo, Gillian Labrie, and Manon Lemonde, this interactive session explored practical strategies for integrating gerontological principles into daily oncology practice, empowering nurses to promote functional independence in older adults.
Oral and poster:
- Kayoung Lee presented the research poster “A Scoping Review on Nurse Navigation Among Older Adults with Cancer,” contributing to the conference’s Research category and highlighting the evolving evidence base for nurse navigation in geriatric oncology.
- Ailsa Sirois shared “The Gendered Experiences of Healthy Aging among Older Adults Living with and Beyond Cancer.”
These talks advanced understanding of age-related inequities and navigation roles within cancer systems. - Kayoung Lee presented “A Mixed Methods Study of Geriatric Oncology Patient Navigation Roles Worldwide: Implications for Nursing.”
Breakfast Symposium
Bonnie Leung spoke at the Pfizer Breakfast Symposium “The Reaction Room: Discussing Practical Approaches to AE Management,” focusing on multidisciplinary management of treatment-related adverse events.
Collaborative Contributions
ACCESS collaborators Heather Kilgour, Lorelei Newton, and Jacqueline Galica were featured throughout the program, including Galica’s presentation “Excellence in Gynecological Cancer Care: An Intervention Developed and Delivered by Oncology Nurses”.
Together, the ACCESS Lab team demonstrated national leadership in advancing nursing scholarship on aging, equity, and supportive cancer care exemplifying how nurse-led research and collaboration are transforming oncology practice across Canada.
