First Recipient of NL SUPPORT’s Patient-Oriented Research Development Award

NL SUPPORT and Quality of Care NL provide funding to build learning, capacity development, and sustainability in patient-oriented research (POR) and evaluation in Newfoundland and Labrador.

In Fall 2023, NL SUPPORT launched a new funding award called the Patient-Oriented Research Development Award. This award was designed to support the growth of patient-oriented research in health/social research areas where it has traditionally been difficult to grow this movement. These include laboratory-based/basic science research and community/social sector research/program evaluation settings.

Applications for Spring 2024 are currently open until May 24, 2024! Learn more at https://nlsupport.ca/funding-opportunities/.

Applications are reviewed by panels of our staff, Memorial University faculty, and patient and public partners to determine whether each proposed POR project fits within our mandate.

NL SUPPORT’s first Patient-Oriented Research Development Award was awarded to Young Adult Cancer Canada (YACC) — congratulations! Read about their project below.

Young Adult Cancer Canada Recover Study — Prospective Recovery of Quality of Life in Young Adults Diagnosed with Cancer

Study Lead: Dr. Sheila N. Garland, PhD, R Psych. Clinical Psychologist and Associate Professor of Psychology and Oncology at Memorial University of Newfoundland.

Study Team: Angie Barrington, Manager of Communications, YACC — Collaborator (Project Management). Karine Chalifour, Director of Programs, YACC — Co-Lead. Pam Crotty, Manager of Research, YACC — Collaborator (Project Management). Geoff Eaton, Executive Director, Young Adult Cancer Canada (YACC) — Co-Lead, Knowledge user (Patient Partner — lived cancer experience). Dr. Cheryl Heykoop, Program Head of the Master of Arts in Leadership — Health Specialization in the School of Leadership Studies, Royal Roads University — Community Leader, Knowledge user (Patient Partner — lived cancer experience). Dani Taylor, Manager of Programs, YACC — Collaborator (Project Management), Patient Partner. Leadership Team, Research Advisory Committee and the Insight team — various members of the community with lived experience.

Young adults (YAs) who are diagnosed with cancer under 40 years old face unique medical, physical, and psychosocial challenges but supportive care for navigating these challenges is lacking. Recognizing that there is an urgent need to offer life-stage appropriate and relevant supportive care for YAs with cancer, Young Adult Cancer Canada (YACC) was formed in 2000. YACC is a Canadian, non-profit organization dedicated to helping YAs live better with, through, and beyond cancer through various online and in-person services including online groups, social events, intensive retreats, and survivor conferences designed to address the unique needs of YAs with lived/living cancer experience.

YACC — in collaboration with YAs with lived/living cancer experience, Memorial University, and Royal Roads University — is leading the YACC Recover Study. This study aims to engage YAs with lived/living cancer experience to understand the holistic quality of life (e.g., physical, mental, social, and financial) over time and identify recommendations (e.g., policy, practice, research, and programming) to improve the quality of life for YAs and support their recovery. The idea for the Recover Study began with YACC’s Insight Team — a patient and public partner panel comprised of 13 YAs with cancer and their supporters — who meet bi-monthly with the project team to discuss emergent priorities and questions. Through YACC’s Research Advisory Committee, YAs with lived/living cancer experience are active members of the study team, helping to: determine the overall vision and strategic directions; inform research methods and processes; foster collaboration amongst partners; review research protocols; review knowledge exchange strategies; and promote research engagement, uptake of evidence informed actions, and knowledge translation in research, policy, and practice. YACC hopes that the findings of the Recover Study will shed light on more holistic views of recovery in YAs with cancer in Canada, leading to better supportive care and improved well-being.

To learn more about our funding opportunities and how to apply (deadline: May 24, 2024), please visit https://nlsupport.ca/funding-opportunities/.

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