November marks the beginning of Crohn's and colitis awareness month. Did you know that Canada has one of the highest rates of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis in the world?
In Canada, as of 2021, 1 in 140 Canadians (~ 300,000 people) live with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis. This number is only expected to increase to 1 in 100 (~403,000 people) by 2030. (Crohn’s and Colitis Canada, 2023)
This webinar’s focus is to understand the biological factors underlying Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, as well as strategies to empower and improve the quality of life of people living with the disease. This includes treatment approaches and exploring recommendations related to these diseases.
Join Dr. Farhad Peerani, gastroenterologist, to learn about Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis and ways to cope with chronic illness. Dr. Puneeta Tandon, transplant hepatologist, will discuss practical tips for living well with chronic disease, and Shafeen Rajani will share his journey with his ulcerative colitis diagnosis. This session will be moderated by Sadaf Hashimi, a member of the National Health Promotion team who is completing her diploma in Practical Nursing at Seneca College.
Resources:
------
Speakers:
Dr. Farhad Peerani
Farhad Peerani (MD) graduated from the University of British Columbia’s medical program and completed residencies in internal medicine and gastroenterology at the University of Alberta. He pursued a two-year clinical research Inflammatory Bowel Disease Fellowship at both the University of Alberta and Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. He is currently an Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Alberta and devotes the majority of his time to treating patients with Crohn's and Colitis.
Dr. Puneeta Tandon
Dr. Puneeta Tandon (MD, FRCP(C), MSc(Epi) has been a Transplant Hepatologist and Faculty member at the University of Alberta since 2007. She is a certified yoga teacher, health coach and active researcher who is driven by the desire to empower people living with chronic conditions with practical tools for improving knowledge, physical and mental well-being.
Shafeen Rajani
Shafeen’s journey with Ulcerative Colitis began in 2003, after experiencing symptoms for two years. Shafeen has tried various pharmacological and surgical treatments for his Ulcerative Colitis, until he underwent final surgery in 2023, leading to a full reversal. Shafeen enjoys being active again through playing ball hockey, badminton and biking. He is a proud dad to two daughters and for the past nine years, has been volunteering as a Scouts leader with the 40th Edmonton Scouts.
Moderator:
Sadaf Hashimi
Sadaf serves as administrator of the Health Promotion team and is located in North East Toronto. She is currently working towards her second diploma, this time in Practical Nursing at Seneca College. Her first diploma is in Early Childhood Education. Sadaf is also employed as a support worker at COSTI Immigrant Services, where she assists immigrants in their settlement and integration process.