National Cancer Series: The ‘C’ Word
In this National Cancer Series webinar, join moderator Shamim Jivani (Coordinator for the Ismaili Women’s Cancer Support Group for British Columbia) and Dr. Ryaz Chagpar (a General and Endocrine Surgeon) as they provide an overview of cancer.
The purpose of this session is to assist the Jamat and family members who may be diagnosed with cancer to navigate the health care system and ensure the best quality of life post-diagnosis. Discussions will include modifiable risk factors, the main therapeutic modalities for most solid organ, soft-tissue, and blood borne cancers, as well as the importance of holistic and personalized care to lengthen lifespan and improve quality of life.
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Shamim Jivani grew up in Rwanda and Belgium. She came to Canada in 1988 where she worked for the Federal Government as a client advisor in the Translation Bureau for 25 years. She has a degree in translation from the University of Brussels, and she is fluent in English, French, and Spanish.
In 2001, she formed the Ismaili Women’s Cancer Support Group in Vancouver, in collaboration with the Women’s Portfolio and Canadian Cancer Society. As part of a TKN assignment during the Golden Jubilee, Shamim travelled to the Aga Khan University in Karachi to guide the development of local cancer support groups. She was part of a team that trained women to act as peer facilitators.
Shamim currently serves on the Canadian Cancer Society’s Board of Directors, and she has recently joined Inspire Health to promote their wellness program for cancer patients in different communities. She is happily married with 3 children and 2 granddaughters. Shamim lives in North Vancouver, where she finds joy in reading and nature walks.
Dr. Ryaz Chagpar is a General and Endocrine Surgeon within the Department of Surgery at the University of British Columbia. Born and raised in Canada, he completed his BSc. in Honors Biochemistry at the University of Alberta, and his MD and MSc at the University of Saskatchewan. He went on to complete his general surgery residency training at Western University, during which time he also completed a postdoctoral research fellowship in Surgical Oncology from MD Anderson Cancer Centre.
He subsequently completed an American Association of Endocrine Surgeons clinical fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic before eventually returning back home to Canada. His research interests are broad, and include unraveling the molecular biology and drivers of cancer and diabetes, as well investigating methods to improve quality and value of care using large, multi-institutional, nationally representative, and population-based data registries. He has presented his research nationally and internationally, and has published numerous peer-reviewed articles in high-impact journals. He has an interest in global health partnerships, and is passionate about volunteering his time both locally and abroad to improve health outcomes for various communities around the world.
