Care for persons diagnosed with breast cancer involves not only early diagnosis and treatment but also symptom support and effective ways to meet their practical, informational, psychological, social, and spiritual needs.
To date, there has been little research on how to optimally provide supportive care that goes beyond acute care curative-intent treatment. Drs. Grace Johnston and Robin Urquhart at Dalhousie University have brought together researchers and clinicians in Nova Scotia to carry out research to provide new insights and improve practices that can support those with advanced breast cancer.
Their ABC-SC team aims to increase supportive care research and strengthen the use of this research to improve real-world practice and policy. Their research spans from evaluating the impact of palliative yoga to engaging decision-makers in ensuring that new programs and policies meant to improve supportive and palliative care are guided by research findings.