Jeff J. Shamie, Cedars’ President and CEO and his team at Cedar’s have launched the Together Against Cancer campaignCedars Gives a $15 Million Boost to Supportive and Palliative Cancer Care at the MUHC The Montrealer February 20, 2025 377 The Cedars Cancer Foundation (Cedars) is raising $15 million for the Cedars Whole Person Cancer Care Program, with the aim of humanizing and revolutionizing the experience of cancer patients being treated by the McGill University Health Centre’s Division of Supportive and Palliative Care. The funds, which are being raised through the “Together Against Cancer” campaign, will not only enable the implementation of this holistic, patient-centred approach to care; they will also enable the construction of the Cedars Oncology Whole Person Supportive Care Centre: a new space where supportive and palliative care services for cancer patients will be consolidated under one roof, in a convenient and accessible location. “The vast majority of patients seen by palliative care at the MUHC have cancer. We want to ensure that they get best-in-class, compassionate and personalized care at every stage of their cancer journey, from diagnosis through to end-of-life. That’s why we made this one of our main campaign priorities, and we’ve already succeeded in raising $5 million to support this care,” explains Jeff J. Shamie, Cedars’ President and CEO. “There is a lot of distress involved in a cancer diagnosis, be it physical or psychological, but we now have so much knowledge and experience that we can anticipate the issues that patients are going to face, and we can proactively alleviate their suffering and meet their needs, right from the start.” – Dr. Sanders Dr. Justin Sanders, took over the helm of the MUHC’s Division of Supportive and Palliative Care, and of Palliative Care McGill, in 2021, after working in the Faculty of Adult Palliative Care in the Department of Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and as an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School Funding supportive and palliative cancer care at the MUHC is not new to Cedars: The Foundation has invested more than $20 million in programs and services over the past ten years. “Supporting compassionate care is a fundamental part of our mission,” adds Mr. Shamie. “With Cedars’ new $15 million commitment to supportive and palliative cancer care, and the MUHC Foundation’s recent commitment of $3 million to support palliative care research and non-cancer initiatives, we’re going to witness the profound impact that philanthropy can have on the level of care the MUHC provides to seriously ill patients.” The Cedars Whole Person Cancer Care Program is spearheaded by Dr. Justin Sanders, who took over the helm of the MUHC’s Division of Supportive and Palliative Care, and of Palliative Care McGill, in 2021, after working in the Faculty of Adult Palliative Care in the Department of Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and as an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. Says Dr. Sanders: “Our job is to help people with serious illness to live better, alongside the active treatment of their cancer, and no matter its outcome. Our focus is not on dying, but on living each day as well as possible.” The Cedars Program in Whole Person Cancer Care is a new model of supportive cancer care delivery. It comprises a suite of programs, services and treatments that relieve physical and emotional suffering and improve the health and wellbeing of cancer patients. There is ample evidence that proactively providing whole person supportive and palliative care benefits people across the entire trajectory of their illness. And, the earlier the care is provided, the greater the benefits. It can enhance quality of life, psychological wellbeing for both patients and their loved ones, and even — in some cases — longevity. “Whole person care is also about building relationships with patients through skilled, authentic, and empathic communication,” explains Dr. Sanders. “And, it’s about having honest conversations with patients about the progression of their disease and their options, which empowers them to make the best decisions for their own health and to live their life on their own terms.” Building on McGill University’s legacy Interestingly, the concepts of palliative care and whole person care both have their roots at McGill University. McGill surgical oncologist Balfour Mount coined the term “palliative care” and founded the first hospital-based unit of its kind at the Royal Victoria Hospital, in 1975. In its early years, palliative care focused exclusively on the care of individuals and at – or near – the end of life. It has since evolved into an interdisciplinary practice that addresses the physical, psychological, spiritual, and social suffering experienced by all people who are facing a serious disease, and at every stage of their illness. The concept of whole person care also originated at McGill. In 1999, on the initiative of Dean Abraham Fuks and Dr. Balfour Mount, the McGill Programs in Integrated Whole Person Care were instituted, to address the fact that the existential and spiritual aspects of illness, and their relationship to healthcare outcomes, traditionally received limited attention within the educational and research environment of Western medicine. Thanks to the $15 million that Cedars is raising, Dr. Sanders and his team will soon be able to offer all of these services in a dedicated space that’s just a stone’s throw from the Cedars Cancer Centre. The Cedars Oncology Whole Person Supportive Care Centre, located at 5252 de Maisonneuve Boulevard, right beside the Vendôme metro station, is scheduled to open in 2026. It will be home to physicians, therapists, nutritionists, and other health and wellbeing professionals. It’s modelled on similar centres in the USA and elsewhere in Canada and it’s the first of its kind in Québec. It will offer: The only cancer pain clinic in the province; The only specialized medical clinic for lymphedema in the province; A cancer rehabilitation program, including nutrition support and education; A cancer survivorship program; Integrative oncology programs and services; A psychosocial oncology program, to help patients who are suffering from mental health issues due to their illness; Supportive and palliative care services; and Complementary wellness practices, like yoga, meditation, mindfulness, acupuncture, art therapy, and music therapy, which have proven physical and mental health benefits. “Our goal is to create a place where cancer patients can find relief, healing, and growth, and where they’re treated like whole people, with unique needs and stories. This is a game-changer for supportive and palliative cancer care at the MUHC, and we’re extremely proud to be supporting it,” says Mr. Shamie. The Together Against Cancer Campaign Together Against Cancer is a unique collaboration between the Cedars Cancer Foundation and the Montreal General Hospital Foundation. Our goal is to raise $100 million to support transformative projects that will improve the experience, quality of life, and outcomes of cancer patients. Join us and give the best you can. Visit togetheragainstcancer.ca to find out more and to make a donation.
