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CCRAN's Mission Statement

The Colorectal Cancer Resource & Action Network (CCRAN) is the most trusted colorectal cancer patient and caregiver network in Canada. We champion the health and the well-being of Canadians touched by colorectal cancer and others at risk of developing the disease by providing a "SEA" of services: Support, Education and Advocacy.

We increase awareness on the prevalence of colorectal cancer, including Canadians under 50 years of age and promote participation in screening programs to help prevent colorectal cancer. We provide evidence-based programming to help guide informed decision-making that may ulitmately reduce the burden of cancer in Canada.

We relentlessly advocate for equal and timely access to effective therapies to improve cancer patient outcomes by making Health Technology Assessment (HTA) patient evidence submissions across multiple tumour types on behalf of:
i. Patient advocacy groups who may not have the capacity to make these critically important submissions or
ii. Within therapeutic areas where there is no representative patient advocacy group

CCRAN is dedicated to improving the longevity and quality of life for all  cancer patients in Canada.


our team

Our Team

CCRAN was formed from a grassroots colorectal cancer information and support group in August 2006. We champion the health and well-being of Canadians directly affected by colorectal cancer and others at risk of developing the disease. We provide evidence-based information and educational tools to support colorectal cancer patients and advocate for improvements in their longevity and quality of life.

CCRAN’s efforts stem from genuine compassion to improve the lives of colorectal cancer patients and reduce the risk of developing this disease in others. Many of our team members have been touched by colorectal cancer through a personal diagnosis, or that of a family member, friend, or colleague. We recognize the journey is fraught with loneliness and isolation which is why we aim to deliver our services with much care and attention to patient-focused and evidence-based programming.

Filomena Servidio
President & CEO
1 833 79 CCRAN (22726) Ext 1000
Cassandra Macaulay, MHS
Chief Research Officer
1 833 79 CCRAN (22726) Ext 1001
Olamide Coker
Manager, Communications & Special Initiatives
1 833 79 CCRAN (22726) Ext 1004
Shalini Gambhir
Research Officer
1 833 79 CCRAN (22726) Poste 1005
Christopher Mammoliti
National Patient Programs Manager
1 833 79 CCRAN (22726)
Frank Pitman
Outreach and Volunteer Coordinator
1 833 79 CCRAN (22726) Ext 1003
Meital Itzkovich
Manager, Administration & Events
1 833 79 CCRAN (22726) Ext 1002
Felicia Newell, RD
National Registered Dietitian
1 833 79 CCRAN (22726)
Damian Mellin
Social Media Coordinator
1 833 79 CCRAN (22726) Ext 1006
Trisha Banerjee
Communications & Education Coordinator
1 833 79 CCRAN (22726) Ext 1008
Himanshi Singhvi
National Programs Officer
1 833 79 CCRAN (22726) Ext 1007
Mikaela Manna
Clinical Research Updates Coordinator
1 833 79 CCRAN (22726)
patient advisory

Patient Advisory Council

CCRAN is a patient-focused organization, inspired by patients and caregivers who have navigated and continue to navigate the colorectal cancer journey with confidence and courage. CCRAN takes its lead from these patients and caregivers who thoughtfully counsel CCRAN on patient programs that could be of significant help to other patients and caregivers dealing with this disease across Canada.

Accordingly, CCRAN has commissioned the creation of the Patient Advisory Council. The Patient Advisory Council is a one-of-a-kind initiative that sets CCRAN apart from all other organizations. Council members advise CCRAN on programs and initiatives that can positively impact the colorectal cancer patient population in Canada. Their past experiences serve as a source of inspiration and hope for patients and pave the way for the development of future programs at CCRAN.

Over 50 Patient Advisory Council

Chair

Mr. Bill McGinley, Stage IV Patient

Vice Chair

Ms. Joy Coulson, Caregiver

Members

Ms. Michelle Greene
Stage IV Patient
Mr. Parviz Haghgouye
Stage II Survivor
Mr. Robert Hamilton
Stage III Survivor
Ms. Chris Hiller
Stage II Survivor
Mr. John Kutkevicius
Stage IV Survivor
Ms. Marie Taurasi
Stage III Survivor
young

Young Adult Colorectal Cancer Patient Advisory Council

CCRAN is inspired by the journeys of both early- and later-stage cancer patients of the young adult colorectal cancer population.

We created the Young Adult Colorectal Cancer Patient Advisory Council to secure direction and guidance from young patients who can provide meaningful and practical input into the development of CCRAN’s national patient programs.

Their unique set of circumstances allows them to share their inspiring and compelling experiences to help others diagnosed with early age onset colorectal cancer.

Chair

Mr. Andrew Hare
Stage IV Survivor

Members

Mr. Jason Abramovitch
Stage IV Patient
Ms. Ana Bettencourt
Stage IV Survivor
Ms. Jessica Dasler
Stage IV Patient
Ms. Armina Ligaya
Stage II Survivor
Ms. Natalie Lipschultz
Stage IV Patient
Ms. Hayley Painter
Stage IV Patient
Mr. Steve Slack
Stage IV Patient
Ms. Suzanne Wood
Stage IV Patient
Dr. Marko Yurkovich
Stage IV Patient
board

Board of Directors

CCRAN is governed by a Board of Directors who judiciously counsel CCRAN on legal and ethical matters of integrity, as well as ensure the effective running and management of the organization.

CCRAN is honoured to be governed by an esteemed group of professionals who are all passionate about bettering the lives of colorectal cancer patients and caregivers.

Suzanne Quinn
Chairman
Vaughan, ON
Mario Appugliesi
Vice Chair
Etobicoke, ON
Joy Coulson
Board Member
Oakville, ON
John Kutkevicius
Board Member
Toronto, ON
Stephanie Prizzi
Board Member
Vaughan, ON
medical

Medical & Scientific Advisory Board

CCRAN is privileged to be led by a multidisciplinary Medical & Scientific Advisory Board who keep CCRAN abreast of the latest developments in the management of colorectal cancer. They work tirelessly every day to prevent, treat, and manage the pathology in Canadians with the utmost compassion and dedication.

Co-Chairs

Dr. Sharlene Gill
Professor of Medicine, UBC; Medical Oncologist, BC Cancer - Vancouver; President, Canadian Association of Medical Oncologists
Vancouver, BC
Dr. Michael Raphael
Medical Oncologist, Odette Cancer Centre, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
Toronto, ON

Members

Dr. Blaire Anderson
Oncology Surgeon; Assistant Professor, Hepatobiliary, Pancreatic Surgery and Transplantation, University of Alberta, Edmonton
Edmonton, AB
Dr. Shady Ashamalla
Colorectal Surgical Oncologist, Odette Cancer Centre, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
Toronto, ON
Dr. Yvonne Bombard, PhD
Canada Research Chair in Genomics Health Sciences and Policy; Associate Professor, Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto; Director, Genomics Health Services Research Program, & Scientist, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital, Unity Health Toronto; Co-Founder & CEO, Genetics Adviser
Toronto, ON
Dr. Ian Bookman
Head, Division of Gastroenterology, St. Joseph’s Health Centre, Unity Health Toronto; Founder, Bumrun; Medical Director, Kensington Screening Clinic; President, Ontario Association of Clinic Endoscopists;
Co-Founder, The Tummy Clinic
Toronto, ON
Dr. Darren Brenner
Molecular Cancer Epidemiologist and Data Scientist, Armstrong Investigator in Molecular Epidemiology, University of Calgary
Calgary, AB
Dr. Christine Brezden-Masley, MD, PhD, FRCPC
Senior Practicing Medical Oncologist and Medical Director, Cancer Program, Sinai Health; Director, Marvelle Koffler Breast Centre, Sinai Health; Marvelle Koffler Chair in Breast Research; Professor, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto; Associate Scientist, Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute
Toronto, ON
Dr. Carl J. Brown
Colorectal Surgeon; Head, Division of General Surgery, Providence Health Care – St. Paul’s Hospital; Chair, Section of Colorectal Surgery, University of British Columbia; Provincial Lead, Surgical Oncology, BC Cancer
BC Cancer Agency
Vancouver, BC
Dr. Ronald Burkes
Professor of Medicine, University of Toronto; Staff Medical Oncologist, Mount Sinai Hospital & Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network
Toronto, ON
Ms. Britney Butt
Clinical Nurse Specialist in Wound, Ostomy, and Continence (NSWOC), North York General Hospital; Dermal Deep
Toronto, ON
Dr. Michael Carter
Medical Director, Molecular Diagnostics, Nova Scotia Health; Medical Director of Research, Division of Anatomical Pathology; Co-Chair, Molecular Oncology Diagnostic Testing Provincial Stewardship Committee for Nova Scotia Health
Halifax, NS
Dr. Eric Chen
Medical Oncologist, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network; Associate Professor, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto
Toronto, ON
Dr. William Chu
Radiation Oncologist & Clinician Investigator, Odette Cancer Center, Sunybrook Health Sciences Centre
Oshawa, ON
Dr. Marcelo Cypel
Surgical Director, Ajmera Transplant Centre, UHN; Surgical Director, UHN ECLS Program; Canada Research Chair, Lung Transplantation; Professor of Surgery, Division of Thoracic Surgery, University of Toronto, University Health Network; Senior Scientist, Toronto General Research Institute
Toronto, ON
Dr. Mary De Vera, PhD
Epidemiologist, Associate Professor, UBC; Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Health Outcomes and Treatment Adherence
Vancouver, BC
Dr. Gareth Eeson
Surgical Oncologist & General Surgeon, Kelowna General Hospital & BC Cancer Agency
Kelowna, BC
Dr. Sam Elfassy
Gastroenterologist, Internal Medicine, St. Joseph’s Health Centre, Unity Health Toronto
Toronto, ON
Dr. Cathy Eng
Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Nashville, TN; David H. Johnson Chair in Surgical and Medical Oncology; Professor of Medicine, Hematology and Oncology; Director for Strategic Relations; Co-Director, GI Oncology; Co-Leader, Gastrointestinal Cancer Research Program; Director, Young Adult Cancers Program; Co-Chair, NCI Gastrointestinal Steering Committee
Nashville, TN, USA
Dr. Mary Jane Esplen
Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto
Toronto, ON
Dr. Anand Govindarajan
Surgical Oncologist, Mount Sinai Hospital & Princess Margaret Hospital; Assistant Professor, University of Toronto
Toronto, ON
Dr. Usmaan Hameed
Colorectal Surgeon, North York General Hospital
Toronto, ON
Dr. Paul Karanicolas
Hepatobiliary, Pancreatic, and GI Surgical Oncology, Sherif and Mary-Lou Hanna Chair in Surgical Oncology Research; Medical and Scientific Director, The Centre for Clinical Trial Support, Odette Cancer Center, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre; Professor of Surgery; Cross-Appointed to the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto
Toronto, ON
Dr. Yoo-Joung (Yooj) Ko
Staff Medical Oncologist, Odette Cancer Center, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre; Associate Professor, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto
Toronto, ON
Dr. Calvin Law
Surgical Oncologist; Vice-President of Education, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre; Professor, Departments of Surgery & Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto
Toronto, ON
Dr. Christopher Lieu
Associate Professor, Director, GI Oncology, University of Colorado
Aurora, CO, USA
Dr. Howard Lim
Medical Oncologist, BC Cancer – Vancouver; Clinical Associate Professor, Faculty of Medicine, UBC
Vancouver, BC
Dr. Kim Ma
Medical Oncologist, Jewish General Hospital, Lady Davis Institute
Montréal, QC
Dr. Eric Marsden
Clinic Director & Naturopathic Cancer Care Residency Director, Marsden Centre for Excellence in Integrative Medicine
Concord, ON
Dr. Stephanie Michaud, PhD
President and CEO, BioCanRx
Ottawa, ON
Dr. Neety Panu
Lead Radiologist, Sioux Lookout Meno Ya Win Health Centre
Sioux Lookout, ON
Dr. José Perea Garcia, PhD
Surgeon, Colorectal Surgery Unit & Principal Investigator, Research Institute, 12 de Octubre University Hospital & Jiménez Díaz Foundation University Hospital; Adjunct Professor of Surgery, Medical School, Complutense University; Chief, Department of Surgery, Vithas Arturo Soria University Hospital; Professor of Surgery, European University of Madrid; Principal Investigator, Institute of Biomedical Research of Salamanca
Madrid, Spain
Dr. Sheron Perera
Medical Oncologist, GI Cancers, Odette Cancer Center, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Center
Toronto, ON
Dr. Alexandra Pettit
Pathologist, Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital, Horizon Health Network
Fredericton, NB
Dr. Ravi Ramjeesingh
Medical Oncologist & Assistant Professor, Chair of the HPB Cancer Disease Site Group Halifax, Division of Medical Oncology and Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, Nova Scotia Cancer Centre & Dalhousie University
Halifax, NS
Dr. Dawn P. Richards, PhD
President & Founder, Five O2 Labs Inc.; Director of Patient and Public Engagement, Clinical Trials Ontario
Toronto, ON
Dr. Rob Rutledge
Radiation Oncologist; Associate Professor, Dalhousie University; Co-Founder, CancerPEP.org
Halifax, NS
Dr. Gonzalo Sapisochin
Hepatobiliary Surgical Oncologist, Associate Professor, Division of General Surgery, UHN
Toronto, ON
Dr. Daniel Schiller
Colorectal Cancer Surgical Oncologist, Royal Alexandra Hospital
Edmonton, AB
Dr. Lucas Sideris
Surgical Oncologist, Clinical Focus on the Treatment of Peritoneal Surface Malignancies; Associate Professor, University of Montreal
Montreal, QC
Dr. Eve Simoneau
Hepatobiliary and Liver Transplant Surgeon, Assistant Professor, Division of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery and Liver Transplantation, University of Mont
Montreal, QC
Dr. Stephanie Snow
Medical Oncologist, QEII Health Sciences Centre; Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University; President, Lung Cancer Canada
Halifax, NS
Dr. Jennifer Spratlin
Medical Oncology, Cross Cancer Institute Gastrointestinal Oncology and Phase I Clinical Trials/Investigational New Drugs
Edmonton, AB
Dr. Patricia Tang
Medical Oncologist & Clinical Associate Professor, University of Calgary; Gastrointestinal Tumor Group Leader, Tom Baker Cancer Centre
Calgary, AB
Dr. Mark Vincent
Medical Oncologist, London Health Sciences Centre, London Regional Cancer Program
London, ON
Dr. Petra Wildgoose
Primary Care Physician Lead, Young Adult Colorectal Cancer Clinic Odette Cancer Centre, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
Toronto, ON
Dr. Clarence Wong
Associate Professor, Division of Gastroenterology, University of Alberta; Medical Director, Alberta Colorectal Cancer Screening Program
Edmonton, AB
Dr. Rebecca K. S. Wong
Hepatobiliary Radiation Oncologist, Clinician Investigator, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre
Cancer Clinical Research Unit (CCRU), Princess Margaret Cancer Centre
Toronto, ON
Dr. George Zogopoulos
Associate Professor, Surgery and Oncology, McGill University; Hepatopancreatobiliary and Transplant Surgeon, The McGill University Health Centre (MUHC)
Montreal, QC

Patient Programs

food for life

My Foods For Life

Primary and Secondary Cancer Prevention Program

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my consultant

My Early Age Onset CRC

Evidence-based Information for the Under 50 Patient

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ccran coach

My CRC Coach

Peer-to-Peer Support Program

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