IPOS Fear of Cancer Recurrence Special Interest Group (FORwards)

Dr. Christine Maheu, associate professor at the Ingram School of Nursing at McGill University and senior cancer program researcher at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, oversees an extensive program of research initiatives in cancer survivorship. A leader in fear of cancer recurrence, return to work after cancer, transition post-cancer follow-up from tertiary to primary healthcare, and coping mechanisms, among other crucial aspects of post-cancer issues.

In 2016, Dr. Maheu and Maureen Parkinson, a vocational rehabilitation counsellor at BC Cancer, joined forces as co-directors to create the Cancer and Work website, a bilingual platform in French and English. This reliable resource garners more than one thousand visits per week and is acknowledged internationally for its expertise in employment matters following cancer. The website functions as the platform for the pioneering "iCanWork Intervention," a pilot program that assists employers, healthcare providers, and cancer patients in surmounting obstacles associated with return to work after cancer and sustaining employment.

Dr. Maheu has received awards for excellence in the field of nursing research. Co-creator of FORT with University of Ottawa colleague Dr. Sophie Lebel, they have empirically tested a group psychotherapy approach for the management of fear of cancer recurrence. Leading national surveys, Dr. Maheu assessed transition care needs for cancer patients from the end of treatment to three years post-diagnosis, and self-employed experience with the effects of cancer on work are among the significant contributions of Dr. Maheu's career.

Secretary: Carmen Lizette Galves-Hernande – Mexico

Dr Lizette Gálvez-H is a doctor in Health Psychology and clinical psycho-oncologist researcher at the National Cancer Institute (INCan) in Mexico City, where she coordinates biopsychosocial and clinical research projects addressed to breast cancer patients. She works for the National University Autonomous of Mexico with undergraduate and postgraduate students. She has published articles related to unmet needs in Mexican breast cancer patients and fear of cancer recurrence. Currently, her research line focuses on the implementation of the Fear of Cancer Recurrence Therapy (FORT) in a culturally adapted form

Early-career: Adrian Pogacian – Romania 

Adrian Pogacian, licensed clinical psychologist, with executive education in Psycho-oncology, holding a degree in Global Health Diplomacy from Geneva Graduate Institute and Co-author of the first Romanian Multimodal Care Guideline in Pediatric Oncohematology. Founder of INCKA Psycho-oncology Center, associate lecturer with focus on Impact of Cancer Diagnosis on Couples and Families, Communication in Cancer Care and managing Fear of Recurrence. His expertise is on Coping with Cancer and Posttraumatic Growth.