Lakehead University's School of Nursing and School of Social Work, in collaboration with Wounds Canada, will be hosting the first virtual Patient Journey Conference on Thursday, June 9 and Friday, June 10.
Funded through a grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, Dr. Ide Costa from the School of Nursing (principal-investigator) is also the conference’s chair, with presentations by the co-investigators Dr. Catherine Phillips (School of Social Work), Dr. Michelle Spadoni (School of Nursing), Dr. Pilar Camargo Plazas (Queen's University), and the support of Mariam Botros, CEO of Wounds Canada.
Called Our Voices, Our Stories, the conference will bring individuals, families and caregivers affected by complex wounds together with researchers, health and social service providers, educators, community leaders, and policymakers. 
The conference will disseminate video stories of patients and families living with hard-to-heal wounds and provide them with the opportunity to honour their voices and experiences of navigating social life and the Canadian health-care system.
Speakers will address social determinants of health perpetuating health inequalities and discuss collaborative strategies to improve the delivery of a holistic and patient-centred wound care approach.
“The conference has a social justice focus, and it will discuss the power of patients’ and families’ voices and stories in uncovering the gaps in the health-care system and the need to implement a patient-centred wound care approach,” Dr. Costa said.
“Dr. Costa's exemplary leadership with the patients’ journey conference represents an innovative approach to the use of academic scholarship to promote health in Northwestern Ontario and beyond,” said Dr. Kristen Jones-Bonofiglio, Director of Lakehead’s School of Nursing.
“Wounds Canada believes centring the voice of the patient is crucial to enacting change in the health-care system and delivering the best possible wound care,” Botros said.
“The more diverse stories we can share and learn from, the better equipped we are to do what we do best – advocate and educate about wound prevention and management. That's why we're proud to be jointly co-hosting ‘Our Voices, Our Stories’ with Lakehead University.
“This conference will provide an opportunity to listen to individuals’ and families’ stories of the impact of hard-to-heal wounds on their lives, identify gaps and synergies in wound care provision, and enact holistic wound management strategies for the future,” Botros said.
This free and unique two-day learning, outreach and knowledge exchange conference will take place virtually, allowing participants access from anywhere and ensuring safety for vulnerable populations wishing to attend.
During the conference, participants will have the opportunity to engage in presentations, listen to different individuals' stories, share their thoughts for improving wound care in Canada, and chat in the networking lounge with people living with wounds.
Participants can also visit the virtual exhibit hall to meet with non-profit organizations that support patients and families, and access educational resources.
Register now by visiting: www.woundscanada2022.ca/en/registration
This event will be recorded and can be watched afterwards as well.
