Palliative care advocate for the homeless coming to Thunder Bay

The founder of Toronto’s PEACH (Palliative Education And Care for the Homeless) is coming to Thunder Bay to deliver education on palliative care for the homeless and the vulnerably housed.

Dr. Naheed Dosani is a passionate and respected advocate for marginalized and vulnerable populations with palliative needs.

He will be in Thunder Bay on Thursday, June 8 and Friday, June 9, organized by Lakehead University’s Centre for Education and Research on Aging & Health (CERAH) with Hospice Northwest, Dilico Anishinabek Family Care, the North West LHIN Regional Palliative Care Program of St. Joseph’s Care Group, and a group of local palliative care physicians.

“How do we value dignity at the end of life?” Dr. Dosani said. “Is it the same for everyone? My experience has shown it’s not. It troubles me that we live in a society where we live differently. But should we really die differently?”

Dr. Dosani will participate in three education events:

• Thursday, June 8 Die-alogues session: 7 – 9 pm in the Embassy Ballroom at the Victoria Inn: Open to the public – by donation. To register call 626-5570 ext. 5573 or visit hospicenorthwest.ca/die-alogues.
• Friday, June 9 Symposium: 8 – 9:30 am in the Embassy Ballroom at the Victoria Inn: Dr. Dosani will lead the discussion at a breakfast Symposium where interested members of the public, front-line staff and health care providers will learn specifically how PEACH was established to provide palliative care services and education, and discuss how a similar model can be implemented locally.  $10 registration fee.  To register visit: cerah.lakeheadu.ca/events/
• Friday, June 9 Workshop: 10 am – 12 pm in the Embassy Ballroom at the Victoria Inn:  Dr. Dosani will facilitate a Workshop following the Symposium for front-line staff and health care providers who are interested in learning more about the work that he has been involved in, and how this work can be accomplished in Thunder Bay.  No charge but registration is required: cerah.lakeheadu.ca/events/

More information about the Die-alogues is available by clicking here. More information about the Symposium and Workshop is available by clicking here.

Dr. Dosani serves as a Palliative Care Physician at the Inner City Health Associates (ICHA) and William Osler Health System (WOHS). He recently completed the Conjoint Palliative Medicine Residency Program at the University of Toronto.

After completing his training, Dr. Dosani founded PEACH, a mobile, street and shelter-based outreach service aimed at meeting the Palliative Care needs of the homeless and vulnerably housed. Through PEACH, he provides Toronto’s most marginalized populations with compassionate care and a dignified approach to their end-of-life journeys.  Click here to watch Dr. Dosani’s Ted Talk.

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Media: Media are invited to promote these educational events in advance by interviewing Dr. Dosani by phone.

Interviews may be conducted in person with Dr. Dosani at 6:40 pm on Thursday, June 8 at the Embassy Ballroom or at 9:30 am on Friday, June 9 at the Embassy Ballroom.

For more information or to arrange interviews, please contact Brandon Walker, Media Relations Officer, at (807) 343-8177, or mediarelations@lakeheadu.ca.

Lakehead University has about 9,700 full-time equivalent students and 2,000 faculty and staff in 10 faculties at two campuses in Orillia and Thunder Bay, Ontario. Lakehead is a fully comprehensive university: home to Ontario’s newest Faculty of Law in 44 years, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, and faculties of Engineering, Business Administration, Health & Behavioural Sciences, Social Sciences & Humanities, Science & Environmental Studies, Natural Resources Management, Education, and Graduate Studies. In 2016, for the second consecutive year, Re$earch Infosource ranked Lakehead first among Canada’s undergraduate universities. Visit www.lakeheadu.ca.

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