Skip links

Self Advocacy Webinars

Lupus Canada is happy to announce our 2021 Advocacy program. This program will consist of an informative and interactive series of webinars for all Canadians impacted by lupus. Each month we will offer a new topic. Please follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Linkedin to learn more about our upcoming webinars.

Mental Health and Lupus – Managing Expectations During the Holiday Season

On December 9th Lupus Canada hosted the “Mental Health and Lupus – Managing Expectations During the Holiday Season” webinar.  Our thanks to Janice LeBlanc, a Registered Psychotherapist, who addressed self-care over the holiday season.  A video recording of the webinar is available below for viewing.

Janice LeBlanc – Registered Psychotherapist, Registered Art Therapist, Certified Trauma and Resilience Specialist, EMDR Therapist

Janice has over 20 years of clinical experience working with those who have experienced childhood trauma and abuse, motor vehicle accidents and domestic violence, as well as individuals who experience mental health challenges such as PTSD, depression and anxiety. Currently in private practice, she provides ongoing support to first responders and their families. She has extensive experience working with individuals with Special Needs such as ADHD, Learning Disabilities and Autism Spectrum Disorder. Janice has specialized training in Art Therapy, EMDR Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Cognitive Processing Therapy and is a national speaker on self care for professionals, anxiety in children and youth and coping with chronic illness. She works with all walks of life including children, youth, adults and seniors, and is also a retired Secondary School Educator.

 

Canada Pension Plan Disability Program – An Overview

On November 24th Lupus Canada hosted the “Canada Pension Plan Disability Program – An Overview” webinar.  Our thanks to Brooke Besley, with the Canada Pension Plan Disability (CPPD) Program at the Department of Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) for providing an overview of the Canada Pension Plan Disability Program and for answering audience questions.

Note: This webinar was not recorded but a brief summary with resource links can be found below.

The Canadian Pension Plan (CPP) is a contributory social insurance program that provides contributors and their families with modest income replacement upon the retirement, disability, or death of a contributor.

Part of the CPP, the Canada Pension Plan Disability Program (CPPD) is Canada’s largest disability insurance program and the largest federal income security program for people with disabilities.

The Canada Pension Plan Disability (CPPD) program is a taxable, monthly benefit providing partial earnings replacement for eligible CPP contributors who cannot work due to a severe and prolonged disability.

Applications for CPPD can be completed using either a paper application or online through My Service Canada Account and are submitted to Service Canada to process.

The Canadian Pension Plan Disability Program Toolkit is a valuable source of information which should be consulted prior to the application process.

Designed for not only for clients, but also anyone supporting clients in their application by providing all required program information in a single document, with the intention to simplify the application process. For more information on the CPPD toolkit please visit:

https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/programs/pension-plan-disability-benefits/reports/toolkit.html

For additional information on the Canadian Pension Plan Disability Program (CPPD) please visit :

https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/publicpensions/cpp/cpp-disability-benefit.html

Brooke Besley, Senior Policy Analyst – Canada Pension Plan Disability (CPPD) Program at the Department of Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC)

Brooke Besley has twenty years of experience spanning both the Ontario provincial and federal governments on a diverse range of subject matter, including the environment, learning, and disability.  She is currently a senior policy analyst at the Canada Pension Plan Disability (CPPD) Program at the Department of Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), where she has spent the last 12 years working on legislative and regulatory change, policy development and stakeholder engagement.  A graduate of Trent University, she has an honours degree in Economics; and currently lives in Ottawa with her husband and three children. When she isn’t busy working or sleeping, she can be found at either the baseball diamond or the hockey rink cheering her kids on at their games.

Lupus and the COVID-19 Vaccine

On October 13th Lupus Canada hosted the “Lupus and the COVID-19 Vaccine” Self Advocacy Webinar presented by Dr. Matsos. A video recording of the webinar is available below for viewing.

Dr. Mark Matsos, FRCPC Associate Professor of Medicine, Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine McMaster University, McMaster Lupus Clinic-Boris Clinic (McMaster Site-Hamilton Health Sciences), Rheumatology Head of Service, Hamilton Health Sciences

How Do New Medicines Get To Patients In Canada – How Can You Get Involved

On September 23rd Lupus Canada hosted the Self Advocacy Webinar will be “How do new medicines get to patients in Canada – how can you get involved” presented by AstraZeneca. Thank you to the following speakers: Deborah Wong, Jonathan Feairs, and Priscilla Nykoliation.  A video recording of the webinar is available below for viewing.

Tips For Being Your Own Best Advocate…Lived Experience With Abby Charles

On July 22nd we hosted our sixth Self-Advocacy webinar.  Lupus Canada was joined by Abby Charles who presented “Tips For Being Your Own Best Advocate… Lived Experience With Abby Charles”.  A video recording of the webinar is available below for viewing.

Abby Charles, Director at the Institute for Public Health Innovation (IPHI), The Public Health Institute for Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia.

Abby Charles is a lupus warrior who serves as a Director at the Institute for Public Health Innovation (IPHI), The public health institute for Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia. In this role, Ms. Charles works with a variety of sectors and stakeholders including: Elected officials, health departments, planning agencies, and community-based organizations and other key stakeholders to design and implement policy, systems, and environmental changes aimed at improving public health.

With over 15 years’ experience as a public health practitioner, Ms. Charles provides expertise and oversight for an extensive portfolio of health equity-focused programs including grassroots public health workforce development, community health worker initiatives, training and technical assistance to promote racially equitable communities, health in all policies strategies, and multi-sector collaborative development to achieve public health transformation.

A dynamic speaker, trainer and facilitator, Ms. Charles offers workshops and technical assistance to organizations and coalitions throughout the United States to highlight the historic and present-day impact of structural racism and other forms of oppression on health inequities across populations and communities and the interconnected impact of the social and structural determinants of health (education, housing, transportation, where people live) on population health outcomes.. These workshops offer tools to improve health and racial equity in policies, systems, environments, practices and decision-making.

Prior to her role at IPHI, Ms. Charles served as Program Coordinator at the Women’s Collective, a nationally recognized organization providing care, prevention, and advocacy services for women, girls and their families living with and at risk for HIV in the Metropolitan DC area. At TWC, Ms. Charles built her experience in peer navigation, women’s health, gender-based violence and HIV.

Ms. Charles is appointed as an Adjunct Instructor of Clinical Research and Leadership at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. She is a graduate of the George Washington University with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science and a Master of Public Health in Public Health. She presently serves on the Washington, DC Mayor’s Commission on Caribbean Community Affairs, the board of The Well Project, the Bishop Anstey High School Alumnae Association of Washington, DC, the Community Advisory Boards of the DC Center for AIDS Research and the GW Cancer Center, and serves as interim chair of the Trinidad and Tobago Diaspora Association Network.

Lupus and Nutrition

Our fifth Self-Advocacy Webinar took place on June 10th. Our guest speaker, Melissa Hemphill, a Holistic Nutritionist discussed Lupus and Nutrition.  For a copy of Melissa’s presentation, please click here.  A video recording of the webinar is available below for viewing.

Melissa Hemphill, Holistic Nutritionist

Melissa’s passions are all things food-related. With a degree in Biochemistry from the University of Guelph, Melissa went on to pursue a diploma in Natural Nutrition and develop a career as a Holistic Nutritionist. Through learning all that she did about the importance of feeding our bodies the right fuel it became more and more obvious that it is our food system that is leading us to illness.
After moving to Revelstoke in 2006, Melissa became involved with the North Columbia Environmental Society and helped to create the first community garden through what was then a committee of the NCES called the Local Food Initiative. Melissa served as a member and the chair of this committee, then created the Coordinator position in 2014 and filled it for 18 months. She helped to establish the Revelstoke Local Food Initiative as its own society and continues on in a board member position.  Melissa is currently the Food Security Coordinator with Community Connections (Revelstoke) Society and is working to implement recommendations from the Revelstoke Food Security Strategy to make Revelstoke a more food secure community.

 

 

Lupus Awareness with Minister Hajdu

Lupus Canada would like to thank Minister Patty Hajdu for taking time to speak with us at our Lupus Awareness Month Self-Advocacy Webinar.  A video recording of the webinar is available below for viewing.

Patty Hajdu Official Portrait/ Portrait officiel
Ottawa, ONTARIO, Canada on 03 December, 2019.
© HOC-CDC
Credit: Mélanie Provencher, House of Commons Photo Services

Minister of Health
Location: Thunder Bay—Superior North

The Honourable Patty Hajdu was first elected as the Member of Parliament for Thunder Bay—Superior North in 2015.

Minister Hajdu is a strong advocate for women’s rights, youth employment, and affordable housing.

Before entering politics, Minister Hajdu was the Executive Director of Shelter House Thunder Bay and a co-author of the Thunder Bay Drug Strategy. She also previously worked in public health and focused on drug policy, youth development, and homelessness.

She is a compassionate advocate for Thunder Bay—Superior North and all of Canada, believing that a more inclusive country benefits everyone. As Member of Parliament, she remains firmly focused on ensuring every Canadian has a fair shot at success.

Minister Hajdu is a graduate of Lakehead University and earned a Master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Victoria.

Source: https://pm.gc.ca/en/cabinet/honourable-patty-hajdu

Mental Health and Lupus

Our third Advocacy Webinar – Mental Health and Lupus, took place on Thursday, April 29th. Janice LeBlanc, a Registered Psychotherapist, addressed topics such as ‘How lupus can impact mental health’,  ‘What help and/or programs are available’, ‘How would a lupus patient advocate for themselves or a loved one living with lupus to ensure to get the help they require’ and ‘Coping strategies – how to help yourself’.  A video recording of the webinar is available below for viewing.

Janice LeBlanc – Registered Psychotherapist, Registered Art Therapist, Certified Trauma and Resilience Specialist, EMDR Therapist

Janice has over 20 years of clinical experience working with those who have experienced childhood trauma and abuse, motor vehicle accidents and domestic violence, as well as individuals who experience mental health challenges such as PTSD, depression and anxiety. Currently in private practice, she provides ongoing support to first responders and their families. She has extensive experience working with individuals with Special Needs such as ADHD, Learning Disabilities and Autism Spectrum Disorder. Janice has specialized training in Art Therapy, EMDR Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Cognitive Processing Therapy and is a national speaker on self care for professionals, anxiety in children and youth and coping with chronic illness. She works with all walks of life including children, youth, adults and seniors, and is also a retired Secondary School Educator.

 

 

 

Managing Your Finances

The ‘Managing Your Finances While Living With Lupus’ webinar took place on March 18th. Our guest speaker, Vikas Tiwari who is Lupus Canada’s Treasurer, is an experienced Wealth Management professional and currently manages an independent wealth advisory practice with clients based throughout North America. He established his educational foundations with a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and advanced them through earning the Chartered Investment Manager (CIM) designation. For a copy of the Financial Management Toolkit mentioned by Vikas in his presentation, please click here.  A video recording of the webinar is available below for viewing.

Advocacy 101

The ‘Advocacy 101’ webinar took place on February 18th. Our guest speaker, Thomas Simpson who is the Chair of Lupus Canada’s Advocacy Committee, discussed what is advocacy and how to become a successful self-advocate. For a copy of Thomas’ presentation, please click here. A video recording of the webinar is available below for viewing.

Return to top of page