Tracy Slaney is from a small rural community in Newfoundland. She is a mom, a spouse, a Fisheries Officer, and a caregiver.

Tracy and her husband are starting their 5th year of treatment for colorectal cancer, and despite undergoing 156 chemotherapy treatments, her spouse has not only endured but flourished. It's a tremendous source of pride for them. However, the journey began on March 29, 2020, when her husband, Jim, was rushed to surgery for a complete bowel obstruction. The obstruction was found to be malignant, and as the pandemic dominated everyone's thoughts, the real storm—cancer—entered their lives.

Currently, Tracy serves as a provincial Ambassador for Colorectal Cancer Canada, an ACT lead with the Canadian Cancer Society, and a member of Newfoundland’s Public Interest Group on Cancer. But her path hasn’t always been this way. For the first four years of her husband’s battle, Tracy was so overwhelmed by cancer that her own voice was stifled. Eventually, she rediscovered herself and the important role advocacy can play in improving the lives of current cancer patients and those who will follow their path in the future. She realized staying silent was no longer an option, and it became a now-or-never moment. Tracy began speaking out about testing, as well as the financial, emotional, and physical toll cancer takes on a family. She knew she had to turn one of the worst experiences of her life into something positive.

Barry D. Stein, graduated from McGill University and has been a member of the Bar of Quebec since 1981.

Barry sits on the Board of Directors of several corporations, not-for-profit organizations and foundations including Colorectal Cancer Canada, Exactis Innovation, the Canadian Personalized Healthcare Innovation Network (CPHIN), Le Consortium de recherche en oncologie clinique du Québec (observer) (QCROC) and FT3- From Testing to Targeted Treatments.  He is also on the governing council of CANTRAIN the Canadian Consortium of Clinical Trial Training platform and on the Board of Directors of DNA to RNA An inclusive Canadian Approach to Genomic-based RNA Therapeutics (D2R) based at McGill University Research Institute.

As a strong advocate of cancer research in Canada he is a member of the Canadian Health Research Forum (CHRF). He is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Donald Berman Foundation and Tikva Children’s Foundation.

Barry is the past president of the Coalition Priorité Cancer au Québec and past chair, of the IQVIA Advisory Council for the Advancement of Health in Quebec where he continues to be a member.

He is a founding member of the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer National Colorectal Cancer Screening Network (NCCSN). He is also a patient advisor of the CRUK Grand Challenge “OPTIMISTICC”, colorectal cancer and microbiome research project.

Barry sits on many advisory boards and panels such as the Patient Preferences group of Health Technology Assessment International (HTAi, PCIG) and personalized healthcare panels informing industry and patient groups as well as governmental agencies.

As the president and CEO of the Colorectal Cancer Canada (CCC) he actively represents the interests of cancer patients and speaks regularly to medical professionals, industry, government, and patient groups across Canada and Internationally about colorectal cancer, pan cancer issues and health policy. He regularly participates in many researchers initiated CIHR funded research projects to ensure patient centricity in cancer trials and translational research. He is the recipient of several awards including the 2021 CCRA Award Recipient for Exceptional Leadership in Patient Involvement in Cancer Research.

Barry has been a key advocate for population based colorectal cancer screening initiatives, and timely access to testing and precision medicines in an equitable and timely manner.

As a survivor of metastatic colorectal cancer diagnosed in 1995, Barry was obliged to seek health care outside of Canada to fight his disease. His judgement, obtained in the Superior Court of Quebec in 1999, still serves as a leading precedent in Canada for the reimbursement of out of country health care.

Amanda Bradley is a seasoned restaurant owner with over 20 years of leadership in hospitality. Known for her attention to detail and ability to empower teams, Amanda excels at recognizing the potential in others and helping them reach their fullest abilities. In 2024, Amanda faced a life-altering challenge with a cancer diagnosis, an experience that ignited her passion for advocating for change in the health and wellness sector. This drive led her to found the MedWellCV app, an innovative platform designed to empower individuals to take control of their medical and wellness history. Through this app, Amanda is championing a shift towards more personalized and accessible healthcare, enabling users to live fuller and more present lives. Her journey is one of resilience, compassion, and an unwavering commitment to creating meaningful change for others in the health and wellness space.

Dr. Sunil Patel is a fellowship trained colorectal surgeon at Kingston Health Sciences Centre and is an Associate Professor of Surgery at Queen’s University.  He is the Surgical Oncology lead for the Southeast Region and is the Medical Director of the Robotic Assisted Surgery program at Kingston Health Sciences. 

Dr. Patel completed his general surgery in London, Ontario.  He completed his colorectal surgery fellowship in New York City at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and New York Presbyterian Hospital where he trained in Robotic Surgery and advanced minimally invasive surgery.  Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center is considered one of the top Cancer hospitals in the world. 

Dr. Patel has completed a Masters of Epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (London, United Kingdom) and a Doctor of Philosophy in Evidence Based Health Care from the University of Oxford.

Dr. Patel’s research program uses population health research methodologies to explore real world outcomes in those with colorectal cancer.  He also has been the lead on several randomized controlled trials evaluating pragmatic interventions to improve outcomes in those requiring emergency general surgery procedures.

Lisa Levy is 54 from Montreal and is a payroll and benefits professional for Canadian and American companies. She was diagnosed with stage IV colorectal cancer in March 2022 and interventions include a left hemicolectomy followed by chemotherapy and targeted EGFR inhibitor therapy for three years with partial response. She is passionate about animals of all kinds and enjoys combining learning with travel by doing citizen science projects like Blue Whale research in Quebec, swimming with Orca in Norway and Humpback whales in Tonga. Lisa spends her time laughing at the antics of her two small parrots and undoing the results of their chaos and destruction while undergoing her treatments.

Natalie Leon is a highly skilled Nurse Clinician who has been a valued member of the Jewish General Hospital (JGH) community for nearly two decades. She holds a Bachelor of Psychology from Concordia University and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from McGill University. Driven by a profound passion for helping others, Natalie has made meaningful contributions to various organizations, including Centre de Jeunesse (Youth Protection - DPJ), McGill University as a teaching assistant for first-year nursing students, and through her presentations at the Canadian Association of Nurses forum. Additionally, she is actively involved with community organizations such as Colorectal Cancer Canada and Hope & Cope.

In her current role as a Nurse Navigator (Infirmière Pivot) within the Colorectal Cancer division, Natalie works closely with multidisciplinary medical teams to ensure patients fully comprehend their personalized care plans. She plays a vital role in providing comprehensive symptom management and psychosocial support throughout the cancer care journey for colorectal oncology patients.