Life has a funny way of bringing us full circle. Twenty-five years after first working at Hope & Cope, I find myself back where my career in oncology began. But this time, I’m returning to a role that never existed before in the organization’s 40+ year history: Manager of Psychosocial Services.
My journey in social work started at McGill, where I earned my Bachelor’s degree. Fresh out of school, I joined Hope & Cope, working part-time in palliative care and self-help groups. I even did a short internship during the infamous ice storm in 1998. As life evolved—marriage, house, financial responsibilities—I moved into the public sector and spent 15 years as an oncology social worker at the Lakeshore Hospital.
The public healthcare system eventually began to wear on me. Not the work itself because I loved working with patients. But the increasing bureaucracy pushed me to explore other opportunities. This led me to work at Agence Ometz in mental health and later at the Cummings Centre, where I served as the program manager of mental health for seniors. I thought that would be my final stop before retirement. Life, however, had other plans.
My return to Hope & Cope
What brought me back to Hope & Cope wasn’t a job search or a career strategy. It was something much more profound: Sheila’s passing. I remember watching her funeral online, and being moved to tears along with thousands of others.
Sheila wasn’t just an administrator or leader; she was someone who remembered to send a gift when my daughter was born and made a donation when my mother passed away—15 years after I’d left the organization. That’s who she was.
Her death awakened something in me and inspired me to return to Hope & Cope.
How I see my new role
In my new role, I see immense potential for growth and development. Historically, the executive director handled everything: fundraising, administration and coordinating social services. But one person can’t do it all. My position allows me to focus specifically on programming and supporting our coordinators in palliative care, radiotherapy, oncology, wellness, and family support programs.
My vision is to build a strong, cohesive team. I believe wholeheartedly that when your team is strong, the quality of service you provide to any population, whether in oncology or mental health, is stronger. I want to focus on training opportunities, mentoring, and supervision. These aspects of leadership have always been my passion.
To me, supervision isn’t just about overseeing work; it’s about supporting the whole person. If someone had a bad weekend, we’ll talk about that for five minutes before diving into work matters. People need to feel supported in all facets of their lives.
Looking to the future
Looking ahead, I see several opportunities for growth. I want to involve our volunteers more effectively, especially those with professional backgrounds, like retired social workers and nurses. After all, Hope & Cope is fundamentally a volunteer-led organization, with clinical staff providing support. I also want to foster more collaboration between areas that have historically operated somewhat independently.
I’m approaching these changes carefully and respectfully. Having just started in October, I’m very aware that I’m joining a team where many people have been here for ten, fifteen, or twenty years. I’m not about to walk in and make major changes without their collaboration. I’m transparent. What you see is what you get, and I believe in building trust and relationships first.
At 57, I find myself reflecting more on legacy and impact. There’s still so much work to do, and I’m excited to help move the organization forward alongside my colleagues and our future executive director. Most importantly, I’m here to honour Sheila’s memory and continue building on the incredible foundation she created. She was truly one of a kind, someone you never thought would die. But while she may no longer be with us physically, her vision and mission live on through the work we do every day at Hope & Cope.
It feels right to be back, starting this new chapter where my journey in oncology began. Sometimes life does come full circle, in the most unexpected and beautiful ways.
