1. health and fitness

Men’s Health
Works
Vancouver April 14, 2015
Morris J Wosk Centre for Dialogue
580 West Hastings Street Vancouver BC
Exchanging ideas and practices that help men get healthy at work
This event is made possible through financial support from the Canadian
Partnership Against Cancer, Heart and Stroke Foundation of
Canada, and Health Canada through a CLASP grant. Additional support is
provided by the Canadian Cancer Society BC and Yukon Division.
The event is organized by the Cancer Prevention Centre and the BC Healthy
Living Alliance.
April, 2015
A Message from the Mayor
On behalf of the citizens of Vancouver, and my colleagues on City Council, I want to
extend my warmest greetings to everyone attending the Workshop on Men’s Health in
the Workplace.
It is important in every workplace to promote physical health and well-being for all
employees in order to encourage healthy lifestyles both at work and at home. Vancouver
strives to be a healthy City and this workshop is a great opportunity to exchange ideas
and practices surrounding health and wellness.
Best wishes for an engaging and successful workshop!
Yours truly,
Gregor Robertson
MAYOR
Men’s Health Works
Workshop Schedule April 14, 2015
8 a.m.
Registration Opens
8 - 9 a.m.
Breakfast
9 - 9:10 a.m.
Welcome Asia Pacific Hall
Carolyn Gotay, PhD, FCAHS, Canadian Cancer Society Chair in Cancer Primary
Prevention; Professor, School of Population and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine,
University of British Columbia; Director, Cancer Prevention Centre, a partnership between
the Canadian Cancer Society and the University of British Columbia
Belzberg Atrium
Mary Collins, Director, BC Healthy Living Alliance
9:10 - 9:55 a.m.
Asia Pacific Hall
Opening Plenary
Chair: Mary Collins, Director, BC Healthy Living Alliance
Do You Like Green Eggs and Ham: Men’s Health Risk
S. Larry Goldenberg, CM, OBC, MD, FRCSC, FACS, FCAHS, DABU; Professor, Department
of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia; Stephen A. Jarislowski Chair in
Urologic Sciences at VGH; Mohammed Mohseni Chair in Men’s Health; Director of
Development and Supportive Care, Vancouver Prostate Centre; Chairman, The Canadian
Men’s Health Foundation
Men’s limited awareness of issues related to their health is an important social concern. In
this presentation, participants will learn about activities led by the Canadian Men’s Health
Foundation that have increased knowledge about how men make decisions about their
health needs and behaviours, and have led to the development of a comprehensive selfadministered health risk assessment tool. These projects offer the potential to improve on
and expand current approaches to men’s health messaging and uptake, and they provide
new resources to foster better men’s health.
Questions from the audience
9:55 - 10:15 a.m.
Nutrition Break
Belzberg Atrium
https://bit.ly/menshealthworks
#menshealthworks
3
Men’s Health Works
10:15 - 11:30 a.m.
Project Presentations
Asia Pacific Hall
Chair: Jack Boomer, MPA, Principal, Context Research; Director, QuitNow Services, BC
Lung Association
WellnessFits: Going Beyond the "Lunch and Learn" to Create Healthy Work Environments
Sharon Storoschuk, Director, WellnessFits, Canadian Cancer Society, BC and Yukon
Division
WellnessFits, a workplace wellness program developed by the Canadian Cancer Society
in partnership with Healthy Families BC, uses a three-pronged approach of focusing on
education, taking action, and supporting healthy environments. This presentation will
highlight how the WellnessFits program has been used to encourage businesses to create
healthy work environments that support employees in making healthier choices, as well as
highlight some of the targeted approaches that have been used to engage men.
Working on Wellness: Tailored Workplace Wellness for Men in the Resource Industry
Fionna Blackman, Project Manager, Working on Wellness, Canadian Cancer Society, BC
and Yukon Division
Samantha Hartley-Folz, Programs and Policy Manager, BC Healthy Living Alliance
This presentation will highlight Working on Wellness (WoW), a collaborative initiative
bringing research, policy, and practice together to support the health of workers in rural
and remote worksites. Building off of an established workplace wellness framework,
WellnessFits, WoW is piloting a version tailored to men in the mining, oil and gas, and other
resource sector work camp sites. Pilots are being guided through the process of worksite
assessment and action planning, which include education, action, and policy support for
healthier choices in the workplace. Topics covered include healthy eating, physical activity,
and stress. These tailored materials are being evaluated and adapted based on feedback
from pilots in BC and the Northwest Territories diamond mining industry.
POWERPLAY at Work: Promoting Men’s Health in Northern BC
Joan Bottorff, PhD, RN, FCAHS, FAAN, Professor, School of Nursing, Faculty of Health
and Social Development, University of British Columbia; Director, Institute for Healthy Living
and Chronic Disease Prevention
Kerensa Medhurst, Regional Health Promotion Coordinator, Canadian Cancer Society,
BC and Yukon Division
Paul Sharp, Research Assistant, Institute for Healthy Living and Chronic Disease
Prevention, University of British Columbia
4
https://bit.ly/menshealthworks
#menshealthworks
Men’s Health Works
The workplace provides an important conduit for supporting positive aspects of masculinity
that can engage men in healthy lifestyles. This presentation will highlight a gendersensitive workplace intervention focusing on enabling physical activity and healthy eating
that was designed for male-dominated worksites in northern BC.
Men’s Health Matters Because Men Matter! Learnings from the Shift to a Men’s Health
Focus in Northern BC
Holly Christian, Regional Lead, Men’s Health, Northern Health Authority
In this presentation, a brief overview of the rationale for developing a health authority-run
men’s health program will be provided, and the challenges and successes that happened
along the way will be shared. The work that has been done to date and where men’s health
is going from here will also be highlighted.
11:30 a.m. 12:30 p.m.
Panel Discussion
Asia Pacific Hall
Chair: Sandra Krueckl, PhD, Vice President Cancer Control, Canadian Cancer Society, BC
and Yukon Division
Successes, Challenges, and Different Perspectives on Health Promotion for Men in the
Workplace
Debbie Corrigan, RN, COHN(C), Occupational Health Nurse, Frontline Medics Inc.
Allan Holmes, MD, FRCP, Founder, Iridia Medical
Kerensa Medhurst, Regional Health Promotion Coordinator, Canadian Cancer Society,
BC and Yukon Division
Dan Strand, MSc, CRSP, CIH, ROH, Manager Health & Safety, Vancouver Airport Authority
12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
People who work on the front lines of men’s health promotion will discuss their experiences
in promoting men’s health, share their successes and challenges, and provide insights
that could be used in the development of future men’s health promotion programs in the
workplace.
Networking Lunch
ICBC Concourse
https://bit.ly/menshealthworks
#menshealthworks
5
Men’s Health Works
1:30 - 2:30 p.m.
Mini Workshops (sessions running concurrently)
Mini Workshop 1A
Room 370
The Health of Our Fathers and All Canadian Men is a Serious Problem – How Do We Get
Men to Truly Hear, Absorb, and Act on Improving their Health?
Sam Omidi, Senior Director, Digital Marketing, Canadian Men’s Health Foundation
In this session, participants will be diving deep into the digital marketing strategies of
the latest game-changing and research-based campaign by the Canadian Men’s Health
Foundation entitled Don’t Change Much. Insights will be shared on how the most effective
digital channels are being embraced and how real-time results are being evaluated to help
create a revolutionary new social movement with the goal of getting Canadian men to live
healthier lifestyles.
Mini Workshop 1B
Room 320
MEN-tal Health: It’s Personal
Julia Kaisla, Community Engagement Director, Canadian Mental Health Association, BC
Division
Gordon Menelaws, Safety Chair, United Steel Workers; Carpenter, Teck Trail Ops
JP Phaneuf, Realtor®, Federal Corrections Officer, Public Speaker, and Service Dog Trainer
According to the Mental Health Commission of Canada, contact-based interventions and
exposure are the most effective means of breaking down the stigma around mental health.
In this session, participants will take part in an engaging discussion about how to initiate
a dialogue about mental health and well-being in male-dominated workplaces, such as
forestry, industrial manufacturing, and the front line. The presenters will talk about how
they have used real stories and interviews to break down the stigma around mental illness.
At the end of this session, participants will have a new arsenal of tools to start or continue
important conversations for their workplace.
Belzberg Atrium
2:30 - 2:45 p.m.
Nutrition Break 2:45 - 3:45 p.m.
Mini Workshops (sessions running concurrently)
Mini Workshop 2A
Room 320
QuitNow Men: Directions for Designing Novel Health Promotion Approaches for Men
Joan Bottorff, PhD, RN, FCAHS, FAAN, Professor, School of Nursing, Faculty of Health
and Social Development, University of British Columbia; Director, Institute for Healthy Living
and Chronic Disease Prevention
Paul Sharp, Research Assistant, Institute for Healthy Living and Chronic Disease
Prevention, University of British Columbia
6
https://bit.ly/menshealthworks
#menshealthworks
Men’s Health Works
Experiences in developing a gender-sensitive smoking cessation resource, QuitNow Men,
will be shared. Participants will be encouraged to consider ways these approaches can be
used to guide the design of other health promotion programs for men.
Mini Workshop 2B
Room 370
Engaging Gay Men in Health Promotion
Stacey Berisavac, Team Leader, Health Promotion, Canadian Cancer Society, BC and
Yukon Division
Jody Jollimore, Senior Program Manager, Health Initiative for Men
In this interactive session, participants will learn how to engage with gay men, and how to
bring inclusivity into workplaces and health promotion.
3:45 - 4 p.m.
Nutrition Break Belzberg Atrium
4 - 4:45 p.m.
Closing Plenary Asia Pacific Hall
Chair: Carolyn Gotay, PhD, FCAHS, Canadian Cancer Society Chair in Cancer Primary
Prevention; Professor, School of Population and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine,
University of British Columbia; Director, Cancer Prevention Centre, a partnership between
the Canadian Cancer Society and the University of British Columbia
Men’s Illness Demotion and Health Promotion
John Oliffe, PhD, MEd, RN, Professor, School of Nursing, University of British Columbia
This presentation will focus on diverse men’s health promotion issues including depression,
suicide, prostate cancer, and smoking cessation. Empirical examples of what can engage
men with self-health amid detailing the challenges that reside in evaluating and sustaining
well intentioned interventions will be included.
Questions from the audience
4:45 - 5 p.m.
Next Steps, Evaluations, and Closing Remarks
Asia Pacific Hall
Mary Collins, Director, BC Healthy Living Alliance
Carolyn Gotay, PhD, FCAHS, Canadian Cancer Society Chair in Cancer Primary
Prevention; Professor, School of Population and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine,
University of British Columbia; Director, Cancer Prevention Centre, a partnership between
the Canadian Cancer Society and the University of British Columbia
5 p.m.
Adjourn
https://bit.ly/menshealthworks
#menshealthworks
7
Men’s Health Works
Biographies
Stacey Berisavac has over 15 years’ experience in health promotion and advocacy, and a proven track
record for engaging underserved communities. Stacey has formed key partnerships with the LGBTQ
community and developed a strong platform for community engagement, and has worked primarily with gay
men since 2011.
Fionna Blackman is the Project Manager for the Working on Wellness project, a pilot project adapting
workplace health promotion for male-dominated, rural workplaces. Fionna brings her background in
business planning and policy development together with practical skill in helping make workplaces healthier
environments for employees. Fionna was part of the team that implemented a provincial Tobacco-Free
Workplace Initiative, successfully developing a model to help employers assist their employees to quit
smoking. This program formed the framework for the Canadian Cancer Society’s workplace wellness program,
WellnessFits. Fionna has ten years of experience working with diverse communities, workplaces, and
organizations to create tailored solutions for their health, wellness, and education needs.
Jack Boomer is an accomplished strategist and facilitator, and has worked with the Clean Air Coalition of BC
since 1999 and been Director of the BC Lung Association’s QuitNow Services since its inception in 2004. He
is also working on tobacco cessation programs with Alberta Health Services and the Yukon Government, and
has been developing promotional and enforcement programs for the Government of Nunavut. Jack holds a
Master of Public Administration degree, and has more than 20 years’ experience in community development,
health education, and health promotion.
Joan Bottorff, PhD, RN, FCAHS, FAAN focuses on cancer prevention and health promotion. She is leading
multi-disciplinary research teams examining gender-related influences on tobacco use, cancer screening,
and healthy eating/active living in a number of sub-populations with the goal of developing gender-sensitive
cancer prevention approaches for women and men.
Holly Christian is the Regional Lead, Men’s Health in the Population Health department for the Northern
Health Authority. She has a background in health sciences and human nutrition and a passion for health
promotion and healthy public policy work. She has been with Northern Health for four years and in her current
position since March 2014. She currently resides in Fort St. John with her husband where she enjoys being
active outdoors, vegetable gardening, and cooking.
Mary Collins is the Director of the Secretariat of the BC Healthy Living Alliance and chairs the Chronic
Disease Prevention Alliance of Canada. In both roles, she is actively involved in policies and programs to
promote healthy living and healthy communities. Mary Collins was a Member of Parliament from 1984-1993,
with five years as a Member of Cabinet, including time as Minister of Health. From 2002-2007, Ms. Collins
worked in Russia as Health Care Policy Advisor and Acting Head of the World Health Organization Office
for Russia. Additional international assignments include health promotion, domestic violence, and women’s
participation in elected politics.
8
https://bit.ly/menshealthworks
#menshealthworks
Men’s Health Works
Debbie Corrigan, RN, COHN(C) is a registered nurse who is also a Canadian Certified Occupational Health
Nurse. Debbie provides occupational health consultant services through Frontline Medics Inc., a provider
of occupational health and primary health care services to industrial sector companies throughout Canada.
Debbie has 27 years of experience working as an occupational health nurse in a variety of industries
throughout Canada, including mining, pulp and paper industry, and health care. Her expertise lies in the
development of health and wellness, health surveillance, and disability management programs. Debbie has
most recently been actively involved with implementation of the BETTER and Working on Wellness programs
at De Beers Snap Lake Mine in the Northwest Territories.
Larry Goldenberg, CM, OBC, MD, FRCSC, FACS, FCAHS, DABU is Professor and former Head of Urologic
Sciences at the University of British Columbia, and is founding Director of the Vancouver Prostate Centre. In
2009 he created the Men’s Health Initiative of BC and in 2014 became the founding Chairman of the nationwide Canadian Men’s Health Foundation. He has been recognized for his contributions to Canadian health
care by being inducted into the Order of British Columbia and the Order of Canada.
Carolyn Gotay, PhD, FCAHS is Professor and Canadian Cancer Society Chair in Cancer Primary Prevention
at the University of British Columbia. She also holds an appointment at the BC Cancer Agency. Dr. Gotay
received her PhD in psychology from the University of Maryland, and she came to UBC in 2008 after positions
at Gettysburg College, the University of Calgary, the (US) National Cancer Institute, and the University of
Hawaii.
Samantha Hartley-Folz, MA has worked in the non-profit sector for over 15 years in program management
and development, grants, communications, and policy. Her favourite projects are those that use partnerships
across sectors to support positive change through strong sustainable initiatives. As the Manager, Programs
and Policy at the BC Healthy Living Alliance, she is the action lead for Working on Wellness (WoW) in Strategic
Populations, a new workplace-based project in BC and the Yukon and Northwest Territories. She will be
guiding the program development, evaluation, and implementation over the next three years.
Allan Holmes, MD, FRCP is a fellowship-trained emergency physician and founder of Iridia Medical,
a Vancouver-based healthcare firm. Since 2007 his group has been supplying on-site paramedics and
physicians to provide both acute and preventive medical services to workers at several major resource sector
infrastructure projects across BC. Over the past 14 months, Dr. Holmes and his group have been working
closely with the Working on Wellness initiative to design and pilot an innovative preventive care model in two
remote sites.
Jody Jollimore is the Senior Program Manager at Health Initiative for Men, a gay men’s health organization
in Vancouver, where he is responsible for research and knowledge translation. Jody is the co-investigator on
local and national gay men’s health and HIV prevention studies. He has a Master’s in Public Policy from SFU.
https://bit.ly/menshealthworks
#menshealthworks
9
Men’s Health Works
Julia Kaisla is the Director of Community Engagement for the Canadian Mental Health Association, BC
Division. While her more formal role with CMHA BC involves overseeing workplace initiatives, public relations,
and branch relations, she spends her days writing and working with people. She is passionate about making
a difference and is committed to promotion of mental health in Canada. She is a trained Mental Health Works
trainer, has a graduate degree in conflict analysis, and has a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science.
Sandra Krueckl, PhD is the Vice President, Cancer Control with the Canadian Cancer Society, BC and Yukon
Division, overseeing the health promotion, advocacy, information, and support program departments. She
joined the Society in 2005, first as a Cancer Information Specialist and subsequently becoming the Manager
of the Cancer Information Service and then the Director, Information and Support. Prior to joining the Society,
her training and work experience was in the cancer research field, having completed a doctoral degree in
molecular endocrinology at the University of Victoria and post-doctoral training at the Prostate Centre in
Vancouver.
Kerensa Medhurst is a health promotion professional with over 15 years of experience in population health,
government relations, community development, and project management. Kerensa has worked for the
Canadian Cancer Society, BC and Yukon Division in northern regions of BC for the past eight years and has
a passion for collaborating with organizations, government, health professionals, and community members.
Kerensa has extensive experience working in rural and remote settings focusing on both men’s health and
community development. She has graduate degrees in health leadership and international development,
and previously worked in Africa on community development and health programs with the Canadian federal
government. Kerensa is currently working with the men’s healthy eating and active living project POWERPLAY,
supporting northern BC male-dominated businesses with workplace wellness programing.
Gordon Menelaws is a carpenter by trade and started with Teck Trail Ops in 1974. He was elected to the
position of United Steel Workers (USW) Safety Coordinator in 1997 and has been in the USW Safety Chair
position since 2006. Two years later, he became Chair on the Wellness Committee. Born and raised in Trail,
Gordon is a third generation employee at Teck Trail Ops. He has four kids and maintains an active lifestyle by
cycling and cross country skiing. Both he and his parents have struggled with mental health issues in the past,
which is the reason he is passionate about helping people thrive today.
John Oliffe, PhD, MEd, RN is a Professor in the UBC School of Nursing. His research program in masculinities
and men’s health has focused on prostate cancer, depression and suicide, and men’s smoking. He has
also collaborated, providing expertise on a range of other men’s health issues including immigrant men’s
heart health, male youth sexual health, Aboriginal men’s health, incarcerated men’s health, fathering and
unintentional childhood injury, gay men’s intimate partner violence, and men’s experiences and expressions of
grief following the death of a male peer. These collaborations have enabled him to build research capacity in
masculinities and men’s health in Canada. His current work can be found at
www.menshealthresearch.ubc.ca.
10
https://bit.ly/menshealthworks
#menshealthworks
Men’s Health Works
Sam Omidi is an accredited kinesiologist, prolific health blogger, and visionary digital media expert who has
worked with some of Canada’s top multi-national brands. Sam has been pushing the boundaries of digital
marketing and social strategies for close to 15 years. His mission is to use visual storytelling through digital
content and social channels, so that we can all make better informed decisions on the foods we consume, as
well as the exercises that strengthen us both physically and mentally. At Canadian Men’s Health Foundation,
Sam is excited to embrace digital channels via a philanthropic direction to raise awareness and support action
for healthier lifestyles for men in Canada, and set an unprecedented global social movement.
JP Phaneuf is a successful Realtor®, Federal Corrections officer, public speaker, and service dog trainer for
veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Previously, he was in the Canadian Armed Forces and was
involved in an overseas deployment in the Persian Gulf region, and then proceeded to a career in emergency
medicine as a paramedic with BC Ambulance Service and a volunteer firefighter with two departments. JP’s
experience with occupational stress injury (OSI) resulted from cumulative injuries from all these front line
experiences. As a result of JP’s journey, he has embarked on a mission to break the stigma of PTSD/OSI in
law enforcement and in business in general. He is publicly sharing his journey and enjoys speaking to military
veterans, law enforcement, first responders, and management groups seeking assistance on collaborative
accommodations and inclusiveness in the workplace.
Paul Sharp holds a bachelor’s degree in human kinetics and a Master of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies
from the University of British Columbia. His research interests lie in the development and assessment of health
promotion initiatives targeted at physical activity, healthy eating, and smoking cessation. As a Research
Assistant with the Institute for Healthy Living and Chronic Disease Prevention, Paul is responsible for assisting
with the design, implementation, and evaluation of the POWERPLAY program and QuitNow Men initiative.
Sharon Storoschuk has worked in research and the public health field for almost 20 years, and has
extensive experience in health promotion, evaluation, and research. After receiving a Master of Science in
Psycholinguistics, she began her career researching autism for nine years in Canada, Britain, and the USA.
She returned to school attending the University of Michigan and received a Master’s in Public Health. For the
past 13 years she has been with non-profit organizations in various health promotion and research roles. She
was the Director of Health Promotion at the Canadian Cancer Society, British Columbia and Yukon for six
years, and her passion for healthy living has turned into a workplace wellness program called WellnessFits
and an exciting new role as the Director of WellnessFits.
Dan Strand is currently the Manager of Health and Safety at the Vancouver International Airport Authority
where he has been working for the past 15 years. Prior to working with the Airport Authority, Dan spent ten
years in the mining sector in various sites around Alberta and British Columbia. Dan completed a Masters
of Science at the University of British Columbia’s School of Environment and Health and holds the Canadian
Registered Safety Professional (CRSP), Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH), and Registered Occupational
Hygienist (ROH) designations. Dan is Past President of the American Industrial Hygiene Association BC Yukon
Section and Past President of the Canadian Registration Board of Occupational Hygienists.
https://bit.ly/menshealthworks
#menshealthworks
11
Men’s Health Works
Notes
12
https://bit.ly/menshealthworks
#menshealthworks