Managing Cancer And Living Meaningfully (CALM)

The Global CALM Program is an international initiative to train clinicians in CALM therapy, gather evidence about the implementation of CALM in diverse settings, and to make CALM a standard of care for people facing metastatic and advanced cancer.

Global CALM Network

GIPPEC has formed a network of international sites in Europe, Austral-Asia, North and South America. Each site has a CALM lead who is responsible for the implementation of CALM in their centre with the aim of becoming a hub to support training, data collection and the implementation of CALM in multiple sites within their region.

To learn more about the Global CALM Program and collaboration opportunities click here. 

GIPPEC and the Global CALM Program are proud to have a large network of Collaborators:  

Clinical and Research Collaborators

• Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, Netherlands
• Beijing Cancer Hospital, Beijing, China
• King Hussein Cancer Center, Amman, Jordan
• Koo Foundation Sun Yat-sen Cancer Center, Taipei, Taiwan
• Kyungpook National University Hospital, Daegu, South Korea
• Alianza Mexicana por el Cancer – MILC, Mexico City, Mexico
• National Cancer Centre Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
• National Institute for Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
• Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Australia
• Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan, Israel
• University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
• University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
• University Medical Centre Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
• University Medical Centre, Hamburg, Germany
• University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
• Virginia Commonwealth University Massey Cancer Centre, Richmond, USA

Clinical Collaborators

• BC Cancer Agency, Vancouver, Canada
• Instituto Nacional dal Cancer, Santiago, Chile
• National University of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
• University College London, London, United Kingdom
• Kings College London, London, England
• Tom Baker Cancer Centre, Calgary, Canada

Individual Collaborators

• Champalimaud Clinical Centre, Lisbon, Portugal
• Fundacion Oncologica Cancer Chile, Santiago, Chile 

If you are interested in learning more about the Global CALM Program, please contact us. 

Pilot Study Evaluating CALM Clinical Supervision for Clinicians

Study Objectives:

• We are conducting a pilot study to test the feasibility, efficacy and experience of implementing CALM clinical case supervision, to train oncology healthcare clinicians across Ontario in the delivery of CALM therapy
• The study will assess clinician-level and patient-level outcomes

Format of Supervision:

• Clinical supervision will be delivered via small-group videoconference or in-person meetings 
• Meetings will be held weekly or bi-weekly (depending on clinician availability)
• Supervision will be led by Dr. Sarah Hales, psychiatrist and co-creator of CALM therapy

Recruitment and Eligibility:

• We will recruit 20 clinicians from across Ontario, and 40 of their patients, over 2 years
• Clinicians will be: healthcare professionals who have attended a CALM training workshop, are fluent in English, and are employed in a role where they provide direct clinical care to advanced cancer patients
• Their patients will be: ≥ 18 years of age, fluent in English, able to provide informed consent, have a diagnosis of metastatic cancer, and suitable CALM therapy candidates

Clinicial Commitment:

• Participation in weekly or bi-weekly supervision meetings plus delivery of CALM therapy
• Completion of 2 CALM therapy cases competently under supervision (approx. 6-12 months)

For more information, please contact:

Study investigator Dr. Sarah Hales, at: sarah.hales@uhn.ca, or
Study coordinator Joanna Shnall, at: jshnall@uhnresearch.ca

This research study is being funded by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care’s AFP Innovation Fund, and has received Research Ethics Approval from Clinical Trials Ontario.