Making tomorrow better than today
A generous donation made by a grateful patient through their Will is fueling research to improve care and treatments for people living with autoimmune diseases.
Dr. Janet Pope has been involved in research since her early days in medical school and has been advancing new knowledge and discovery at St. Joseph’s for a quarter of a century.
And in the ever-challenging world of Canadian research funding, she’s incredibly thankful to those people who generously support research at St. Joseph’s through the Foundation.
A recent donation left by a grateful patient in their Will was particularly meaningful to Dr. Pope. It’s currently fueling her research team by supporting salaries, as well as research and administrative supplies.
The small but mighty team working alongside Dr. Pope includes Sara Hewitt and Amanda Philip, Research Coordinators; Jillian Bylsma, Research Administration; and Tatiana Nevskaya, a Rheumatologist and Research Associate. Together, they boast nearly 100 years of research experience.
For Dr. Pope and the team, who have at least 20 research studies underway, philanthropic support makes a world of difference.
“Without the donation from my former patient, all of the expertise the team has could be lost,” says Dr. Pope.
The team focuses on autoimmune rheumatic diseases that impact the body’s joints, tendons, ligaments, bones and muscles. These diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma, and lupus, affect more than two million people in Canada annually.
They are also exploring sarcoidosis, which is a relatively rare condition that causes the immune system to overreact, leading to lumps or nodules called granulomas growing in a person’s lungs, lymph nodes and skin, and potentially the heart, liver or brain.
Dr. Pope describes sarcoidosis as a “great mimicker” as it can cause symptoms such as shortness of breath, a bacterial infection or skin lesions. And with no approved treatment for sarcoidosis in Canada right now, Dr. Pope’s team has undertaken the first literature review to gain a greater understanding of the illusive disease.
Other research projects are aimed at quality care including the 1000 Faces Study, which examines important issues pertaining to quality of life and disease activity for those living with lupus. A further study undertaken by Dr. Andreu Fernández-Codina has allowed the team to identify patients who would qualify for new treatments for scleroderma.
With rates of autoimmune diseases on the rise in Canada, Dr. Pope’s team continues to forge ahead with their projects – aiming to provide the best outcomes for patients.
Leaving a Gift In Your Will
A gift in your will is a wonderful way to honour care that treats the whole person – body, mind, and spirit.