Patient & Family Advisors

The Cancer Patient and Family Advisor (PFA) Pool is a group of PFAs, individuals who provide feedback, insights, and perspectives based on their health care experiences throughout the cancer continuum within the Waterloo Wellington Regional Cancer Program (WWRCP). The PFA Pool is designed to support specific projects, initiatives, and decision-making processes within the WWRCP, ensuring that the voice of patients and families is integrated into care and service delivery.

• Be 16 years of age or older.
• Be a patient, family member and/or caregiver of an individual who received or is actively receiving oncology care with the WWRCP.
• Required to sign WWRCP PFA Confidentiality Agreement and Consent Form, Conflict of Interest Declaration Form annually.
• Participate in individual engagements based on availability and interest in specific projects or initiatives.
• Recommend a minimum of one engagement per year to stay actively involved.
• A minimum one-year commitment is encouraged.
• PFAs may request to be removed from the pool at any time. PFA to reach out to PFA Chair and/or PFAC Co-Chair to notify. An exit interview may be completed.

• Actively participate in individual engagements such as working groups, committees, focus groups, surveys and material reviews related to cancer care improvements and new initiatives.
• Be willing to provide feedback about personal experiences.
• Share lived experiences to inform policies, programs, and service delivery.
• Engage thoughtfully and constructively around the issues and ideas discussed during engagements.
• Be respectful of the unique backgrounds and perspectives of other PFAs and WWRCP/Waterloo Regional Health Network (WRHN) Cancer Centre staff.
• Collaborate with WWRCP/WRHN Cancer Centre staff to enhance person-centred care.
• Follow through with requests/action items for each individual engagement.
• Follow through with requests/action items communicated over email.
• Maintain confidentiality and uphold professional conduct in all engagements.
• Participate in PFA engagement surveys as required.

• PFAs may be invited to attend PFAC meetings as guests if interested.
• Opportunities for engagement will be shared via email through ‘call for participation’ process. On occasion it may include direct outreach. Note: Call for Participations may come from various requesters such as WWRCP, WRHN Cancer Centre and hospital organization (outside of the cancer program).
• When replying with an expression of interest to a ‘call for participation’ to include in the reply, the WWRCP Patient Engagement & Experience Lead for tracking.
• Meetings as part of individual engagements will be determined within the engagement.

• Interested applicants will complete the WWRCP PFA application (see link above)
• Qualified applicants will be interviewed by the PFAC Chair and/or Vice-Chair and one WWRCP staff member (Regional Patient Experience & Engagement Lead).
• Selection of membership will fall under the scope of the PFAC Chair, PFAC Vice-Chair and the WWRCP.
• Recruitment efforts will be made to maintain a balanced and diverse membership.
• The PFAC Chair and/or Co-Chair will reach out annually to inactive members to confirm their continued interest in participating on the PFA pool.