Annual Report 2015 Edmonton Vancouver St. John's Calgary Winnipeg CLF CHAPTERS Moncton Saint John Halifax Sudbury Montreal Ottawa/Carleton CANADIAN LIVER FOUNDATION Kingston Toronto/Durham Sarnia/Lambton NATIONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS Chatham/Kent 2015–2016 Windsor/Essex County Morris Sherman, M.D., FRCPC Pascale Cloutier, LLB Chairperson Chairperson, National Marketing & Communications Advisory Committee DIRECTORS Kevork M. Peltekian, M.D., FRCPC Past Chairperson Diana Mager, PhD, MSc, RD Chairperson, International Advisory Committee Chairperson, National Education Advisory Michael Betel Eberhard Renner, M.D., FRCPC Committee Gary A. Fagan Lillian Chieh Vanessa Vidas President and Chief Executive Officer Theresa Albert Chairperson, National Development Advisory Kim Ewasechko Larry Babins, CPA, CA Elliott M. Jacobson, FCPA, FCA, ICD.D Committee Secretary/Treasurer Michael Galego, LLB Nelson Lee Rick Jeysman Eric Yoshida, M.D., FRCPC Chairperson, National Advocacy Committee Mel Krajden, M.D., FRCPC Queenie Choo Chairperson, Medical Advisory Committee 2 3 MESSAGE FROM CHAIRMAN & PRESIDENT The Canadian Liver Foundation ways to prevent, treat or cure liver diseases online tool. The campaign reached more than This year our Vancouver chapter hosted is committed to bringing liver research so liver transplants may one day no longer 1.4 million and, to date, more than 2,500 have a LIVERight Forum that attracted over to life and the events of the past be necessary. In 2015, we had $2.6 million completed a risk assessment. This issue is 800 people who were eager to learn from our year only served to highlight the available for research. These funds helped now being considered by government groups liver experts. We reached thousands more who will recommend whether revised testing in English, French and Chinese through critical importance of this mission. support research into pediatric liver disease, liver cancer, hepatitis C, liver transplantation, recommendations should be made official. health fairs, media articles, our website and social media channels as well as our In 2015, the media brought attention to public and autoimmune liver disease. Regardless of patient support services. Our committed appeals for living donors for children and whether these were individual investigators staff and volunteers — many of whom have adults in desperate need of liver transplants. studying diseases at a molecular level or multi– “It is only with the support of our donors experienced liver disease in their own lives — The three–year–old Wagner twins, 11–year–old disciplinary, multi–site teams pursuing large and corporate supporters that we are able are passionate about sharing the knowledge Allexis Siebrecht and Ottawa Senators owner scale projects in fields like immune tolerance, to continue this vital work.” we have gained through research to help Eugene Melnyk were just a each and every discovery brings others avoid or cope with liver disease. few of the high profile stories liver research to life for the carried by media outlets eventual benefit of those with “1 in 4 Canadians In addition to reaching out to the public about While the day that we can treat liver disease across Canada and beyond. liver disease. It is only with may be affected the support of our donors and testing, we also pushed for federal approval without liver transplants may still be far off, by liver disease.” and provincial coverage of the newest — and our research, education and support efforts In response to these stories, the corporate supporters that we are increasingly effective — drug therapies for today are bringing us closer to realiZing that Canadian Liver Foundation able to continue this vital work. hepatitis C. future. Thank you to all our volunteers, staff, was asked time and again donors and supporters for your time, talents, whether these public appeals were ‘fair’ to Breakthroughs in the lab make their impact Research has brought us answers to financial contributions and enthusiasm in others who were also waiting. In 2014, when they are applied in real world settings. many questions about liver disease and support of the Foundation. You are helping 506 liver transplants took place but 119 Hepatitis C is a good example. Thanks to we, in turn, share those answers through the CLF bring liver research to life! people died waiting for a new liver1. The research we have tests to identify the virus and our outreach and support programs. question that should be asked is ‘how do effective therapies that can cure it. If these we decrease demand for liver transplants?’ tools are not being used however, we will Clearly liver transplantation is not the not achieve our goal of eliminating a disease whole answer to liver disease. What we need that is the leading cause of liver transplants is research to find treatments and cures in this country. Too many patients with and advocacy to ensure those with liver hepatitis C do not have access to treatment disease have access to the care they need. because they have not yet been diagnosed, or because their liver disease is not severe According to the most recent data, 1 in 4 enough to qualify for drug coverage. Canadians may be affected by liver disease. The CLF invests in liver research to discover In 2015, the CLF continued to call for hepatitis Morris Sherman, Gary A. Fagan C testing of adults born between 1945 and M.D., FRCPC 1975 through public awareness programs and Chairperson President & CEO government advocacy. Our ‘Could You Have It?’ 1 E–Statistics Report on Transplant, Waiting List and Donor awareness campaign featured three people who Statistics: 2014 summary statistics, January 1 to December 31, have been cured of hepatitis C. Through videos, 2014. Canadian Institute for Health Information. https://www.cihi.ca/sites/default/files/document/ social media and web content, we encouraged 2014_estats_innewtemplate_en-web.pdf the public to assess their own risk using our 4 5 Research Partnerships Reducing the need for anti–rejection medications for transplant patients Anti–rejection medications are a part of Dr. West and her colleagues are part of the life for post–transplant patients. While Canadian National Transplant Research some only experience mild side effects, the Program, an initiative funded in part drugs do leave patients more vulnerable to by the CLF, which is looking at ways to infections and have the potential to cause improve transplantation and quality of a range of side effects from mood changes life for transplant recipients. In addition and nausea to kidney and blood problems. to their discovery of a new source of T–cells, the team has also established a Dr. Lori West from the new standardiZed immune monitoring Research University of Alberta and a procedure that will make it easier to track team of scientists from across what is working and not working in studies the country are studying how to being conducted at multiple research sites. BRINGING LIVER RESEARCH TO LIFE IN THE LAB re–educate the immune system so it will accept a newly transplanted organ “This level of collaboration is unprecedented Liver diseases are as diverse and complex rather attacking it like a foreign invader. in the field of tolerance research and we as the liver itself. They can result from are already seeing exciting results,” says viruses, genetics, obesity, toxins or even “Our goal is to be able to manipulate the Dr. West. “In time we hope our work unknown causes. The CLF invests in basic immune system precisely so we can use with the immune systems will make it science research that helps investigators immunosuppressive drugs more safely and possible to decrease the required dosage gain a better understanding of how the effectively, or possibly minimiZe the need or the length of time that recipients need liver works, the causes and progression of for these drugs,” says Dr. West. “Because to take anti–rejection drugs which would different types of liver diseases and the areas of its ability to regenerate, the liver has further improve their long–term health.” to target in treatment and prevention. the greatest capacity for developing this ‘immune tolerance’. Our team is working with Through our research grant program and regulatory T–cells that control the body’s joint funding projects, the CLF supplies immune response and hold the most promise critical funding to doctors and researchers for suppressing rejection. We just discovered at various stages in their careers. By a new source of these potent cells which will providing these much–needed financial help move the research forward more quickly.” resources, the CLF helps attract and retain some of Canada’s top talent in the field. 6 7 Facilitating collaborative research in hepatitis C Equipping the medical community to treat hepatitis C In 2002, the CLF was a founding funding Thanks to research, it is possible to treat — Results showed that specialists were more partner of a new multi–disciplinary and in many cases cure — more hepatitis C comfortable treating patients but that research training program in hepatitis C. patients than ever before. A wide range of nurses and primary care physicians play an health care professionals currently diagnose, important role in diagnosis and could treat Over the past 14 years, the National CIHR counsel and treat hepatitis C patients who more patients with additional training. Research Training Program in Hepatitis C are at different stages of the disease from the has leveraged the expertise of individual beginnings of fibrosis to advanced cirrhosis. The survey results will help in developing clinicians and researchers at leading academic a targeted education strategy which in turn institutions to help increase Canada’s research Due to the variety of treatment options may help increase the treatment capacity capacity and to turn the knowledge gained available, treatment is now simpler and at of health care professionals at all levels.