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Speakers and Synopses


Dr. Anne Katz

Clinical Nurse Specialist and Sexuality Counselor
CancerCare Manitoba 

Dr. Anne Katz is the certified sexuality counselor and Clinical Nurse Specialist at CancerCare Manitoba. Dr. Katz is the editor of the Oncology Nursing Forum, the premier research journal of the Oncology Nursing Society.

She was inducted into the American Academy of Nursing in 2014.  She has educated thousands of health care providers and cancer survivors about cancer, sexuality, and survivorship and is an avid blogger for ASCO Connections.

She is the author of 13 books for health care providers and consumers on the topics of illness, sexuality and cancer survivorship.
Coping with Sexuality in Cancer (Workshop)

This workshop will provide information about the effects of various cancers and their treatments on sexuality. It will also highlight communication strategies to assist nurses and other health care providers to talk about this sensitive topic with patients of all ages and genders.

The Power of Nursing: Guiding Patients Through a Journey of Uncertainty in Survivorship

Uncertainty is a key experience for anyone diagnosed with cancer. This plenary session will address how uncertainty affects those with cancer as well as their loved ones and suggest ways in which nurses can help to mitigate the uncertainty

What are the Information and Specific Needs That Adolescent and Young Adults Require and How Do We Support Them?  

Adolescents and young adults have multiple developmental milestones that they need to accomplish and cancer interrupts these key tasks. This session will highlight the milestones and identify ways in which nurses can help reduce the psychosocial impact of cancer in this population.

Meeting the Needs for Psychosocial Care in Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Patients

This presentation will present information on how nurses can tailor care to meet the psychosocial  needs of adolescents and young adults as they negotiate their way through cancer treatment and into survivorship.

Breaking the Silence on Cancer and Sexuality

Sexuality is a taboo topic in many cultures but when health care providers do not talk about this to their patients, this contributes to decreased quality of life and distancing with the sexual partner/spouse. In this plenary lecture, Dr Katz will focus on how to break the silence by presenting models to encourage communication about this sensitive topic.


Dr. Deborah Kirk Walker

Associate Dean, School of Nursing and Midwifery
Edith Cowan University

Dr. Deborah Kirk Walker, DNP, FNP-BC, NP- C, AOCN, FAANP is an Associate Professor in the School of Nursing and Midwifery at Edith Cowan University, Western Australia. She received her BSN in 1995 and MSN in 1999 from Troy University and her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) from the University of South Alabama in 2007. She has practiced for more than 19 years as an oncology nurse practitioner in various settings and has recently managed patients with breast cancer at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Comprehensive Cancer Center at Kirklin Clinic, USA. Her current work is expanding cancer/palliative nursing and nurse practitioner education at home and in parts of sub-Saharan Africa. Additionally, she has developed and expanded a mobile application for cancer resources for community resources locally in Alabama to help fill a gap identified in the clinical setting.

Dr. Walker has published her work in various journals including the Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing and the Journal of Pediatric Nursing, as well as chapters in the Clinical Manual for the Oncology Advanced Practice Nurse, Core Curriculum for Oncology Nursing (5th ed.) and Diseases of the Breast (5th ed.) medical text book. Dr. Walker is a recognized leader among the oncology community both locally, nationally and internationally. She is the immediate past president of the Oncology Nursing Society Foundation (2016-17) and served on the Oncology Nursing Society Board of Directors as Director at Large (2012-15). Her recent awards include the 2015-16 American Association of Colleges of Nursing Excellence and Innovation in Teaching; the 2016 American Cancer Society Lane Adams Quality of Life Award; and in 2017 she was inducted into the American Association of Nurse Practitioners as a Fellow (FAANP).

Oncology Nursing Today and in the Future

Oncology nursing continues to evolve in response to scientific and technological advances. This presentation will discuss the latest advances influencing oncology care and its implications for oncology nursing into the future.

Strengthening Capacity of Healthcare Professionals in Evidence Based Practice Oncology and Palliative Care: A Malawi Experience

The session will describe the process of program development for capacity building in Malawi.  Implications for oncology nursing will be discussed. Application to other settings will be explored.

Oncology Care in the Tertiary and Primary Care Setting

This session will explore different roles for the oncology nurse practitioner (ONP) in the tertiary and primary care settings. The care of the oncology patient will be explored in both settings, recognizing the challenges the ONP may face in practice.

Expanding the Reach: Cancer Resources for the Community

This session will describe the past and present development and challenges of expanding cancer resources for the community. An exploration of what could be done to effectively improve the current resources and develop new cancer resources in the community for the local / Asia Pacific market will be discussed.


Ms Amy Lim

Nurse Manager, Clinical Department
HCA Hospice Care         

Ms Amy Lim is Nurse Manager at HCA Hospice Care, the largest home hospice care service provider in Singapore. She qualifies as a Registered Nurse in 1986 and has mainly worked in Obstetrics & Gynaecology and Aesthetic Nursing.

She joined HCA Hospice Care as a home hospice nurse in Mar’ 2008. Amy has been a faculty in training-of-trainers in palliative care programs in Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Bhutan ( Lien Collaborative for Palliative Care).

She has won the Healthcare Humanity Award in 2010, Nurses’ Merit Award in 2015 and ILTC Service Quality Gold Award in 2016.

Journeying with the Cancer Patient: Home Hospice Care in Singapore

Home hospice care is a journey where billows roll. It is about being human and holding humanity sacredly with all its helplessness and brokenness. Home Hospice Care advocates that each human is special and deserving of care, love and respect. With limited time, we hope to make each day comfortable or at least bearable and worthy to live. The patients I served are mostly stripped of their sophistication and pretence, I meet them in their very vulnerable state where together, we begin a journey of care and compassion till breath turns air. This journey calls for professional competency, tender loving and humble walking into the mystery of suffering, death and dying.


Dr. Chong Poh Heng

Medical Director 
HCA Hospice Care

Dr. Chong Poh Heng is Medical Director of HCA Hospice Care, the largest hospice homecare provider in Singapore. He is also visiting consultant with paediatric departments in both National University and KK Hospital. Dr Chong started the first community specialist paediatric palliative care service here in 2012. As chairperson of the special interest group for paediatric palliative care within the Asia Pacific Hospice and Palliative Care Network, he has been involved in education and training efforts both locally and regionally. To enhance the care that critically ill children and their families receive from both palliative medicine and nursing, he is now actively developing collaborative research initiatives with various partners.

Community Paediatric Care

HCA Hospice Care renders care to patients with life shortening conditions in the home setting. The paediatric arm Star PALS was conceived in 2012 to serve special needs of infants, children and young adults living with both cancer and non-cancer illness. Unlike in the adult setting where patients must have life expectancies of less than a year, no prognostic criteria has been set to enter the Star PALS programme. Children with cancer have unique needs that are different from adults. A customised model of care would have to be designed to match their needs. Critically, the family often needs to be involved and supported concurrently. Aspects of these issues and challenges involved will be shared.


Sr. Geraldine Tan

Executive Director
St. Joseph’s Home Catholic Welcome Services

Sister Geraldine Tan currently heads the overall Senior Management portfolio for St Joseph’s Home, newly located in an increasingly bustling Jurong West, the second largest township in Singapore.

In her role of Executive Director of one of the largest locally established integrated long-term care facilities, which also offers hospice care, therapy services and a childcare centre, Sister Geraldine’s focus has never wavered from palliative care.  Essentially, her dedication is to help progressively ill patients improve their quality of life. “The emphasis is living well before death, regardless of the prognosis of the medical condition.” Her interests are in encouraging quality of life in advanced illness, care models and pathways, and advocating education in palliative care training. Since 1982, she has been a member of the Canossian Daughters of Charity.

Her dedication is also augmented by extensive knowledge garnered through undergraduate studies in Health Science (majoring in Nursing), ancillary programs in Palliative Care and Clinical Pastoral Care, including Oncology Nursing. She is a trained registered nurse by profession.

In the burgeoning fields of palliative and hospice care, Sister Geraldine continues to play the role as one of change champions for improved standards and progress in healthcare. As Dame Cicely Saunders, nurse, physician and writer, and founder of the modern hospice movement (1918 – 2005) puts it, “You matter because you are you, and you matter to the end of your life. We will do all we can not only to help you die peacefully, but also to live until you die.”

With Hope, You Can Do Wonders

What is hope in the midst of suffering and pain?

Although dying is part of the human process, dying poorly ought not to be. 

A meaningful dying process is one during which the patient is physically, psychologically, spiritually, and emotionally supported by his or her family, friends, and caregivers. How can we as Health Professionals bring hope in the way we care – creating wonders in simple and effective ways.


Dr. Lim Su-Fee

Assistant Director of Nursing (Advanced Practice Nurse), Community Nursing
Singapore General Hospital

Dr. Lim Su Fee is an Advanced Practice Nurse (APN) in Rehabilitation Medicine at the Singapore General Hospital. She received her rehabilitation training at various institutions in USA in 2002, 2006 and 2014. She has been actively involved in the APN Training, Internship and OSCE Examination at the national level.

In January 2018, she was tasked to lead a RHS-led community nursing pilot to anchor population health and facilitate the shift beyond acute care to community care. Together with a group of 30 senior nurses, they ventured into an interesting community nursing journey providing their services to the seniors living within the SingHealth Southeast zone.

Community Nursing: The Opportunity is Here!

The objective of the Regional Health System (RHS)-led community nursing is to anchor population health and facilitate the shift beyond acute care to community care. Community nursing is envisaged as a key anchor for population health management.

Community nurses care for individuals of all ages, families, groups and populations outside the acute hospitals. The geographically-based RHS-led community nursing teams work to establish the concept of health promotion and to delay or reduce hospital care. They provide services including i) early interventions for pre-frail seniors, ii) chronic disease management for patients whose conditions are not well-controlled, iii) care for frails patients in their immediate post-discharge period, and iv) palliative care for end of life patients.


Mr Ricky Ang Seng Kok

Pharmacist, Oncology Pharmacy  
National Cancer Centre Singapore

Mr Ricky Ang graduated with a BSc (Pharm) from National University of Singapore (NUS) in 1997. After graduation, he has worked in community pharmacy and polyclinics. Now, he is currently a pharmacist with National Cancer Center Singapore (NCCS).

In 2001, he studied part-time TCM and obtained his Diploma from The Singapore College of Traditional Chinese Medicine in 2008. He furthered his TCM studies and received his Masters from Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine (NJUCM) in 2011. In the same year, he completed a 1 year residency program in Haematology/Oncology Pharmacy Practice from NUS and also obtained his Board certified Oncology Pharmacist (BCOP) certificate.

In 2014, he obtained his PhD TCM from NJUCM.

Currently, he is a volunteer TCM practitioner in a charity organization.

The Role of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Oncology

More and more cancer patients are seeking Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) treatment. They believe TCM can help reduce side effects from chemotherapy, strengthen their body to fight cancer and increase quality of life. However, improper use of TCM may lead to undesirable outcomes such as increased toxicity of chemotherapy. In this lecture, we shall discuss on the role of TCM and pros and cons of using TCM in cancer patients, and how we can, as health professionals, advise patient on the safe use of TCM.


Mr Hwang Chung Cheng

Senior Nurse Clinician (Advanced Practice Nurse), Speciality Nursing
Singapore General Hospital

Mr Hwang Chung Cheng is a haematology / haematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplant nurse. He received his advanced training in cord blood transplantation nursing at the University of Minnesota Medical Centre, USA in 2008; and Advanced Practice Nurse (APN) led services in HSC transplant training at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto, Canada in year 2014. Chung Cheng currently provides nursing service as an APN with the department of haematology, Singapore General Hospital.

Home-based Chemotherapy

The Department of Haematology in Singapore General Hospital embarked on the home based chemotherapy programme from February 2017 for eligible patients with selected haematological conditions. Since the introduction of this service, more than 900 home treatment calls were made.


Ms Julia Eng Chui Lee 

Deputy Director, Nursing (Advanced Practice Nurse)
KK Women's and Children's Hospital

Ms Julia Eng is a Deputy Director and an Advanced Practice Nurse working in KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital. She graduated from University of Melbourne with a Master in Nursing (Oncology) in 2004. She has 20 years of experience working in the gynaecology oncology department. As an APN, she provides services to patients in both the inpatient and outpatient settings. She provides sexual counselling to her patients and she provides talks at GP forum and polytechnic on sexual health related to post gynae-oncology treatment.

Sexuality Care in Gynae-Oncology Patients

Sexual health is an health issue that is commonly neglected in cancer care especially when there is no visible disfigurement. It is also an intimate and sensitive issue to be discussed when there is lack of time or the clinical expertise or the topic is out of the comfort of the healthcare personnel. 

Challenges and tips of how you can support your patients will be shared during this presentation.


​Dr Gilbert Fan

Master Medical Social Worker, Psychosocial Oncology
National Cancer Centre Singapore

Dr Gilbert Fan, RSW, FAPA is a Clinical Supervisor (Satir), Fellow of the American Psychotherapy Association (USA), Registered Social Worker & Member, International Workgroup on Death, Dying & Bereavement. Gilbert’s professional doctorate is in Social Work & Futures Studies. He has extensive experience as a medical social worker and he teaches in various capacities in social work and counselling programmes at both local and foreign universities. He has been appointed as Master Practice Leader by the Ministry of Social & Family Development in 2015 and Fellow of the Social Service Institute in 2016.

Dr Fan is the Co-Chair for Volunteer Engagement & Master MSW to the Department of Psychosocial Oncology, National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS). His clinical interest is in griefwork and bereavement, experiential counselling and groupwork, particularly in the application of experiential counselling of patients with advanced cancers. His research interests include the study of coping behaviours, meaning-making and intervention models in cancer care.

​Our Language of Love

Everyone possesses their own language of love. It can be expressed explicitly or concealed within one’s inner soul. We often express love but not our regrets, hurts and despair. Dr Ira Byock’s publication on “The Four Things That Matter Most” opens up communication amongst loved ones, mends relationships and instils a sense of peace and tranquillity. It encompasses the 4 heartfelt phrases: “Please forgive me,” “I forgive you,” “Thank you,” and “I love you”.

This talk covers the application of “The Four Things That Matter Most” in our Asian culture, the context of how it can be delivered meaningfully and the art of communicating it with comfort and ease by nursing personnel.


Ms Eliza Courtney

Genetic Counsellor, Division of Medical Oncology
National Cancer Centre Singapore

Ms Eliza Courtney is a genetic counsellor at the Cancer Genetics Service, National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS). She received her Bachelor of Science (Genetics; Hons 1st Class) from the University of New South Wales and her Master of Genetic Counselling from The University of Sydney. Prior to relocating to Singapore and joining NCCS, Eliza lived in Sydney, Australia and worked as a genetic counsellor at a number of tertiary hospitals.

In her current role, she delivers genetic counselling services regarding genetic cancer risk to patients with personal and family histories of cancer. She is actively involved in raising awareness of genetics services in Singapore through participation in tumour board and multidisciplinary meetings, and providing genetics education to a range of health professionals.

Additionally, she is involved in clinical/health services research and has a special interest in ethical issues that arise in the delivery of clinical genetics services. Eliza is a member of the Li-Fraumeni Syndrome Association Genetic Counseling Advisory Group and the NCCS Cancer Service Line Development Workgroup for Cancer Genetics.

Genetic Screening and Clinical Implications for Adults with Cancer

From the vantage point of 2018, it is difficult to imagine a time when cancer was not widely accepted as a genetic disease, in the most basic sense of being caused by alterations in the structure and function of genes. Indeed, it was not until the second half of the 20th century that the heritable nature of common cancers started to be widely accepted. 

Currently, over 400 hereditary cancer susceptibility syndromes have been described, the majority of which are inherited in an autosomal dominant manner. Although many of these are rare syndromes, they are thought to account for at least 5–10% of all cancer, amounting to a substantial burden of morbidity and mortality in the human population. In addition to BRCA1 and BRCA 2, various other genes conferring an increased risk of female breast cancer involved in hereditary cancer syndromes include PTEN, TP53, STK11, CDH1, NF1 and many others associated with moderate risks of developing breast cancer. 

We will review and update on the latest developments and challenges in the management of hereditary breast cancer. 


Associate Professor Simon Ong

Senior Consultant, Division of Medical Oncology
National Cancer Centre Singapore

Assoc Prof Simon Ong graduated from NUS Medical School in 1990. He completed his oncology training in 2000. He is now a senior consultant medical oncologist subspecializing in lower GI cancers and neuroendocrine tumours at the National Cancer Center Singapore (NCCS). He is an Associate Professor with Duke-NUS Medical School, teaching in multiple modules - Fundamentals of Clinical Practice, Professionalism & Ethics, Body & Disease, and Clinical Oncology.  Assoc Prof Simon Ong is the Director of the Division of Cancer Education at NCCS where he helped to establish a road map and faculty development for clinician educators and supported the development of several signature programs.

Assoc Prof Simon Ong has been extensively involved in teaching nurses. He founded and helped set up the Specialist Diploma for Palliative Care Nursing at Ngee Ann Polytechnic in 2012. He used to teach in the Advanced Diploma in Nursing at Nanyang Polytechnic from 2011 to 2016 and Master of Nursing from 2005 to 2011.

Breaking Bad News: The Art and Science of Therapeutic and Effective Communication Skills

Dr. Mothi Babu Ramalingam

Associate Consultant, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine
Singapore General Hospital

Dr. Mothi Babu graduated from the prestigious Madras Medical College, India with Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) in 2008 and became a Member of Royal Colleges of Physicians of the United Kingdom (MRCP, UK) in 2015. He completed his Basic Specialist Training in Internal Medicine in 2014 and completed the ACGME-I accredited Senior Residency program in Rehabilitation Medicine between 2014 and 2017.

Dr. Mothi is currently working as an Associate Consultant with Singapore General Hospital under Department of Rehabilitation Medicine. His interests include cancer rehabilitation, cancer survivorship program, musculoskeletal pain management and amputee rehabilitation.

Exercise in Cancer Rehabilitation

Cancer represents a huge public health problem and remains as the top cause among the principal causes of death in Singapore. Advances in cancer treatment have prolonged survival and increased the number of people living with physical and psychosocial morbidities related to cancer and its treatment.

Cancer rehabilitation aims to improve functional outcomes and improve quality of life of our cancer survivors.

We will discuss about the importance of cancer rehabilitation, assessments pre and post rehabilitation, phases of rehabilitation in the cancer continuum, exercise prescription for oncology patients and the challenges faced by a rehabilitation team with regards to oncology survivors.

Nursing team members play a vital role in cancer rehabilitation whether they are part of the oncology team or part of the rehabilitation team. We will discuss some prospective value added services which the nursing staff will be able to provide to our cancer survivors.


Dr. Tham Chee Kian

Senior Consultant, Division of Medical Oncology
National Cancer Centre Singapore

Dr. Tham Chee Kian is a senior consultant at the Division of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS).  He was previously the medical director of the NCCS Oncology Clinic at Changi General Hospital (CGH) from 2013 to 2016. His subspecialty interest is in neuro-oncology and gastrointestinal oncology. Other than clinical service, he also plays an active role in medical education.

Dr. Tham holds an appointment as an Assistant Professor of the Duke-NUS Medical School and was the Course Director of the Year 1 Practice Course in Duke-NUS from year 2013 to 2017. He is now the Program Director of the SingHealth Internal Medicine (IM) Residency, one of the largest residency programs in SingHealth, and oversees the training and recruitment of IM residents.

Are We Able to Personalise Immunotherapy in Cancer Treatment?

The recent advancement in immunotherapy has significantly revolutionised the treatment paradigm for many cancers and improves the outcome of many oncology patients. However, not all of our cancer patients may benefit from this treatment modality. In this talk, we will review the major immunotherapy development, how our patients may benefit from the treatment, the potential adverse effects of the therapy and attempt to predict the patients who will benefit from the treatment.

Assistant Professor Irene Teo Eng Ai

Clinical Psychologist, Division of Supportive & Palliative Care
National Cancer Centre Singapore

Asst Prof Irene Teo specialises in psychosocial oncology and how patients, survivors and their families adjust and live with cancer. Asst Prof Teo is a clinical psychologist at the National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS) and a faculty member at the Lien Centre for Palliative Care at Duke-NUS Medical School. Asst Prof Teo obtained her Ph.D. in clinical psychology with an emphasis on health, and completed her APA-internship in medical psychology at Duke University Medical Center, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at MD Anderson Cancer Center. 

Asst Prof Teo’s research and clinical interests include body image, coping, emotional well-being, and palliative care within psychosocial oncology. She is interested in the development of psychosocial interventions aimed at alleviating distress in the oncology setting.        

Sexuality and Cancer: An Asian Perspective (Workshop)

Psychosexual needs of cancer patients and survivors is an underserved area of cancer care. There is limited information on cancer and sexuality in the literature, especially from an Asian cultural context. 

The talk explores what we know about the effect of cancer on sexuality and psychological well-being of patients and survivors through the Asian cultural lens. Factors that are associated with sexual distress (e.g., body image) are discussed together with their clinical implications. 

As an example, a program entitled RISE: Renewing Intimacy and Sexuality intended for female cancer survivors and their spouses will be shared. 

Dr Farid.jpgDr. Mohamad Farid

Consultant, Division of Medical Oncology
National Cancer Centre Singapore


Dr. Mohamad Farid is a consultant medical oncologist at the National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS), where he focuses on the treatment of sarcomas, melanomas and lymphomas. His research interests lie in optimising prognostication of rare tumours, as well as decision analysis and value-based approaches in the therapy of uncommon malignancies. He received specialty training in medical oncology at the NCCS, and spent a year as a visiting fellow at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. He also holds a Masters in Public Health from Harvard School of Public Health.   
Challenges in caring for young cancer patients with Lymphoma and Sarcoma

Sarcomas and certain lymphomas disproportionately afflict a greater proportion of adolescents and young adults (AYA), defined as patients between 16 and 39 years old. This patient demographic has many unique needs. In addition to the physical and mental challenges of cancer treatment, they have to simultaneously manage major life events, including physical and sexual maturation, seeking and retaining employment, and setting up a family, among others. Following successful treatment of cancer, many have to grapple with chronic and delayed toxicities and the persistent spectre of relapse. This unique confluence of challenges can lead to issues like poor compliance to treatment, psychological sequelae as well as adverse cancer outcomes.

In this talk, Dr Farid will summarise the clinical aspects of cancer and its treatment in AYA patients. He will describe some of the challenges faced by oncologists in treating these patients, including the results of some research his group has conducted / is conducting in this area. Finally, he will share his thoughts on how our collective efforts can be better synergised to improve the care of AYA patients in Singapore.
 
Ms Stella Goh Seow Lin

Senior Nurse Clinician (APN), Division of Supportive and Palliative Care
National Cancer Centre Singapore


Ms Stella Goh is the first Advanced Practice Nurse at the Division of Supportive and Palliative Care in the National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS). With over 20 years of nursing experience, she has served and shared her expertise in both Palliative Medicine and Medical Oncology, and has also been actively involved in education in various institutions for both the Medical and Nursing faculties.

The role of a palliative nurse in terminal discharge

Going home has always been a wish for all patients admitted to the hospital. This is even more so for terminally ill patients whose wish is to make it home and spend their last moment at home with their loved one(s). When death is imminent, its time limited nature can make facilitating a rapid discharge challenging. In this session, the role of a palliative care nurse in facilitating a terminal discharge and some common challenges faced by the local team will be shared.
Mrs Tan Yee Pin

Head of Psychosocial Oncology, Division of Supportive and Palliative Care
National Cancer Centre Singapore 


Mrs Tan Yee Pin is the Head of Psychosocial Oncology, National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS). A medical social worker and clinical psychologist by training, her areas of interest include psychosocial oncology and palliative care. Counting it a privilege to journey with patients and their families, Yee Pin is passionate about nurturing medical social workers and psychologists to bring psychosocial care to greater heights for patients with cancer and their families in the medical and community settings.
Associate Professor Rebecca Dent

Head and Senior Consultant, Division of Medical Oncology
National Cancer Centre Singapore

Assoc Prof Rebecca Dent is Head and Senior Consultant in the Division of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Center Singapore (NCCS) and is Chief of the Breast Medical Oncology Service. She is also an Associate Professor at Duke-National University Singapore Medical School.

Assoc Prof Dent received her medical degree in 2000 from McMaster University in Hamilton, Canada, and obtained her Master of Science degree in clinical epidemiology and biostatistics from the University of Toronto, Canada. She obtained her internal medicine and medical oncology training at the University of Toronto, Canada.


Assoc Prof Dent’s primary research interest is in the field of breast cancer, focusing on locally advanced breast cancer and triple-negative breast cancers. She is principal investigator for several clinical trials for the treatment of preoperative and advanced breast cancer. She serves on a number of scientific committees at ASCO, ESMO and ESMO Asia.


Dr. Daniel Tan

Senior Consultant, Division of Medical Oncology
National Cancer Centre Singapore

Dr .Daniel Tan is a Senior Consultant with the Division of Medical Oncology at National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS) and a Clinician-Scientist Fellow at Genome Institute of Singapore.  His main area of interest is in thoracic, head and neck malignancies. He currently leads the phase I unit (Experimental Cancer Treatment Unit, ECRU) where he is the principal investigator for multiple biomarker-driven early phase clinical trials including first-in-human studies.  

One of the principal investigators heading the Cancer Therapeutics Research Laboratory at NCCS, Dr Tan’s current research interests include rational application of “omics” technologies to unravel drug resistance in cancer therapeutics and accelerating the development of novel agents and biomarkers in the clinic. His research has won multiple international awards, including European Society of Medical Oncology Congress Travel Award, American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Merit Awards and an ASCO Young Investigator Award. Recent awards include the SingHealth Publish! Award (Medical Research) and SingHealth GCEO Outstanding Clinician – Researcher Award.

Dr. Tan has served on the International Association for Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) education committee since 2013 and is the Chairman of the IASLC Education Committee. As the current chair of the education committee, he has been active in developing the IASLC medical oncology education syllabus. He is also appointed Adjunct Associate Professor at Duke-NUS Medical School. Currently, he serves as Associate Editor on Journal of Thoracic Oncology, and is a member of the IASLC molecular database taskforce.


Dr. Ann Toh

Physician

Dr. Ann Toh is passionate about palliative and supportive care. Babies, children, adolescents and young adults hold special place in her heart. She spent the initial years of her working life after graduation training in KKWCH paediatric medicine subsequently passing her MRCPCH locally in 2015. She was subsequently mentored by Dr. Chong Poh Heng, Director and founder of STARPALs, the local paediatric home hospice for children.

Dr. Toh was involved training and education for paediatric palliative care for STARPALS nurses training during her time there and also involved in training and education for doctors, nurses and allied healthcare staff of Assisi hospice in preparation to the setting of up its paediatric ward. Dr. Toh has work in both home hospice and inpatient hospice paediatric palliative care settings and was involved in the setting up of the Assisi hospice paediatric ward when opened in 2017. 

Her experience in palliative care include managing patients in various palliative care settings including Assisi hospice, NCCS Department of Palliative and Supportive care, Bright vision Hospital palliative ward and HCA hospice care (adult services). Dr. Toh is a current member of the LCPC Care of the Vulnerable Babies advisory committee and actively participated in the development of the Guidance for Comfort and Supportive Care of Vulnerable Babies published in 2018. Her research interests include grief and bereavement in adolescent and young adult and paediatric palliative care and humanism in healthcare professionals education.

Approach to difficult conversation in end-of-life decision making in paediatric oncology

Extent-of-care discussions are a crucial, it allows wishes to be honoured and preferences to be executed. However, these often-painful conversations are challenging for patients, families and the healthcare professionals who care for them, this is particularly so when the patient is a child, adolescent or young adult. Health care professionals working with paediatric oncology patients often find themselves navigators for the patients and families who and need to grapple with the tangled complex web of emotions, life experiences and stark reality of illness and loss. Based on simple lessons gleaned from her journey with her patients and their families, and various PEARLS she has inherited from colleagues of her multidisciplinary team, Dr. Toh shares principles that have guided her in her conversations with young patients and their families facing terminal illness and death.

 

Dr. Yu Su Ling

Senior Consultant, Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology
Singapore General Hospital


Dr. Yu subspecialised in reproductive endocrinology and spent 9 months in Australia in training. She headed clinical work in IVF, menopause and gynaecological endocrinology since 1993. She was also Head of Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology 1997 to 2003. She has many research interests in her subspecialty and was the pioneer of intrafallopian tube catheterisation, growth hormone augmentation in IVF, egg donation programme and ovarian tissue transplantation in SGH.

Dr. Yu participated in many research projects with and without pharmaceutical sponsorships. She was in the Institutional Review Board for 10 years culminating as the deputy chairman from 2005 to 2009.

Fertility Preservation in Young Adults

Ovarian and sperm function can be damaged by surgery, radiation or chemotherapy thus affecting the future fertility of these men and women.
The sperms and ovaries of young adults can be affected by tumours, radiation or chemotherapy as a result of malignancies. Bone marrow transplants involving whole body irradiation can be a treatment for malignant and non malignant conditions and usually cause permanent damage to the gametes.

Fertility preservation in young men involve mainly sperm freezing from masturbation.

Fertility preservation in young women comprise of oocyte freezing , embryo freezing or ovarian tissue freezing. All these techniques require IVF procedures and support. Fertility preservation also can be supported by hormonal treatment although this is not well evidenced.

Awareness of the urgent need for referral for fertility preservation amongst healthcare workers is imperative.
 
Counselling and team approach is important for decision for fertility preservation and may even involve parents of the affected person.

This discipline of fertility preservation has become more important in this decade as more young adults survive their medical conditions and expect to lead normal lives in the future.

Dr. Toh Chee Keong
Senior Consultant, Division of Medical Oncology
National Cancer Centre Singapore


Dr. Toh Chee Keong graduated from the National University of Singapore (NUS) in 1995. He received several scholarships and academic medals, including the Gibb’s gold medal and Dean’s list in its first year of inception. Dr. Toh completed his Masters of Medicine in Internal Medicine in 2000. He also obtained his membership at the Royal College of Physicians in the same year.

Dr. Toh received his advanced specialty training at the National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS). Under the Health Manpower Development Program, he was involved in drug screening research at Burnham Institute for Medical Research. In addition, he had a clinical attachment at the University of California, San Diego Cancer Centre.

Passionate in his field, Dr. Toh believes in sharing his knowledge with future generations of doctors. He has received grants from SingHealth Foundation and National Medical Research Council. Through his research and clinical works, he has published many papers in journals and written several book chapters. He is also involved in many clinical trials conducted in NCCS.

Dr. Toh has special interests in thoracic oncology and genitourinary oncology.

Genitourinary cancer and sexuality

The treatment of genitourinary cancers, in particular prostate cancer, has resulted in many long term survivors. Unfortunately, the treatment can be associated with side effects and one of which is sexual dysfunction. There are medical treatments available for sexual dysfunction. However, the reality is that the patients do not usually want to discuss the treatment of sexual dysfunction. This may be a reflection of our societal culture. The talk will touch on the treatment and complications of treatment of prostate and testicular cancer, focusing on sexual dysfunction. Other services and support available will be discussed as well. 
Dr. Prasad Iyer

Consultant, Children’s Cancer Centre, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore

Dr. Prasad Iyer is a Consultant from the Children’s Cancer Centre, at KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore. After completing his post-graduate training in Paediatrics in India, he went to the United Kingdom and completed his advanced specialist training in Manchester. He complemented this training with a further four years in paediatric and adolescent oncology at The Great North Children’s Hospital (Royal Victoria Infirmary) Newcastle (UK) and was conferred the Fellowship of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health.

His area of clinical interests includes teenage and adolescent cancers. Besides treating paediatric and adolescent solid tumours he also manages leukaemias, lymphomas and has a keen interest in cellular therapy. He is actively involved as a teaching faculty in all three medical schools in Singapore and has an active interest in clinical research.

Transition of care from paediatric to adult and survivorship

  • History of transition and survivorship in Singapore.
  • Challenges faced by our survivors.
  • Challenges in setting up a service.
  • Leveraging available support to set up a comprehensive program.
  • The future as we see it.
Associate Professor Cynthia Goh

Senior Consultant, Division of Supportive and Palliative Care
National Cancer Centre Singapore

Palliative Care Worldwide and in South East Asia

Professor Keryln Carville

Professor, Silver Chain Group and Curtin University, Western Australia

Prof Carville has extensive clinical and research experience and is committed to education within the domains of wound and ostomy care.  She was appointed a Fellow of the Australian Wound Management Association (now Wounds Australia) in 2006. She was awarded Life Membership of Silver Chain Nursing Association 2007, and was the recipient of the inaugural Western Australia Nursing and Midwifery Excellence Award for Life Time Achievement in Nursing in 2010 and Life Membership of the Australian Association of Stomal Therapy Nurses in 2015. 

Prof Carville chairs the Pan Pacific Pressure Injury Alliance for the development of the international pressure injury guideline in 2014 and 2019, and was Chair of the Wounds Australia Wound Standards Committee for the development of
the Australian Wound Standards in 2012 and 2016. She sits on the International Wound Infection Committee, and is a member of the Editorial Board of the Wound Practice and Research Journal, and the Journal of Stomal Therapy Australia. She has over 100 publications.

Management of Complex Oncology Draining Wound

To outline innovative options for managing draining oncology wounds and fistulae, and:
• Constructing access windows or ports
• Isolating drains or fistula
• Securing drains and tubes
• Containment of complex draining wounds

End of Life Skin Failure Versus Pressure Injury

To describe the clinical presentations of pressure injuries and end of life skin failure in end of life care.

Overcoming Challenges Associated with Malignant Wounds

Malignant wounds are evidence of the progression of disease and present significant challenges the presentation will include management of comfort,  aesthetics, exudate, malodour, infection, bleeding.

Ms Alice Chua

Advanced Practice Nurse (APN) , SingHealth-Duke NUS Head & Neck Centre,
National Cancer Centre Singapore

Ms Alice Chua is an Advanced Practice Nurse (APN) in the SingHealth-Duke NUS Head & Neck Centre. She received her HMDP training in Central Venous Access Devices (CVAD) management from MD Anderson Oncology Centre, USA.

Ms Chua was the CVAD lead nurse in National Cancer Centre Singapore and has contributed to the continual care and updates of evidence- based CVAD practices during her role as a CVAD nurse.


Ms Lee Kim Hua

Senior Nurse Clinician (APN), National Cancer Centre Singapore

Ms Lee Kim Hua is a Senior Nurse Clinician (APN) at the National Cancer Centre Singapore. She obtained her Master of Science in Nursing (Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Programme with Oncology Minor) from the University of Pennsylvania, USA, in 2012 and a Bachelor of Health Science in Nursing from the University of Sydney, Australia in 2003.

She has practiced in the area of oncology for 15 years in the outpatient infusion unit. She is actively involved in reviewing and managing patients undergoing chemotherapy as well as patients with central venous catheters and external drainage catheters.

Dr Tan May Leng Mabel

Senior Nurse Clinician and Advanced Practice Nurse (APN), National Cancer Centre Singapore  

Dr Tan May Leng Mabel is a Senior Nurse Clinician and an Advanced Practice Nurse at National Cancer Centre Singapore. She  graduated as a registered nurse in 1992 and has obtained her specialty oncology certificate in 1996 from School of Nursing Singapore. She has received a Bachelor degree from University of Southern Queensland in 1997. She has a Master degree in Nursing from National University of Singapore in 2012, and a Master degree of Educational Management from University of Western Australia in 2003.
Dr Tan has completed a Doctorate degree in Nursing Practice at Duke University in 2017. She has experience as an oncology nurse for about 26 years in the inpatient and outpatient settings. Her research interests include quality of life, supportive care and education pedagogies for oncology patients with breast cancer who are going through cancer diagnosis and treatment.
Ms Looi Woan Tyng

Assistant Nurse Clinician, National Cancer Centre Singapore 

Ms Looi Woan Tyng is an Assistant Nurse Clinician at the National Cancer Centre Singapore. She has received her Bachelor of Nursing (Post-Registration) from the University of Sydney, Australia. She has obtained her Graduate Diploma in Wound, Ostomy and Continence Programme by Curtin University, Australia in 2017.

She is also a certified and trained oncology nurse for more than 10 years with both inpatient and outpatient experiences. She has been working at NCCS since 2008, where her main responsibility includes providing outpatient clinical support for complex cases and procedures in the specialized clinical area. She is also the key resource person in the Central Venous Access Device (CVAD) and Wound Care management.