Romain Rigal is the newest Executive Director of , a non-profit cancer care organization affiliated with Montreal’s Jewish General Hospital. He first stepped into this role last May, bringing insights from his 20 years of experience in healthcare management leadership. As Hope & Cope moves into the next phase of its life, we caught up with Mr. Rigal to see where the organization is headed.
Lexa Frail (LF): So, could you tell us a bit about Hope & Cope?
Romain Rigal (RR): Hope & Cope is a trail-blazing community-based organization. We've been supporting people affected by cancer for the last 40 years. Though we’re now becoming an independent organization, we’ve been an affiliate of the Jewish General Hospital, and we continue to work very closely with them.
Hope & Cope was founded by the legendary Sheila Kussner, one of the most instrumental philanthropists in Montreal in raising awareness about the impact laypeople could have on the health and outcomes of people affected by cancer. She herself suffered from cancer at a very young age, and her vision was that “beyond care is wellness, and that wellness is brought about by lived experience.” Hope & Cope thus became the first in Canada to implement peer support groups for cancer patients in a hospital setting. Those who have walked that path can share their experiences. It normalizes other patients’ experiences, and that brings a lot of relief for them.
We got involved in palliative care because we were involved in cancer treatment. Our former executive director, Suzanne O’Brien, worked alongside Dr. Bernard Lapointe to make sure that patients affected by cancer are accompanied from day one through the journey to the other end. Because about 80-90% of the patients at the Jewish General Hospital Palliative Care unit are affected by cancer, we entered this field, providing services in the very last steps of the cancer journey.
Structurally, we have about 12 employees and one chair of psychosocial oncology, currently held by Dr. Carmen Loiselle. Having a Chair differentiates us from other community centres in that it allows us to provide in-house research, ensuring that our programs are evidence-based and carefully evaluated. The palliative care unit is supported by over 40 dedicated volunteers. Patients and families have the opportunity to be seen three times a day. These individuals go through the 51łÔąĎÍřPalliative Care unit training, which is a wonderful program. I also must acknowledge the leadership of Rifka Hanfling, our volunteer coordinator. In addition to overseeing the volunteer program, she and Dr. Jean Zigby introduced a pilot project on virtual reality in the psychosocial treatment of palliative care patients at the end of life.
LF: What are your goals as director and where do you see the centre going under your leadership?
RR: Under my leadership, I hope to really focus on the development of our volunteers, especially educating them so that they provide the best version of themselves to patients. Our volunteers have varying experiences with cancer and the loss of a loved one, but we've all gone through a wide array of human experiences—joy, suffering, and everything in between. How can we make sure that volunteer and patient experiences are complementary and value one another? That is where volunteer education can make a difference. Fortunately, we’re seeing that our volunteer training program is leading engagement in volunteers, leading enthusiasm, leading loyalty, and ultimately leading to better outcomes in terms of patient wellness.
LF: What is the biggest challenge you’re facing right now?
RR: We are becoming an independent organization. We used to be an affiliate of the Jewish General Hospital. It means we’re growing from adolescence to adulthood. The greatest challenge will be to adapt to this new environment while still upholding the vision of Sheila Kushner: You don’t have to face cancer alone. While the vision remains strong, the environment and the methods to support that vision are changing.
LF: What are you most looking forward to?
RR: We're about to launch our strategic plan. We're kicking off the process and I'm looking forward to seeing alignment with the board, our external stakeholders, our volunteers, and our team. All of that contributes to better outcomes.
LF: Is there anything else you'd like to add that I haven't mentioned?
RR: I'd like to thank the that help us support our wonderful mission. Then, I'd like to thank our team and all the volunteers that make that mission possible, and the patients and families that trust and believe in what we do, who accept the support we provide.
To learn more about Hope & Cope, please visit their . If you would like to get involved, Hope & Cope is always welcoming new .