CLL Live

Education is key for patients and their loved ones to be true partners in their treatment. CLL Live conferences provide participants with an opportunity to hear from leading experts in CLL research and care from around the world who volunteer their time to speak at our conferences. As a result, conference attendees are better informed and equipped to ask their healthcare team pertinent questions about their own treatment plan.

Participant evaluations indicate very high satisfaction with the information provided, the networking and fellowship, and the sense of hope gained.

CLL Live is provided free of charge to patients and caregivers as conference costs are covered by educational grants from sponsors. Participants do need to pay for their own accommodation and travel. The conferences are held in Niagara Falls.

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Bios of CLL Live 2018 Conference Speakers

Conference Summary

Conference Evaluation

PREVIOUS CONFERENCES

2018

CLL Live 2018 Many Reasons for Hope

April 19-21, 2018 Hilton Niagara Falls Fallsview

CLL Live 2018 brought together 225 patients, caregivers, supporters, researchers and clinicians, with attendees from Canada, the United States, Lebanon and France. Participants learned about the latest therapies and new treatments in the pipeline. Feedback from patients was clear: there are many reasons for hope.

2018 faculty included: Drs. Thomas Kipps, Versha Banerji, Mathieu Crupi, Graeme Fraser (CLL Live Medical Chair), Spencer Gibson, Nicole Lamanna and Carolyn Owen as well as Stephanie Hubbard NP, Christina Russomanno NP, Erin Streu RN and patient advocates Marcyne Heinrichs, Andrew Schorr, Esther Schorr, Mark Silverstein and Lorna Warwick

Dr. Graeme Fraser, Stephanie Hubbard, Erin Streu (missing: Esther Schorr and Christina Russomanno)

2015

CLL Live 2015 Recent Developments in CLL Treatments

European, American and Canadian Perspectives

April 21-24, 2015 Sheraton on the Falls

CLL Live 2015 brought together over 260 patients, caregivers and other supporters, with attendees from Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia. There was tremendous excitement about new therapies that allow doctors to further refine treatment to individual patient needs and increase durable remissions. Feedback from patients was overwhelmingly positive!

CLL Live features leading CLL & SLL experts from North America and Europe.

2015 faculty included: : Dr. Leclair; Dr. Fraser; Dr. Mittmann; Dr. Lamanna; Ms. Streu, RN; Dr. Hallek; Dr. Keating.

You can watch CLL Live 2015 presentations on YouTube:

Clinical CLL/SLL 101
By Graeme Fraser, MD, FRCPC
Clinical Hematologist, Juravinski Cancer Centre, Hamilton Health Sciences
https://youtu.be/_e59sLysmaA?list=PLRKaKoReaLcjVOlzBNORrxCFbZAds9I57

CLL/SLL and Evolution of Treatment
By James Johnston, MB, BCh, FRCPC Hematologist, CancerCare Manitoba
https://youtu.be/19MpkyPbyOA?list=PLRKaKoReaLcjVOlzBNORrxCFbZAds9I57

European Perspective on CLL
By Michael Hallek, MD
Chair, German CLL Study Group
https://youtu.be/nnkCoqNbzlE?list=PLRKaKoReaLcjVOlzBNORrxCFbZAds9I57

American Perspective on CLL
By Michael J. Keating, MB, BS
President and CEO, CLL Global Research Foundation
https://youtu.be/edM4ICD0S8c?list=PLRKaKoReaLcjVOlzBNORrxCFbZAds9I57

Canadian Perspective on CLL Research
By Spencer Gibson, PhD
Scientific Chair, CLL Patient Advocacy Group
https://youtu.be/aosBbqf9iEs?list=PLRKaKoReaLcjVOlzBNORrxCFbZAds9I57

Pharma-Economic Implications of New Drug Treatments
By Nicole Mittmann, PhD
Executive Director, Health Outcomes and Pharmacoeconomics (HOPE) Research Centre, Sunnybrook Research Institute
https://youtu.be/_QtdfusXy7s?list=PLRKaKoReaLcjVOlzBNORrxCFbZAds9I57

Prognostic Testing
By Susan Leclair, PhD
Chancellor Professor of Medical Laboratory Science, Department of Medical Laboratory Science, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth,
https://youtu.be/xaiGv95jdkc?list=PLRKaKoReaLcjVOlzBNORrxCFbZAds9I57

Secondary Cancers
By Erin Streu, RN, MN, CON(C)
Clinical Nurse Specialist, CancerCare Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
https://youtu.be/1aqe9voPNWg?list=PLRKaKoReaLcjVOlzBNORrxCFbZAds9I57

When and How to Treat By Nicole Lamanna, MD
Hematologist/Oncologist, New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Cente
https://youtu.be/5wrtLA8UOhM?list=PLRKaKoReaLcjVOlzBNORrxCFbZAds9I57

Hematology Panel
Panelists: Dr. Ronan Foley; Dr. James Johnston; Dr. Susan Leclair; Dr. Nicole Lamanna; Dr. Michael Keating; Dr. Spencer Gibson

A panel of physicians and scientists answered questions from participants at CLL Live 2015, April 24, 2015, Niagara Falls, Ontario.
https://youtu.be/06uTR3aMtzQ?list=PLRKaKoReaLcjVOlzBNORrxCFbZAds9I57

Andrew Schorr, from Patient Power, interviewed some of our speakers. You can see those videos here: https://www.patientpower.info/organization/cll-patient-advocacy-group.

Drs. LeClair, Mittmann, Lamanna and Erin Streau RN web

2012

There were 220 attendees at CLL Live 2012, another crowd-pleasing event with excellent educational opportunities and networking.

The sessions included the following topics and speakers.

Global CLL Research by Dr. Micheal Keating (the keynote presentation), Professor of Medicine in Hematology, University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas; President & CEO of the CLL Global Research Foundation
Special presentation by Dr. Mathias Rummel, head of the Department for Hematology at the Clinic for Hematology and Medical Oncology at the Justus-Liebig University-Hospital, Giessen, Germany
Watch & Wait by Dr. Graeme Fraser, Hematologist, Juravinski Cancer Centre; Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, Oncology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario
Stem Cell Transplantation by Dr. Stephen Couban, Service Chief and Interim Head of the Division of Hematology and Director of the Blood and Marrow Transplant Program, Capital District Health Authority, Halifax, Nova Scotia
Outcomes & Treatments for Older Patients by Dr. Joseph Flynn, Co-Director of the Division of Hematology, Artur G. James Cancer Hospital, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
Current Research in Canada by Dr. Spencer Gibson, Professor, University of Manitoba; Director of Translational Research, Manitoba Institute of Cell Biology, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Facing Therapy Decisions with Your Eyes Wide Open by Dr. Chaya Venkat, Chief Science Writer, CLL Topics, Sedona, AZ
Understanding Bloodwork by Dr. Susan Leclair, Chancellor Professor, Department of Medical Laboratory Science, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, Dartmouth, Massachusetts
We also had sessions on nutrition, a doctor panel, and a patient panel.
Andrew Schorr, from Patient Power, interviewed some of our speakers. You can see those videos here: https://www.patientpower.info/organization/cll-patient-advocacy-group.

We also had the opportunity to remember Dr. Terry Hamblin, a dedicated supporter of CLL Live and the CLL community at large, who sadly passed away in January, 1012.

Please watch this video >>

2009

CLL Live 2009: Trends in Treating CLL

Sheraton Fallsview – April 24-25, 2009

Our second conference was another success, with 307 participants joining us in Niagara Falls.

(click image to enlarge)

Presenters included:

Dr. Terry Hamblin, Consultant Haematologist, Bournemouth; Professor of Immunohaematology, Southampton, UK
Dr. Bill Wierda, Hematologist-Oncologist, Associate Professor of Medicine, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
Dr. Neil Kay, Professor, Department of Medicine, Hematology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
Dr. Joseph Flynn, Director of Clinical Operations, Hematology, Artur G. James Cancer Hospital, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
Dr. Susan Leclair, Chancellor Professor, Department of Medical Laboratory Science, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, Dartmouth, Massachusetts
Dr. Robert Robetorye, Assistant Professor, University of Texas Health Sciences Centre, Pathology, San Antonio, Texas
Dr. Ronan Foley, Hematologist, Jurvinski Cancer Centre; Chair, Clinical Network of the Canadian Bone Marrow Transplant Group (CBMTG), Hamilton, Ontario
Dr. Spencer Gibson, Professor, University of Manitoba; Director of Translational Research, Manitoba Institute of Cell Biology, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Dr. David Spaner, Hematologist, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre; Professor, Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario
Dr. Graeme Fraser, Hematologist, Juravinski Cancer Centre; Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, Oncology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario
Dr. Brian Leber, Professor of Medicine and Laboratory and Molecular Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON
Dr. Chaya Venkat, Chief Science Writer, CLL Topics, Sedona, AZ

2007

CLL Live 2007: Trends in Treating CLL

White Oaks Resort – April 20-21, 2007

The inaugural CLL Live surpassed all of our expectations. It marked the first major patient-initiated and patient-run conference in North America. Even though putting on a conference for over 225 participants from Canada and the USA was a lot of hard work, the overwhelmingly positive feedback from attendees made it all worthwhile and inspired CLL Canada to host future conferences.

(click image to enlarge)

Presenters included:

Dr. Terry Hamblin, Consultant Haematologist, Bournemouth; Professor of Immunohaematology, Southampton, UK
Dr. John Byrd, Director, Hematologic Malignacies Program, James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute, Columbus, Ohio
Dr. Susan Leclair, Chancellor Professor, Department of Medical Laboratory Science, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, Dartmouth, Massachusetts
Dr. Ronan Foley, Hematologist, Jurvinski Cancer Centre; Chair, Clinical Network of the Canadian Bone Marrow Transplant Group (CBMTG), Hamilton, Ontario
Dr. Graeme Fraser, Hematologist, Juravinski Cancer Centre, Hamilton, Ontario
Dr. Stephen Sagar, Radiation Oncologist, Juravinski Cancer Centre, Hamilton, Ontario
Laura Cleveland, Patient and Patient Advocate, Columbus, Ohio

You can watch the 2018 presentations and panels on YouTube:

Welcome and overview

Dr. Graeme Fraser MD, FRCPC
Clinical Hematologist, Juravinski Cancer Centre, Hamilton Health Sciences

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_tvDoCR6WY

Patient Panel

Marcyne Heinrichs, Andrew Schorr, Mark Silverstein, Lorna Warwick – moderated by Deborah Baker

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXk5onewYzU&t=1581s

Patient Panel — Patients Panel - Andrew Schorr, Lorna Warwick, Mark Silverstein, Marcyne Heinrich, Deborah Baker (moderator)

Doctors Panel

Drs. Thomas Kipps, Versha Banerji, Mathieu Crupi, Spencer Gibson, Nicole Lamanna and Carolyn Owen – moderated by Dr. Graeme Fraser (CLL Live Medical Chair)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6apIz6GtyE&t=633s