Register Now for this FREE event!
Is your family navigating JDM, Fever Syndromes, Lupus, or Vasculitis? At Cassie + Friends, we want you to know that you’re not alone!
Join us for an engaging discussion on these rare diseases facilitated by pediatric rheumatologists from across Canada. You’ll learn information specific to your child’s disease and meet other families with the same diagnosis in our break-out room sessions.
Bring your questions for our live Q+A!
Overview of Autoinflammatory vs. Autoimmune Diseases
Dr. Lori Tucker, Pediatric Rheumatologist, BCCH
Dr. Lori Tucker is a Clinical Professor in Pediatrics, Pediatric Rheumatology, BC Children’s Hospital, University of British Columbia. Her research focuses on physical activity in children and youth with JIA, development of shared decision-making in pediatric rheumatology care, and autoinflammatory diseases in children. She is one of the founding members of the Canadian Alliance of Pediatric Rheumatology Investigators. In addition, she is a passionate advocate for kids with rheumatic diseases and their families, provincially and nationally and as a member of the Cassie & Friends Board.
Presenting on Juvenile Dermatomyositis (JDM)
Dr. Adam Huber, Pediatric Rheumatologist, IWK Health Centre
Adam Huber has been a pediatric rheumatologist at the IWK Health Centre in Halifax since 2000, after having finished his training at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto.
He is particularly interested in the assessment and outcomes of children with juvenile dermatomyositis and other rheumatic illnesses as well as in finding better ways to treat these illnesses. He is the current chair of the Juvenile Dermatomyositis Committee for the Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance and sits on the Medical Advisory Board for Cure JM, a patient advocacy and support group. He also has an interest in research ethics, and has been co-chair of the IWK Health Centre Research Ethics Board for the last 15 years.
Presenting on Lupus
Dr. Deborah Levy, Pediatric Rheumatologist, Sick Kids Hospital
Dr. Deborah Levy is the Clinical Director, Division of Rheumatology at the Hospital for Sick Children (“SickKids”) in Toronto and an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Toronto. Dr. Levy’s interests are broad; however, she is co-director of the Lupus clinic at SickKids and her research primarily focuses on the long-term medical and psychosocial outcomes of childhood-onset Lupus. She has participated as a collaborator on multiple research projects through CAPRI. She is also interested in alternate models of care for children with arthritis and is working with advanced practitioners to develop a new network of pediatric rheumatology providers for children in underserved communities within Ontario. Advocacy work as the past Chair of the Pediatric Committee of the Canadian Rheumatology Association and as the Vice President (Pediatric) of the Ontario Rheumatology Association has helped to improve access to drugs for pediatric rheumatology patients. Dr. Levy has lived, trained and worked in both the US and Canada.
Presenting on Vasculitis
Dr. David Cabral, Pediatric Rheumatologist, BC Children’s Hospital
David Cabral trained in Western Australia and Vancouver. He joined the British Columbia Children’s Hospital (BCCH) rheumatology team in 1992 when he co-founded of the Young Adult Rheumatic Disease (YARD) clinic, among the first such transition clinics in BCCH and across Canada. He has been Rheumatology Division head since 2004. His vision has been to integrate research with clinical care and teaching and in the last 10 years he helped establish a basic science research laboratory for pediatric rheumatology at BCCH lead by Dr Kelly Brown. Vasculitis is among his research interests and in 2007 he established an ongoing international physician network patient Registry for Childhood Vasculitis. He currently co-chairs a vasculitis working group within the Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance.
Presenting on Fever Syndromes:
Dr. Marinka Twilt, Pediatric Rheumatologist, Alberta Children’s Hospital
Marinka Twilt trained in the Netherlands and Toronto. After working in the UK and Denmark she joined the Alberta Children’s Hospital in 2015 where she runs the Autoinflammatory Diseases clinic.
Dr Twilt’s interests are in precision medicine for rheumatic diseases, autoinflammatory diseases and TMJ arthritis. Dr Twilt is active in the Childhood Arthritis Rheumatology Research Alliance autoinflammatory group and leads the development of the CARRA AID registry. Dr Twilt is also interested in training the new young generation and is active in the Canadian Child Health Clinician Scientist program.
