Who developed MyGriefToolbox.ca

Developed by:



Canadian Virtual Hospice is the world’s most comprehensive online portal for information and support on advanced illness, palliative care, and grief. It serves the information and support needs of people living with advanced illness, families and caregivers, health providers, researchers, and educators. Canadian Virtual Hospice also operates: VirtualHospice.ca, PortailPalliatif.ca, MyGrief.ca, LivingMyCulture.ca, LivingOutLoud.life, vivreAfond.ca, Methadone4pain.ca, KidsGrief.ca, and DeuildesEnfants.ca and is active on numerous social media platforms.

In collaboration with:

With investment by:

Production of MyGriefToolBox.ca was supported by Health Excellence Canada. Unmodified use or reproduction of this publication is permitted within Canada for non-commercial purposes only. This publication is provided “as is” and is for informational/educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide specific medical advice or replace the judgment of a healthcare professional. Those preparing and/or contributing to this publication specially disclaim all liability or warranty of any kind, whether express or implied.

Team leads and writers

Cheryl Cameron, M.Ed, ACP
Advanced Care Paramedic
Former Lead of the EMS Palliative Assess,
Treat and Refer Program, Alberta Health Services
Edmonton, Alberta

Christopher MacKinnon, PhD, OPQ
Psychologist, Executive Director, Monkland Psychology
Practicum Faculty – Portland Institute for Loss and Transition
Montreal, Quebec

Development team

Shelly Cory, MA
Executive Director
Canadian Virtual Hospice
Winnipeg, Manitoba

Marianne Arab, MSW/RSW
Provincial Manager of Psychosocial Oncology Palliative and Spiritual Care
Nova Scotia Health Authority
Cancer Care Program
Halifax, Nova Scotia

Dr Alix Carter, MD MPH FRCPC
Medical Director, Research
EHS Nova Scotia
Director, Division of EMS
Dalhousie University Department of Emergency Medicine

Careen Condrotte, BA
Registered Social Worker (RSW)
Provincial Coordinator
AHS EMS Critical Incident Stress Management
Grande Prairie, Alberta

Michelle Harrison, BSc AHN, MA
Project Manager
Paramedics Providing Palliative Care at Home Project
Halifax, Nova Scotia

Grief expert reviewers

Glen Horst, PhDmin
Spiritual Card Advisor
Canadian Virtual Hospice
Winnipeg, Manitoba

Edward Rynearson, MD
Distinguished Professor
Seattle, Washington

Shane Sinclair, PhD
Director, Compassion Research Lab
Calgary, Alberta

Andrea Warnick, RN, MA
Psychotherapist – Childrens’ Grief
Guelph, Ontario

Video contributors

Marianne Arab, MSW/RSW
Provincial Manager of Psychosocial Oncology Palliative and Spiritual Care
Nova Scotia Health Authority
Cancer Care Program
Halifax, Nova Scotia

Cheryl Cameron, M.Ed, ACP
Advanced Care Paramedic
Former Lead of the EMS Palliative Assess,
Treat and Refer Program, Alberta Health Services
Edmonton, Alberta

Leslie Card
Advanced Care Paramedic
Member of the Critical Incident Stress Team
Emergency Health Services
Windsor, Nova Scotia

Dr Alix Carter, MD MPH FRCPC Medical Director, Research
EHS Nova Scotia
Director, Division of EMS
Dalhousie University Department of Emergency Medicine

Tyne Lunn
Advanced Care Paramedic
Community Care Paramedic
Alberta Health Services
Peace River, Alberta

Christopher MacKinnon, PhD, OPQ
Psychologist, Executive Director, Monkland Psychology
Practicum Faculty – Portland Institute for Loss and Transition
Montreal, Quebec

Tristan Redden
Primary Care Paramedic
Communications Supervisor
Emergency Health Services
Halifax, Nova Scotia

Nick Richards
Advanced Care Paramedic
Clinical Support Paramedic
Emergency Health Services
Halifax, Nova Scotia

Don Smith
Advanced Care Paramedic
Alberta Health Services, EMS North Zone
Grande Prairie, Alberta

Olivia Tomes
Advanced Care Paramedic
Community Care Paramedic
Alberta Health Services
Calgary, Alberta

Kim Weidger RN, PhD, CHPCN(C)
Associate Professor, Faculty of Nursing, University of Toronto

Sandy Buchman, MD, CCFP (PC), FCFP
Past President, The Canadian Medical Association
Palliative Care Physician – Palliative Care & Education for the Homeless
Health Associates St. Michael’s Hospital
Associate Professor, Family and Community Medicine – Division of Palliative Care
University of Toronto

Lawrence Cheung
Spiritual Health Practitioner
Adjunct Professor, School of Medicine – Palliative Care Division
University of British Columbia

Elizabeth (Betty) Davies RN, PhD, FAAN
University of Victoria
Victoria, British Columbia

Mike Harlos MD CCFP(PC), FCFP Palliative Care (Retired)
Medical Director of Adult and Pediatric
Palliative Care for the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority

David Henderson MD, CCFP (PC)
Senior Medical Director Integrated Palliative Care, Nova Scotia Health Authority
Medical Director, Colchester East Hants Palliative Care Program
Assistant Prof. Dept. of Family Medicine, Dalhousie University

Peter Hudson, RN, PhD
Director of the Centre for Palliative Care
University of Melbourne, Australia
Professor, University of Melbourne & Queen’s University, Belfast

Tom Hutchinson, MD, FRCP(C)
Professor, Department of Medicine and Department of Oncology
Director, McGill Programs in Whole Person Care

Stephen Liben, MD
Full Professor of Pediatrics, McGill University
Director, Pediatric Palliative Care Program, The Montreal Children's Hospital

Susan MacDonald, MD, CCFP PC FCFP
Associate Professor Medicine & Family Medicine
Memorial University

Balfour Mount, O.C., O.Q., MD, FRCSC, LLD.
Emeritus Professor of Medicine & Eric M. Flanders Chair in Palliative Medicine
McGill University

Hodan Nalayeh
Media Professional and Creative Director
Former host of Integration for OMNI Television

Irene Rezenbrink, BA, MSocAdmin, PhD, DVATI
Vancouver Art Therapy Institute

David Roy, O.C., O.Q., PhD
Former Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Palliative Care
Founder and former Director of the Centre for Bioethics
Clinical Research Institute of Montréal

Neenu Sati
Wife of Shekhar, who died in 2014
Pickering, Ontario

Shahina Siddiqui
Founder and Executive Director of the Islamic Social Services Association

Kelli Stajduhar, BSN, MSN, PhD
Professor and PhD Coordinator
University of Victoria School of Nursing

David Stark
Husband of Erica Stark who died in 2014; father of three
Toronto, Ontario

Rose Steele, RN, BScN, MSc, PhD
Professor, Faculty of Health
York University

Tara Tucker, MD, FRCPC, MEd
Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa

Sarah Walker, BSW, MSW
Former Executive Director of Hospice Calgary

Andrea Warnick, RN, MA
Psychotherapist – Childrens’ Grief
Guelph, Ontario


Video contributors (French edition)

Ghislain Bercier
Community Paramedic
Member of Peer Support Team
Ottawa Paramedic Service

Mathieu Frenette
Primary Care Paramedic
Ambulance New Brunswick

Melanie Grenier
Community Paramedic
Ottawa Paramedic Service

Chelsea Lanos
Advanced Care Paramedic
County of Renfrew Paramedic Service
Ottawa, Ontario

Christopher MacKinnon, PhD, OPQ
Psychologist, Executive Director, Monkland Psychology
Practicum Faculty – Portland Institute for Loss and Transition
Montreal, Quebec

Deborah Ummel, Ph.D., Psychologue
Professeure adjointe, Département de psychoéducation
Faculté d'éducation, Université de Sherbrooke

Paramedic advisors

Jeff Baillie
Primary Care Paramedic
Emergency Health Services
Tantallon, Nova Scotia

Leslie Card
Advanced Care Paramedic
Member of the Critical Incident Stress Team
Emergency Health Services
Windsor, Nova Scotia

Meredith Glover
Advanced Care Paramedic
Community Paramedic
Alberta Health Services
Calgary, Alberta

Stacy Goulder
Advanced Care Paramedic
Senior Staff Development Officer
Alberta Health Services
Calgary, Alberta

Tjeerdina (TJ) Hoekstra
Primary Care Paramedic
Alberta Health Services
Peace River, Alberta

Judy Hollett
Peer Team Coordinator
Emergency Health Services
Halifax, Nova Scotia

Jenna Hook
Advanced Care Paramedic
Alberta Health Services
Grande Prairie, Alberta

Nathalie Labelle
Clinical Coordinator and Performance Coach
Regional Paramedic Program
Eastern Ontario

Tyne Lunn
Advanced Care Paramedic 
Community Care Paramedic 
Alberta Health Services
EMS Mobile Integrated Healthcare 
Alberta

Dawn Nickerson
Advanced Care Paramedic
Emergency Health Services
Halifax, Nova Scotia

Tristan Redden
Primary Care Paramedic
Communications Supervisor
Emergency Health Services
Halifax, Nova Scotia

Keri Rempel
Advanced Care Paramedic
Alberta Health Services
Grande Prairie, Alberta

Nick Richards
Advanced Care Paramedic
Clinical Support Paramedic
Emergency Health Services
Halifax, Nova Scotia

Teresa Roberts
Advanced Care Paramedic
Alberta Health Services
Calgary, Alberta

Gilles Roy
Operations Manager 
Medavie Health Services, New Brunswick

Warren Sharpe
Primary Care Paramedic
Alberta Health Services
Peace River, Alberta

Don Smith
Advanced Care Paramedic
Alberta Health Services, EMS North Zone
Grande Prairie, Alberta

Wes Thompson
Primary Care Paramedic
Alberta Health Services
Peace River, Alberta

Olivia Tomes
Community Care Paramedic
Alberta Health Services
Calgary, Alberta

Jacene Tyler
Advanced Care Paramedic
Alberta Health Services
Grande Prairie, Alberta

Reviewers

Elizabeth Anderson
Primary Care Paramedic
Community Paramedic
Ottawa, Ontario

Alynne Baiton
Advanced Care Paramedic
Alberta Health Services
South Zone, Alberta

Leon Baranowski MEd, DipHE, FHEA, MCPARA
Advanced Care Paramedic
Paramedic Practice Leader
BC Emergency Health Services
Vancouver, British Columbia

Ghislain Bercier
Community Paramedic
Ottawa Paramedic Service

Lorraine Downey
Primary Care Paramedic 
Peer Support Coordinator 
Ottawa, Ontario

Tammy Dupuis
Primary Care Paramedic
Community Paramedic
Ottawa, Ontario

Mike Eby
Advanced Care Paramedic 
Toronto, Ontario

Tracy Faraday
Primary Care Paramedic 
Ottawa, Ontario

Mathieu Frenette
Primary Care Paramedic 
Ambulance New Brunswick

Matthew Friesen
Primary Care Paramedic
Ottawa, Ontario

Tianna Gibson
Primary Care Paramedic
Alberta Health Services
Edmonton Zone, Alberta

Dwayne Gidney
Advanced Care Paramedic
Acting Superintendent
Clinical Training and Operations
Ottawa, Ontario

Stacy Goulder
Advanced Care Paramedic
Senior Staff Development Officer
Alberta Health Services

Angela Graham  MEd, ACP
Professional Development Officer
Accreditation Specialist
Medavie Health Services - West
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

Jennie Helmer BCom, MEd
Advanced Care Paramedic 
Paramedic Specialist
Pemberton, British Columbia

Tracey Izzard
Primary Care Paramedic
Community Paramedic
Ottawa, Ontario

Erika Kirkman
Advanced Care Paramedic
Alberta Health Services
Central Zone, Alberta

Megan Koskie, ICP
Transition Lead
Emergency Medical Services
Saskatchewan Health Authority

Chelsea Lanos
Advanced Care Paramedic
County of Renfrew Paramedic Service

Selena Letain
Advanced Care Paramedic
EMS Operations Manager
Saskatchewan Health Authority

Tyne Lunn
Advanced Care Paramedic
Community Care Paramedic
EMS Mobile Integrated Healthcare
Alberta
Alberta Health Services EMS

Nellie Maund-Stephens
Advanced Care Paramedic
Alberta Health Services
South Zone, Alberta

Marsha McCall RN MSN
Program Manager
BCEHS Critical Incident Stress Program
Vancouver, British Columbia

Tara McCullough
Primary Care Paramedic
Alberta Health Services
South Zone, Alberta

Brian Morris
Advanced Care Paramedic
Superintendent
Ottawa, Ontario

Stanley Morrow
Advanced Care Paramedic
Ottawa, Ontario

Denica Mulder
Advanced Care Paramedic
Alberta Health Services
Calgary Zone, Alberta

Tristan Redden
Primary Care Paramedic
Communications Supervisor
Emergency Health Services
Halifax, Nova Scotia

Tammie-Lee Rogowski RN CHPCN(C) CCHN(C)
Clinical Team Manager Palliative Care
and Home Care Nursing Services
Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority
Selkirk, Manitoba

Lori Simcoe
EMS Quality Officer
Shared Health
Selkirk, Manitoba

Jessica Waterhouse
Advanced Care Paramedic
Ottawa, Ontario

Communications

Tara Sibko
Manager of Communications and Engagement
Canadian Virtual Hospice
Winnipeg, Manitoba

Video content

Wendy Rowland BAH, MA
Director
Toronto, Ontario

Robin Bain
Cinematographer
Toronto, Ontario

Photos

Courtesy of Alberta Health Services Emergency Medical Services and Ottawa Paramedic Service



Platform development



Aazir Munir
Project Manager
Venuiti Solutions

Instructional design

Paula Nunes-Haggett
Brampton, Ontario

Graphic design

Editing

Marg Cooke, M.S.W.
Sidney, British Columbia

Administration and support

Angie Saj
Office Manager
Canadian Virtual Hospice
Winnipeg, Manitoba

Danielle Saj
Intern
Canadian Virtual Hospice
Winnipeg, Manitoba

Jen Saj
Intern
Canadian Virtual Hospice
Winnipeg, Manitoba