OFD 2024 Bilingual (English / French)

Session Detail

Saturday
Nov 2 2024
Plenary session
Optimizing Sexual Health & Intimacy After a Cancer Diagnosis
Presenters
Reanne Booker
Photo of Reanne Booker
Photo of Reanne Booker
Reanne Booker
Nurse Practitioner, Psychosocial Resources, Tom Baker Cancer Centre — Cochrane, Alberta

Reanne is an oncology and palliative care nurse practitioner with over 20 years experience in cancer care. She works with the hematology-oncology team at the Tom Baker Cancer Centre in Calgary. Her clinical and research interests include integrating palliative care in oncology, sexuality and cancer, medical cannabis and cancer, and virtual cancer care. She is a PhD candidate in the School of Nursing at the University of Victoria. The focus of her PhD research is on the integration of palliative care for patients with hematologic malignancies. Reanne is the Immediate Past President of the Canadian Association of Nurses in Oncology.

Reanne Booker
Tom Baker Cancer Centre, Cochrane, Alberta

Presentation Summary
Sexual health and intimacy are integral aspects of being human. There are innumerable ways that a cancer diagnosis can impact sexual health and intimacy. Changes in sexual health after cancer are common, affecting patients of all ages, and are not limited to any particular type of cancer. Such changes can occur at any point along the disease trajectory, from time of diagnosis through to survivorship, as well as during end-of-life care. 
During this presentation, an overview of the potential changes in sexual health that may arise following a cancer diagnosis will be presented. Strategies and therapeutic options (pharmacological and non–pharmacological) to help manage sexual health concerns and preserve intimacy will be discussed. A summary of the resources available for oncology pharmacists as well as for patients and their partners will be provided.

Learning objectives
After participating in this presentation, attendees should be able to: 

1. Describe the potential impact of cancer & its treatment on sexual health & intimacy.
2. Discuss potential strategies to help optimize sexual health & intimacy after a cancer diagnosis.
3. Identify resources that pharmacists can use to help address/manage patients’ sexual health & intimacy concerns.