While cancer remains the leading cause of death in Canada, the psychological challenges faced by people living with advanced and metastatic cancer are often underrecognized and insufficiently addressed. In response to this critical need, Drs. Gary Rodin and Sarah Hales at Princess Margaret developed Managing Cancer and Living Meaningfully (CALM), a brief psychotherapeutic intervention designed to help individuals cope with the practical and emotional complexities of living with cancer.

The CALM approach consists of three to six sessions with a trained healthcare provider and focuses on four interrelated domains: managing symptoms and communication with healthcare providers; addressing the impact of cancer on self-concept, identity, and relationships; finding meaning and purpose in the face of illness; and preparing for the future while sustaining hope.

Launched in 2010, the program has been rigorously studied and shown to be both viable and effective. A $2 million grant from the Weston Family Foundation is now supporting its implementation as a standard of care for people living with advanced and metastatic cancer, with a goal of expanding to 6 cancer centers across Canada.

The Foundation’s support enables the hiring and training of supervisory therapists, the development of training materials and standardized procedures for therapeutic delivery, and the evaluation of the program’s outcomes and impact.