by Claire Fedoruk | Nov 29, 2018

On November 24th, SPIN Director Dr. Brett Thombs travelled to Halifax to discuss SPIN programs that are expected to be available to the scleroderma community in 2019, including the SPIN-HAND program and the SPIN Support group Leader Education (SPIN-SSLED) Program. There were over 80 people at the event, which was hosted by Scleroderma Canada and the Scleroderma Society of Nova Scotia (SSNS). In addition to Dr. Thombs, SPIN rheumatologists Drs. Murray Baron and Evelyn Sutton discussed stem cell transplants and key issues in scleroderma.

After Dr. Thombs’ presentation, Jason Doucette, President of the SSNS, presented SPIN with a donation of $8,500 on behalf of the members of the SSNS. This donation will support a SPIN project that involves surveying people with scleroderma to identify the most difficult medical decisions that they have to make. The SPIN team will use this information to develop and test decision aids to support more informed choices.

Dr. Thombs thanked all of the members of the SSNS, commenting: “It always amazes me how small groups of people can do such tremendously good things. In the end, everything that SPIN and the scleroderma community are accomplishing is due to the contributions of people living with scleroderma and their loved ones."

The photo below features SPIN Director Dr. Brett Thombs with the President of SSNS Jason Doucette.