May 2025

Unmet Health Care Needs: The Impacts of Poorly Understood Complex Chronic Conditions

Announcements,

Date: May 15, 2025
Time: 6:00–8:00 p.m.
Location: Online via Zoom
Register here: https://meetingofexperts.org/pcv-workshop-student-registration-form/

Learn directly from patients and caregivers about the realities of living with ME, FM, and Lyme disease, conditions that challenge the health care system and call for greater understanding.

Some disabilities are invisible. In this workshop students from different health programs will learn about three diseases that are poorly understood – Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME), Fibromyalgia (FM), and Lyme disease. People affected by these conditions often experience financial hardship, loss of identity, and have difficulty being believed by medical professionals and society. You will hear how these conditions and the difficulties in accessing effective and timely treatments can impact the daily living and quality of life of people living with or caring for a loved one with one or more of these complex chronic conditions. Approaches and resources that best support people living with ME/FM/Lyme disease in their journey will be presented.

Why attend?

This is a unique opportunity to:

  • Learn directly from patients, insights that are often missing from standard health care curricula.
  • Engage in meaningful interprofessional learning alongside students from other disciplines.
  • Gain perspectives that many students say shape the kind of health professionals they aspire to become.
  • Open to all students in health and human services programs, no prior experience required.

“I truly believe my program would benefit from more exposure to personal stories and survivor testimonies as they truly touch your soul.” – Student participant

Rally your classmates—bring a friend or two!
The more, the merrier. Let’s learn together, challenge assumptions, and grow as future health professionals.

Workshop partners: ME Victoria Association, MEFM Society of BC, MEFM Action Network, BC Lyme Society.

To register:
Look for the session titled “Addressing Unmet Health Care Needs: A look into the impacts and challenges of daily life for people with poorly understood Complex Chronic Conditions” in the registration link.

Mental Health: Developing Empathy and Compassion

Announcements

Date: May 29, 2025
Time: 6:00–8:00 p.m.
Location: Room 1888, Paetzold Centre, Jim Pattison Pavilion – Vancouver General Hospital
Refreshment will be provided
Register here: https://meetingofexperts.org/pcv-workshop-student-registration-form/ 

Our Patient and Community Voices Workshop series in conjunction with the Pathways Serious Mental Illness Society invites you to a community-led interprofessional workshop.

This special opportunity offers students the chance to hear firsthand about the challenges of living with mental illness and to explore the importance of empathy and compassion in the recovery process. The workshop will be led by facilitators who are individuals with lived experience of mental health conditions, providing valuable insight into the struggles faced by those affected. Through storytelling and small group discussions, students will engage with peers from various fields to deepen their understanding of the unique experience of supporting individuals living with mental illness.

To register:
Look for the session titled “Addressing Unmet Health Care Needs: A look into the impacts and challenges of daily life for people with poorly understood Complex Chronic Conditions” in the registration link.