
This webpage is one part of the very first comprehensive hub of resources created for, and with, Black women experiencing breast cancer in Canada. Throughout the journey of creating this webpage, there were four women who co-created the vision, goals and content for this webpage based on their personal experiences battling breast cancer.
Get to know our co-creators and read their stories below.
Meet the Co-Creators
Main Partners: The Olive Branch of Hope
Leila Springer

Leila has an innate ability to connect with people in vulnerable situations and motivate them to rise above their circumstances, especially women of African-Caribbean descent battling breast cancer and other life -threatening diseases. She has a strong desire to help women who feel defeated and trapped by their circumstances reach their highest potential. Living strong and giving back to the community is Leila’s motto. This strong belief has enabled her to continue to volunteer without apology. Leila recently completed her memoir “So Glad I Made It” her courageous journey with breast cancer which later led to the establishment of TOBOH. She also authored a devotional “In the Spirit of Naomi” and co-authored several booklets through TOBOH.
Dr. Juliet Daniel

Olive Branch of Hope
Professor Juliet Daniel is a Cancer Biologist and the Associate Dean of Research and External Relations in the Faculty of Science at McMaster University.
Professor Daniel’s cancer biology research led to her discovery and naming of a new gene “Kaiso”, coined from her favourite Caribbean music “calypso”. Her research program is focused on elucidating the role of Kaiso in cancer and vertebrate development. Professor Daniel’s team is also studying the aggressive and difficult to treat triple negative breast cancers (TNBC) that are most prevalent in young women of African ancestry and Hispanic women – groups that despite a lower incidence and lifetime risk of breast cancer than Caucasian women, have a higher mortality rate from breast cancer.
Professor Daniel co-founded the African Caribbean Faculty Association of McMaster (ACFAM) in 2010 and serves on the President’s Advisory Committee for Building an Inclusive Community (PACBIC) at McMaster. She also serves as Faculty Advisor and mentor for student-led initiatives such as The Black Aspiring Physicians of McMaster (BAP-Mac) and Women in Science & Engineering (WISE). Professor Daniel has received several awards including the inaugural Canadian Cancer Society Inclusive Excellence Award, an Honorary Doctor of Science from the University of the West Indies (UWI) Cave Hill, a UWI Vice Chancellor’s Award, a Black Business and Professional Association (BBPA) Harry Jerome Award, and a WXN Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Award among many others.
Project Team

Dr. Aisha Lofters,
Chair in Implementation Science, Peter Gilgan Centre for Women’s Cancers, Women’s College Hospital

Ayan Hashi,
Master of Public Health Candidate, Research Student, Peter Gilgan Centre for Women’s Cancers, Women’s College Hospital

Rumaisa Khan, Innovation Spread and Scale Lead, Peter Gilgan Centre for Women’s Cancers, Women’s College Hospital

Abigail Appiahene-Afriyie, Research Assistant, Implementation Science, Women’s College Institute for Health Solutions and Virtual Care, Women’s College Hospital

Lelaf Khalil, Research Coordinator, MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions, St. Michael’s Hospital

Noor Rizvi, Undergraduate Research Student, Queen’s University

Elaine Goulbourne, Director, Peter Gilgan Centre for Women’s Cancers, Women’s College Hospital

Dr. Ruth Heisey, Medical Director, Peter Gilgan Centre for Women’s Cancers, Women’s College Hospital

Dr. Melinda Wu , Education Lead, Peter Gilgan Centre for Women’s Cancers, Women’s College Hospital

Emily Suthaharan, Research Assistant, Master of Occupational Therapy Candidate, University of Toronto

Ilakkiah Chandran, Research Assistant, PhD Candidate, University of Toronto
Clinical Input
150×150 jpg 250 ![]() | Dr. Nazik Hammad, M.D., FRCPC, Medical Oncologist, Associate Professor, Department of Medical Oncology, Queen’s University. | ![]() | Dr. Mojola Omole, MD Breast Surgical Oncologist and General Surgeon, Scarborough Health Network | |
![]() | Dr. Andrea M. Covelli, MD, PhD, FRCSC, Assistant Professor Dept. of Surgery, University of Toronto, Breast & Surgical Oncology – Mount Sinai Health System | 150×150 jpg ![]() | Dr. Neil Isaac, B. Sc, MD, FRCP(C), Radiologist, North York General Hospital, Clinical Adjunct Lecturer, University of Toronto | |
![]() | Dr. Bimpe Ayeni, MD, MPH, FRCSC, FACS, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon, Plastic Surgery Division Head, Southlake Regional Health Centre | ![]() | Patrice de Peiza, OT Reg.(Ont), ND, MScCH, CLT. Occupational Therapist and Naturopathic Doctor, Provincial Head: Psychosocial Oncology- Ontario Health, Status-Only Lecturer, University of Toronto | |
![]() | Dr. Renée A. Beach, MD, FRCPC, Adjunct Assistant Clinical Professor & Head of Alopecia Clinic, Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Women’s College Hospital | ![]() | Christina Pierre, PhD, DABCC, Clinical Chemist, University of Pennsylvania | |
![]() | Dr. Danielle Cuthbert, MD, FRCPC, Medical Oncologist, St. Michael’s Hospital, Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto . | 150×150 jpg ![]() | April Swoboda, MD Medical Oncologist, Cancer Centre of Southeastern Ontario at KHSC Assistant Professor, Department of Oncology, Queen’s University Career Advisor, Queen’s University School of Medicine |

Funded by CanIMPACT, which is funded through a CIHR team grant (#128272)

References | Glossary
Graphics Designed Nafisa Salima
We are grateful for the support for this page from Pfizer and ReThink Breast Cancer
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