2024 In-Person
National Conference
Get to the Heart of It: Being, Caring, Doing
Meaningful Connections & Actions
We are looking forward to seeing many of you at CHAC's 2024 conference which will continue to build on the theme of Being, Caring, Doing. Our 2023 program centered on supporting depleted health care workers and administrators through sessions on burnout, compassion cultivation training, and mindfulness for self and others. Our 2024 conference hosted in Winnipeg May 8-10 will focus on meaningful connections and taking action to make a difference in our communities and in people’s lives.

The conference will open with an evening of entertainment on Wednesday. We’re excited to begin on Thursday with a presentation and active learning experience facilitated by Dr. Shane Sinclair on spreading and scaling up compassion in healthcare—moving from personal responsibility to organizational priority. Zofia Dove, an expert in palliative communication, will also inspire us with an energizing, entertaining, actionable and inspiring presentation where participants will learn how being of service leads to impactful compassionate actions, results in the most meaningful care and how a heart centered approach in the most challenging times, leads to real connections, humour- joy and meaningful conversations, while positively impacting all involved.

On Friday, we’ll focus on the journey from loneliness to connection with an agenda that will challenge us to explore the inseparable aspects of being, doing and caring in our own work and our healing ministry. The conference will close with the TED keynote speaker Ted Tomlinson, founder of the C.A.R.E. Effect Movement. who will speak about The Naked Truth About Compassion is Revealed — A Return to the Heart of Healing.
Location
In-person: 
Radisson Hotel
288 Portage Avenue
Winnipeg, Manitoba
DateS & Time

May 8: 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

May 9: 9:00 am - 4:00 pm

May 9: Entertainment 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm

May10: 9 am - 3:30 pm
Welcome to the heart of the continent
Known for its friendly and welcoming spirit, Winnipeg is a diverse multicultural city with a rich and varied history. An Indigenous trading centre prior to the arrival of the Europeans, Winnipeg was at the heart of the country’s fur trade and instrumental in developing Canada’s gateway to the west.

Over the last decades, Winnipeg has developed into a cosmopolitan city complete with top-notch restaurants, swanky boutiques, exciting attractions and an arts and culture scene that bursts with talent and originality. We’d like to welcome you to Winnipeg and hope you’ll partake in this wonderful conference.

Speakers & Program at a Glance
Wednesday, May 8th, 2024 at 7 pm

Welcome and Opening Remarks
John Ruetz, Elder Clayton Sandy & conference weavers Dan Lussier & Beth Johnson

Celebrating Catholic Healthcare's Diversity and Culture
Winnipeg is in the heart of the continent and is known as a cultural hotbed. Dive into a cultural experience with us by being present and be entertained by world-renowned artists who will showcase their Indigenous, French Canadian, Filipino, African and Ukrainian cultures.
Thursday, May 9th, 2024
John Ruetz
CEO Catholic Health Alliance of Canada

Opening & Reflection
Shane Sinclair
Keynote speaker and workshop facilitator
Dr. Shane Sinclair  is a Professor in the Faculty of Nursing at the U of Calgary.  He is also the Director of the Compassion Research Lab and an Adjunct Professor within the Division of Palliative Medicine, Department of Oncology, Cumming School of Medicine.
Zofia Dove
keynote speaker
"The Power Bestowed on You" 

Expert in the area of Palliative Communication and currently a Spiritual Health Practitioner at Actionmarguerite in Winnipeg. Author of best selling book Unexpected Gifts
Concurrent Session Facilitators
Rolande Kirouac
Laughter Therapy
Founder of Spadrole, an experienced Story Teller, Certified Laughter Yoga Teacher and Workshop Facilitator.

Mood is the most important factor in determining the way we perceive people and happenings in the outside world and how we are going to react to them. We know for a fact that the body is able to create energy that can change our mood, can change our attitude and create a contagious environment, one that leads to healthy, satisfied, high-achieving individuals and teams!  
After attending this session, participants will be able to:
  • Learn about timing and rapport and how to destigmatize laughter 
  • Implement “check-ins” to ensure inclusive laughter
  • Adopt an approach to sustain personal and professional growth 


Bernice Parent
MEDITATION WORKSHOP
A certified yoga instructor and a certified teacher in the globally recognized Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction program.

This workshop will begin by explaining the importance for healthcare leaders and practitioners to incorporate meditation in their daily lives. A meditation practice will follow.
Ronna Bloom
poetry WRITING WORKSHOP 
A poet in residence at U of Toronto, registered psycho-therapist, and author of 6 poetry books.

This workshop will address the impacts on you as front line workers, health professionals and caregivers of caring for human suffering. In notes. A creative writing workshop. With other hesitant people. Using poems as guides. Have a rest; write something. No experience necessary.
Miriam Duff
Expressive arts THERAPY in healthcare
Psychosocial Oncology Clinician (Counselling and group facilitation) at CancerCare  MB

This session includes a 30 minute talk about what expressive arts therapy is followed by an exercise in the session that involves guided imagery, high quality black paper and prismacolour white pencil crayons..

The result is an abstract image that Miriam then guides the participants to evaluate. The weight of the lines, the pattern, etc. and what messages they find for themselves. They have small group discussion and debriefing in the larger group.
Clayton Sandy
 INDIGENOUS TEACHINGS & SHARING CIRCLE
Knowledge keeper, cultural advisor, and community activist. He was been employed with the Manitoba Government for 38 years.

A minimum of two elders will be helping to facilitate this workshop to provide the participants with Indigenous teachings. A sharing circle will follow. The circle is used for communicating the importance of our differences and to look at each other's strengths as an indicator of equality.
Sharing or talking circles provide an opportunity for each and every person to be heard - whether they choose to speak or not. Sometimes not speaking speaks volumes.  
Dillon Cherrett
YOGA & BALL ROLLING
Founder of Source Yoga, Dillon has been practicing Yoga for 21 years.

This session will combine Yin Yoga and Ball rolling. You will be guided into a variety of postures that work to dramatically improve your physical flexibility. Practiced on your back, abdomen, or in a seated position, poses are held for a longer period of time with individual instruction to use yoga props so you never experience any pain.

Additional efforts will be made to release muscle tension employing a specialized ball rolling technique. The practice will ensure therapeutic benefit, releasing physical pain and discomfort, greatly improving flexibility, while developing strategies that can be practiced at home. The studio provides the Body Rolling balls, which can be inflated or deflated to ensure proper pressure with each treatment, customizing the practice to meet individual needs. As a result, the Yin Yoga poses become much more accessible and participants learn how to do the techniques on their own.

Daniel Lussier & 
Jennifer Kilimnik
CEO & Director of
culture & Compassion
THE BUS OF OPPORTUNITIES
Participants selecting this session will be taking a bus tour to visit 3 organizations that RCN has been / is involved in. Join us to see how we have answered the call to support in a variety of ways in our province.

Centre Flavie is an ally against poverty and provides housing materials and goods for free to all those in need.

New Monastery for the Sisters of St. Benedict

Equal Housing Initiative: Another exciting project RCN is proud to be part of involves the McLaren Hotel, a derelict building in Winnipeg’s downtown core that houses 150 people in need of low-cost rental housing.

May 10, 2024
Louise Hawkley, PhD
expert on loneliness
Member of the Gerontological Society of America and the American Society on Aging A co-investigator on the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP)

David Stewart
panelist
Manager of Education and Training at Sara Riel
Seneca Warm Line CHAC Program of Distinction 2023
Tracy Laluk
PANELIST

Manager of Volunteer Services at St.Amant
tbd
PANELIST
Unity Health Toronto
Andrew Terhoch
SPIRITUAL HEALTH PRACTITIONER
Andrew Terhoch is part of the Réseau Compassion Network as the Spiritual Health Practitioner for the St.Amant community. He began learning about presence and meditation 30 years ago as a daily practice and a support for anxiety. In his daily work, Andrew explores the importance of presence and connection in health and human through both contemporary and traditional teachings.
Kalvin Kristjansson
Disability consultant
Kalvin has worked alongside countless clinicians, health care providers and educational professionals and paraprofessionals.  His extensive experience in developing support relationships has fuelled his interest in advancing the ideas and principles of mindful care and support.  He is a University of Manitoba graduate with a Bachelor of Arts, Major in history and minor in film studies.
Lee Tomlinson "Patient Lee"
CEO
Founder The C.A.R.E. Effect Movement, Cancer Survivor, Author,  & Adjunct Professor, Keynote and TED Speaker

Keynote Topic:
The Naked Truth About Compassion is Revealed — A Return to the Heart of Healing
Conference Weavers
Beth Johnson
CEO, Catholic Health Sponsors of Ontario
Daniel Lussier
CEO, Réseau Compassion Network
Schedule - May 8th, 2024
19h00        WELCOME & oPENING rEMARKS
19h30

Schedule - May 9th, 2024
08h00 Breakfast

09h00 Welcome and Opening Remarks
John Ruetz CEO Catholic Health Alliance of Canada

09h15 Shane Sinclair: Presentation and Interactive Learning Session
Spreading and scaling up compassion in healthcare: Moving from personal responsibility to organizational priority
DESCRIPTION: Within healthcare there have been increased calls and evidence for improving compassion.  While healthcare providers are the primary conduits of compassion, their individual efforts are impacted by the degree of organizational compassion present in their workplaces.  This presentation and interactive learning session will map the evolution of research conducted by the Compassion Research lab and other researchers over the last decade that have helped answer important questions including: What is compassion?  What is the impact of compassion in patient care? Can it be measured and enhanced in patient care? And what is the role of healthcare organizations in transforming compassion in healthcare?  The goal is to move from ideation to implementation--to reclaim the heart of healthcare in personal practice and at an organizational level.


11h30 Lunch

12h50 Keynote speaker: Zofia Dove: The Power Bestowed on You
This energizing, entertaining, actionable and inspiring presentation is based on 3 decades of an international service in health care systems.
 During this presentation participants will learn how being of service leads to impactful compassionate actions, results in the most meaningful care and how a heart centered approach in the most challenging times, leads to real connections, humour- joy and meaningful conversations, while positively impacting all involved.

 
14h00 Health break
14h15 Concurrent sessions (1 to 1.5 hours)

18h00 Cocktail reception and banquet
19:00  Entertainment - celebrating Manitoba's culture
Schedule - May 10, 2024
07h30-08h45     Breakfast
08h00 Eucharistic Celebration -Radisson Hotel

09h00 Welcome and Reflection

09h15 Keynote address: Louise Hawkley - LONELINESS
10h15 Health break

10h30 Panel discussion - Programs that respond to loneliness

11h45 Lunch
12h45 CHAC National Awards

13h00 Your Presence with My Toothbrush! - A first-person perspective on vulnerability and trust in support relationships.
14h00 Health Break

14h15 Lee Tomlinson "Patient Lee" keynote Address:
The Naked Truth About Compassion is Revealed — A Return to the Heart of Healing

15h30 Weavers
15h45 Closing comments
Hotel & Conference Site
RADISSON HOTEL WINNIPEG - 288 Portage Avenue
Link for hotel room reservation.  Please copy and paste in a new window: https://www.choicehotels.com/reservations/groups/G9660529
Room rate: $157.00
The Radisson Hotel Downtown Winnipeg has a shuttle service to and from the Airport but you will need to confirm times with the hotel. (431) 441-5292

2024 Conference Sponsors
Platinum Friends
2023 Sponsors
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Platinum
Friend
Gold Friend
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Sisters of St. Martha
Gold Friend
Gold Friend opportunity
Silver Friend
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Silver  Friend
Silver Friend
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Silver Friend
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Bronze Friend
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Conference Supporters:
- Grey Sisters of the Immaculate Conception, Pembroke
- St. Clare's Mercy Hospital Advisory Council
- Archdiocese of Toronto
- Diocese of Victoria
- Diocese of London
- Walkerton CWL
 Join us on May 8th to 10th
We look forward to hosting you!

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