Windsor Regional Hospital

Precision Oncology in action: How WE-SPARK is transforming local cancer research

Promotional image of Terry Fox Run.Terry Fox and his Marathon of Hope brought Canadians together to help find a cure for cancer. His legacy continues through partnerships spurred on by the Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network, which includes WE-SPARK Health Institute. (Graphic courtesy of Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network)

By John-Paul Bonadonna

In cancer research labs and hospitals, a powerful transformation is reshaping how the disease is understood, studied and ultimately, treated.

At the centre of this shift is precision oncology, an approach that moves beyond one-size-fits-all care to deliver treatments tailored to each individual patient. It represents one of the most promising advances in cancer care today.

Windsor nurse–police partnership builds trust, bridges gaps in community

Laurie Freeman is pictured with local hospital and WESpark partners.Dr. Laurie Freeman (centre) is shown receiving support from WESpark for the NPT study, joined by Susan Fox, Johnathan Foster, Dora Cavallo, and Dominika Boron. (SUBMITTED BY LAURIE FREEMAN/University of Windsor)

By Sara Meikle

The idea began in the emergency department, where police officers and registered nurses (RN) wondered: what if they could help people before they reached the hospital?

That question sparked Windsor’s Nurse–Police Team (NPT) program, which pairs officers from the Windsor Police Service with RNs from Windsor Regional Hospital to respond to calls in the city’s downtown core.