Sandra Holdsworth
Patient Partner, Canadian Donation Transplant Research Program
I have held various positions in the Banking industry including Administration, Finance, Facilities & Retail Banking as a Personal Banking Representative & Customer Service Manager. I received a liver transplant in 1997 after several years of going undiagnosed with a rare liver disease and Crohns. After years of treatment for my Crohns I required a permanent Ostomy in 2012. I have dealt with melanoma & currently have arthritis and chronic kidney disease.
Over the years as a patient I have been approached several times to participate in research trials, some I’ve done and some I’ve turned down. I’ve learned that the one determent to patients participating is because usually the knowledge translation process is not done effectively.
Using my experience as a patient & as a benefactor of organ donation I have gone on to advocate for organ & tissue donation & to help others afflicted with diseases requiring a transplant & helping others on their healthcare journey. I have also become very interested in our Healthcare System as a whole and how we can improve it with the patient as a partner in their healthcare.
Currently I’m working with the Canadian Donation Transplant Research Program (CDTRP) as a patient partner co lead on the Quality of Life Theme. I help to determine research projects, and help to design, recruit and assist with knowledge translation. I was on the Steering Committee of the CanRestore Committee, where we implemented several clinical research projects.
I’ve been an advisor to Health Quality Ontario and was recently brought on-board as a Patient Advisor for Health Standards Organization on their Acute and Critical Care Technical Committee.
This summer I was kept busy as a Patient Partner on the Muskoka and Area Ontario Health Team
Steering Committee. The team was selected as one if the first 24 OHTs.