As university trained professional social workers, we work with patients and families whose lives have been affected by Chronic Kidney Disease. Professional interventions focus on adjustment and adaptation to the disease while dealing with accompanying psychosocial and emotional implications. We provide specialized social work services including counseling, education, research and advocacy. We respect patients and their family/support network and acknowledge and encourage all those who are endeavoring to cope with diagnosis, stages of this chronic illness, treatment modalities and associated emotional stressors.

CANSW President duty description
President - Corinne MacNab

Corinne MacNab graduated with her MSW in 1992 from Carleton U. in Ottawa. Corinne has been with the Regional Kidney Care Program of Simcoe Muskoka in Orillia since 1999, working with patients in the multi kidney care clinic, and patients on hemodialysis in-centre and in the satellite units.

CJMacNab@osmh.on.ca Corinne is passionate about palliative care, ethics, and truth-telling. She is a Palliative Care Champion for the Ontario Renal Network, and was the CANSW Regional Rep for Southern Ontario, and then CANSW Vice President for one year, before taking on the role of President in the fall of 2019.

CANSW Past President Duty Description

Past President - Michelle Jensen
Michelle Jensen is employed by Nova Scotia Health and works with renal clinic and dialysis patients at the Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre in Halifax. She began her social work career in 1993 – BA, McMaster, 1991; BSW, UBC, 1993; and MSW, Dalhousie University, 2001.  Michelle worked in geriatrics and mental health before joining the renal program at the QE II in 2006.  She has worked with patients across the renal program including renal clinic, all dialysis modalities, kidney transplant clinic and kidney donors.  Michelle is a board member of the Kidney Foundation – Atlantic branch.  She has served on the CANSW Executive in the roles of Atlantic Representative, Vice President, President and is currently Past President. michelle.jensen@nshealth.ca

CANSW Vice President Duty Description

Vice President - Tricia Hutton

Tricia Hutton is an employee of the Saskatchewan Health Authority.  Tricia works with outpatient dialysis patients at both St. Paul’s Hospital in Saskatoon as well as the Camaco Community Renal Unit. Tricia began her social work career in Brooks Alberta before joining the Saskatoon Health Region in 2011. Tricia began her nephrology social work career in 2012 in the Home Hemodialysis Program and move to the in center Hemodialysis Program in 2019. Tricia joined CANSW in 2012 and has served as Saskatchewan/ Manitoba Regional Representative and currently as Vice President.

Tricia.hutton@saskhealthauthority.ca

CANSW Treasurer Duty Description

Treasurer - Sarah Allen

Sarah graduated with her MSW in 2002 from the University of Toronto. She began her social work career at the Scarborough Hospital working in their large Home Peritoneal Dialysis program. In 2008, she relocated to work in the Renal Unit at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Barrie and has been the CANSW Secretary since 2012.

AllenS@rvh.on.ca

CANSW Secretary Duty Description

Secretary - Nadia Lauzon
 

Regional Reps

Atlantic - Quebec/Nunavut/NB/NS/PEI/NL
 
  • Samantha Mason is the Nephrology Social Worker for the Yarmouth, Nova Scotia dialysis unit and Kidney Clinic for Yarmouth and surrounding areas. She also works with the stroke team and other inpatient/ outpatient areas at the Yarmouth Regional Hospital. Samantha is a graduate of St. Thomas University (BA, BSW) and The University of Toronto (MSW).
Ontario
  • Michelle Dinardo
  • michelle.dinardo@wrh.on.ca
  • 519-254-5577 ext. 32259
Manitoba/SK
  • Carly Froese:
  • cfroese5@exchange.hsc.mb.ca
  • Phone: 204-792-3962 - This is a mobile number, so if members wish to text, they are welcome to.
 
  • Hello, my name is Carly.   I am new to CANSW and have recently become the regional representative for Manitoba and Saskatchewan.  This is a new adventure and I am looking forward to meeting new people and working to help others realize just how rewarding a career as a Renal Social Worker can be.
I am registered to practice through the Manitoba College of Social Workers. I graduated from the University of Manitoba with a Bachelor of Social Work in 2011.  While in university, I worked for four years in the Department of Families, in policy areas related to persons with disabilities.  For the next few years, I remained under the employ of the Department of Families, but in a front line capacity.  In late 2014, I took a leap into hospital based social work.  In 2016, an opportunity arose within the Manitoba Renal Program at Health Sciences Centre and I have not looked back! Social Work is not my first career. I originally hit the ground running as a laboratory technologist, with a drive to work in microbiology and tissue culture.  However, life decided that was not the path for me.  Early in my first career, I began to lose my eyesight.  By 24 years of age, I could no longer work in a laboratory.  I was angry, frustrated, sad, scared…  It took a LOT of self-reflection and hard work to pull myself together.  It took years.  Two social workers at the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) in Winnipeg helped me forge a new path.  They challenged me, cried with me, and cheered me on.  They helped me to realize who I was and who I could be.  With their help, I found hope, a future, and myself. I am thankful that I have people to grow with, learn from, and teach. It is ok to not be perfect; it is ok to be human.  Meeting people where they are at and working with them, motivating them, being that person who is safe and honest – these are the tenants of my practice.  I find that my personal lived experience parallels many experiences of the individuals that I work with now.  Disclosing my disability is sometimes an advantage, breaking the ice and allowing for conversation to flow.  Even if I am not able to “help” an individual, my goal is to be respectful and kind. Life does not end with work. I am a daughter, a sister, a wife, and a mother.  My family brings me immense joy and forever keeps me on my toes.  Some days I look back and wonder how I got here.  In the words of one wise woman, “It’s so good to be true". Carly Froese Renal Social Worker Health Sciences Centre Manitoba Renal Program
Alberta/North West Territories:
BC/Yukon

CANSW Regional Representative Duty Description

Our mandate is to provide specialized social work services including counseling, education, research and advocacy to kidney patients and their families.

CANSW Web-based Administrators Duty Description

  • ListServ: Sarah Allen (allens@rvh.on.ca)
  • Social Media: Sally Gabra (sally.gabra@mackenziehealth.ca)
  • CANSW Blog Editor: Dianne Levesque (delevesque@ihis.org)
  • Webmaster: Samantha Mason (samantha.mason@nshealth.ca)
  • La biographies/biography de Dianne
  • Dianne Levesque is from the south shore of Nova Scotia. She is Registered Social Worker with 15 year’s experience and graduated from Dalhousie University’s Maritime School of Social Worker in 2003. She also holds a degree in Health Services Administration (2001) as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology (‘99). She started her career off with her student placement in Nephrology at the QEII in Halifax Nova Scotia in 2003 where her lifelong passion for Nephrology began. She graduated and moved to Prince Edward Island where she was employed for several years as a Social Worker with Queens Health Region working with children and families and specializing in foster care and adoptions. She then relocated to Halifax to continue working with children and families and then back to PEI. She joined the PEI Provincial Renal Team in 2015 where she is a valued staff member and has worked hard promoting excellency in professional standards in the field of social work nephrology. Dianne believes in staying current and involved in evidence-based practice and serves as an Executive member of Canadian Association of Nephrology Social Workers.
  • Dianne Levesque viens de la rive sud de la Nouvelle-Écosse. Elle est travailleuse sociale avec plus de 15 ans d’expérience, graduée de l’université de Dalhousie a la faculté des sciences de la sante en travail social depuis 2003. Dianne détient également un baccalauréat en gestion des services de santé et un BA en sociologie. Elle a débuté sa carrière en néphrologie durant son internat à l’hôpital du Queen Elizabeth II a Halifax en Nouvelle Ecosse en 2003 ce qui a été le début d’une grande passion pour la néphrologie. Après ces études, Dianne a déménagé à l’ile du Prince Edward ou elle a travaillé plusieurs années comme travailleuse sociale pour le Queens Health Region. Elle travaillait avec des enfants et des familles se spécialisant surtout avec les familles d’accueil et les adoptions. Elle a par la suite déménagé vers Halifax en continuant de travailler avec des enfants et des familles puis elle retourna à l’ile du Prince Edward. Depuis 2015 Dianne a rejoint l’équipe rénale provinciale de IPE. Dianne est une membre reconnue de son équipe et travaille à promouvoir l’excellence des services en travail social de néphrologie. Elle est membre exécutif de l’association canadienne des travailleurs sociaux et travailleuses sociales en néphrologie. Vivant actuellement à Lille France, elle continue son travail avec CANSW en tant que Voice Editor.