Wednesday, November 12th, (new date) we welcome two research students, Jeffery Martin and Christian Kassa, from the University of Windsor (UofW).
Prostate Cancer Support Windsor/Essex (PCSWE)
November 2025 Communique
We had an excellent meeting in October that included a brief introduction by the Windsor Cancer Centre Foundation on this month’s Grow-On Campaign. Following that, Dr. Sorensen hosted an Open Forum question and answer session; this proved to be an excellent experience for all that we hope to replicate in the spring with a short briefing by the Motorcycle Ride for Dad organizers.
For our November meeting, we are looking forward to a fascinating presentation by two (2) research students from the University of Windsor (UofW).
Please note that the Hospice is closed on Tuesday 11 November due to Remembrance Day. We will instead be meeting on WEDNESDAY 12 November.
WEDNESDAY 12 NOVEMBER 2025 MEETING (Jeffery Martin and Christian Kassa)
Jeffery Martin
Christian Kassa
We are very pleased to introduce some highly intelligent youthful exuberance for our November meeting with a presentation by two (2) research students from UofW (Jeffery Martin and Christian Kassa). They both work under Dr. Lisa Porter who has also previously presented to our group.
Jeffery Martin – Jeffery Martin is a second year Master’s student in Biological Sciences at UofW in Dr. Lisa Porter’s lab. He completed his undergraduate degree at UofW in Biomedical Sciences and Biochemistry and completed two undergraduate theses, one studying Glioblastoma and another studying Tuberous Sclerosis Complex Disease. His current work in his Master’s degree now focuses on studying the progression of Prostate Cancer, using drugs to prevent the progression of disease, and developing new biomarkers to detect advanced Neuroendocrine Prostate Cancer.
Christian Kassa – Christian Kassa is a first-year Master’s student in Biological Sciences at UofW in Dr. Lisa Porter’s lab. Christian completed his undergraduate degree at UofW in Biomedical sciences and completed an undergraduate thesis studying Prostate Cancer. Now as a Master’s student, Christian is continuing his work studying Prostate Cancer, focusing on testing novel therapeutics, and developing the use of non-invasive liquid biopsies for disease detection.
Presentation Synopsis – Prostate cancer (PC) is the second most common cancer in men worldwide, affecting 76 men daily in Canada. While effective, the treatments for PC can sometimes pressure cells to transdifferentiate into a more aggressive, treatment resistant type of PC, known as neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC). Their lab has identified a class of cell cycle regulatory proteins elevated in NEPC, with evidence supporting that these proteins have the potential to drive progression to this drug-resistant form of disease. This project aims to establish a PC to NEPC platform of disease progression to study the specific role of these regulatory proteins during PC trans-differentiation. Further, they will utilize drugs that can block these proteins and test whether these drugs can treat and/or prevent the progression of disease to NEPC. Preventing the progression of disease to NEPC and identifying markers of NEPC remains one of the greatest challenges in this field, and they have strong rationale and data to support this being a promising direction that could make a meaningful impact.
ZOOM Link – Remember that our meetings are hybrid-ZOOM meetings; if you can’t make it to the Hospice, please join us remotely via ZOOM at this link
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6953623178
FUTURE PCSWE MEETINGS
The following summarizes the currently planned fall program:
- Tuesday 16 December – Christmas Spaghetti Dinner at Royal Canadian Legion Branch 594. Please note that we will NOT be holding our normal meeting at the Hospice on Tuesday 9 December.
GROW ON WINDSOR CAMPAIGN
We have set up our team for this year’s Grow On campaign. You can check it out at the link below. Please consider adding your support, either by joining as a team member or making a donation or forwarding the team link to your contacts.
If you need help with any of that, just let Jim Fair know.
Our Team Link:
Prostate Cancer Support Windsor/Essex is raising money for Grow On Windsor
PETITION for FUNDED PSA TESTING in ONTARIO
Niagara Falls MPP Wayne Gates submitted a bill 28 October to have PSA testing funded by OHIP. Unfortunately, the conservative government is objecting because they feel if they open PSA testing, they will have too many false positives. The links below provide an update from the “PSA” event at Queens Park.
https://www.ontariondp.ca/news/ndp-mpp-wayne-gates-calls-ohip-cover-prostate-cancer-screening-tests
PRESENTATIONS of INTEREST by OTHER SUPPORT GROUPS
The following summarizes other upcoming presentations by other Ontario support groups that may be of interest:
From PCS London, Sarnia, Wallaceburg:
Just a quick reminder about our London Prostate Support Group meeting on Wednesday, November 5, 2025, from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM. We’ll be meeting at Unifor Regional Hall, 140 Pine Valley Blvd., London.
For the first part of our meeting, we’ll be listening in via Zoom to Doctor Philippe Violette, a Urologist from Woodstock. He’ll be presenting to the Trinity Catholic Church hosted by the Woodstock Knights of Columbus. Pierre Pinsonneault. Dr. Violette will be covering topics like prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and more. Neil Langlois will also be sharing his journey. They will be connecting to our Zoom so we can listen in. Following this, we’ll have an open discussion.
Even if you aren’t from London, we’d still love for you to join us. For those unable to attend in person, we’ll be offering a Zoom option. Please find the Zoom link below.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Time: Nov 5, 2025 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85771323041?pwd=TLb8Tz8Sts4JMQ6kbNCeSZF8R6ubRx.1
From PCS Ottawa:
Ottawa (Thursday, 20 November 2025) – Dr. Anna Wilkinson Dr. Anna Wilkinson, a family physician at the Ottawa Hospital with a special interest in oncology, has received a $10,000 clinical grant from Prostate Cancer Foundation Canada to research how changes in PSA screening recommendations have impacted prostate cancer outcomes in Canada. Details and registration can be seen at:
https://pcsottawa.ca/meetings-and-events/meeting/20-november-guest-speaker
OTHER NEWS
NATIONAL GROUP – PROSTATE CANCER FOUNDATION CANADA (PCFC)
National Group Website (www.prostatecanada.ca)Monthly Newsletter – Please remember that PCFC (www.prostatecanada.ca), does an amazing job and provides significant valuable support to our group and support groups across the country. We encourage you to visit their web-site; it is a mint of information that
