Newsletter #10 | October 2019
The latest news and updates from the IMAGINE Network
CHAIR'S MESSAGE
It’s hard to believe that the IMAGINE Network is starting its fourth year. When I look back over the past three years, I’m truly impressed with all that we’ve accomplished. The MAGIC study is recruiting at a record pace and the sub-studies are making incredible progress, some have even completed their work. Read about our progress in our Year 3 Annual Report .

This past September the Network held its Annual Meeting and we had an opportunity to connect with all the study and working group leads and Patient Research Partners. We were also delighted that some special guests joined us, including Guts & Glory podcasters, Chantel and Lisa, where they met with several IMAGINE representatives and recorded three episodes on Patient-Oriented research (listen via iTunes or FM player ), Fecal Transplantation and Mental Health in GI diseases. Stay tun ed as these episod es become available over the next few weeks. 

We thank everyone for your continued support in making IMAGINE a success!
Dr. Paul Moayyedi,
Co-Principal Investigator,
IMAGINE Network
BY THE NUMBERS: A "MAGIC" UPDATE
Current recruitment for IMAGINE's MAGIC study is 3,448 . That means we're almost halfway to our goal of 8,000!

Forty-one percent of participants are Crohn's disease patients while 26% have ulcerative colitis.

We are still in need of healthy individuals (those without underlying gastrointestinal disease) to join the MAGIC study.

If you, or someone you know, is interested in participating, click here to find a recruitment site near you .

IMAGINE 2019 ANNUAL MEETING RECAP
On September 21-22, 2019 the IMAGINE Network met for our annual meeting at the ALT Hotel Toronto Airport.

Thanks to all our Network members who made it such a successful and informative meeting!


MEET THE TEAM: NEW PATIENT RESEARCH PARTNERS
IMAGINE would like to welcome Emma Neary and Sophia Khan as our newest Patient Research Partners!

Emma is a first-year medical student at Queen’s University and a Queen’s Accelerated Route to Medical School (QuARMS) alumni, as well as a native of St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. Having been diagnosed with IBD in 2014 and psoriatic arthritis in 2017, her first-hand experience as a patient with chronic illnesses has shaped her interests in the fields of medicine and research. Currently, she is researching the relationship between opioid receptors and pain signalling in the gut at the Gastrointestinal Diseases Research Unit (GIDRU) in Kingston, ON. as a student researcher.

Based in Calgary, Sophia lives with Crohn’s disease and neutropenia. Her journey through life has been immensely impacted by Crohn’s. She has experienced the myriad of treatments used to treat Crohn’s and understands the complexities of living with a chronic illness. Sophia is a patient advisor within the Digestive Health SCN Committee in Alberta and is pursuing advocacy work with Crohn’s and Colis Canada. Sophia joined IMAGINE with the intention to give back to the healthcare community. She hopes to be a voice that gives honest insight into the patient narrative.

Top: Emma Neary; Bottom: Sophia Khan
CALL FOR PARTICIPANTS!
A peer-to-peer study on the psychosocial relationship between individuals with IBD and food is looking for participants.
 
This IMAGINE-sponsored research project aims to investigate the complex and dynamic relationship that young adults between 18 and 35 years old with IBD have with food.   

This is a peer-to-peer research study being led by interns in the Patient and Community Engagement Research ( PaCER) program. These interns have the patient experience themselves and want to hear the voice of the patient to create a better foundation for the medical community when it comes to future healthcare experiences.



Stay In Touch!