• Dr. Sophie Lebel is a clinical health psychologist with a Ph.D. from Université de Montréal, Québec.

    Her research interests focus on cancer survivors and their families, with a focus on developing and testing questionnaires, models, and interventions for fear of cancer recurrence, sexuality, fatigue, stigma, and dyadic adjustment.

Dr. Lebel’s laboratory is currently developing the fear of recurrence therapy (FORT) intervention for parents of survivors of childhood cancer. With the guidance of a parent advisory, Dr. Lebel’s team has adapted both the FORT therapist and patient manuals to meet the needs of parents.

Following a successful usability and pilot study, Dr. Lebel’s team is exploring next steps with a randomized control trial design, as well as implementation through community partners. This project is one of the first to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of a fear of recurrence intervention for parents of childhood cancer survivors.

This will help bridge an important gap in bringing evidence-based care to parents who have never been offered help before for their fear of cancer recurrence.

Learn more about Parent FORT

Recruitment has been completed for Parent FORT. We are grateful to all our participants and those interested!

 FAQs

  • Fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) is the fear, worry, or concern that cancer may come back or progress. We recognize that you may have multiple, varying, and unique worries, such as late effects, secondary cancers, schooling, and general health.

  • 1) parent (or primary caregiver) caring for a childhood cancer survivor (<18 years of age) of any type of cancer type

    2) at least 1 months from the completion of active treatment, and has not had a recurrence of their cancer. Parents of children who underwent BMT but are not experiencing active GVHD can participate

    4) a score of 13 or greater on the Fear of Cancer Recurrence Inventory-Short Form-Parent version (FCRI-SF-P), which will be assessed during an initial interview

    5) access to a computer and internet connection

    6) living in Canada

  • Interested parents will be randomly assigned to receive the intervention immediately, or will be placed on a 3-month waitlist control group.

    Participation will consist of weekly online group therapy sessions for 2 hours over 7 weeks, during which you will be asked to participate in activities, participate in group discussions, and complete homework.

    Participants will also be asked to complete a 20-minute questionnaire package before starting the therapy, immediately after the last session, and 3 months later. The questionnaires will assess fear of cancer recurrence, the psychological impact of cancer, uncertainty, coping, and quality of life.

    Finally, an exit interview will be conducted with all participants to better understand their experience.

Meet the Team

  • Dr. Sophie Lebel

    Study Principal Investigator

  • Celeste Holy

    Research Coordinator

  • Jeff Brinson

    Co-Investigator

    Parent Partner

  • Dr. Perri Tutelman

    Co-Investigator

    Clinical Psychologist & Assistant Professor 

  • Dr. Brooke Russell

    Co-Investigator

    Clinical Psychologist & Postdoctoral Fellow 

  • Wendy Pelletier

    Co-Investigator

    MSW & Adjunct Assistant Professor

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