Meet C3 - Post Conference
by Dr. Leonard Angka
Over the past few days, I had the absolute privilege of spending time with patients, caregivers, colleagues, mentors, and new friends. It was an unforgettable experience.
Our Meet C3 Conference held from April 4-6 in Toronto, Ontario was a tremendous success, with over 100 unique in-person attendees and more than 60 joining online – on a weekend! For a rare cancer community, that kind of turnout speaks volumes. More importantly, it offered something invaluable: hope—to those who often feel isolated in their diagnosis, and to those fighting for change.
That’s what C3 is all about. We are a collaborative, and it was my hope that throughout the weekend, everyone felt the strength that comes from sharing our stories and working together—there is no such thing as false hope.
Friday April 4
🍁 Friday's sessions were rich and thought-provoking, with five sessions exploring the current state and future of biliary tract cancer (BTC) care in Canada. The day began with Dr. Ravi Ramjeesingh and Dr. Robert Grant setting the stage, followed by an unforgettable patient story by Cynthia Mitchell. Cynthia’s “When Life Gives You Lesions” reminded us all of the extraordinary courage, resilience, and heart that define this community—there wasn’t a dry eye in the room.
🧬 We then explored the clinical trial landscape for BTC in Session 2 with insights from Dr. Arndt Vogel, Dr. Amandeep Taggar, and Dr. Jennifer Knox, followed by a panel on systemic barriers in Canada, led by Dr. Rachel Goodwin. Molecular testing took center stage in Session 3 with talks from Dr. Harriet Feilotter, Dr. Greta Evaristo, and Dr. Faisal Khan—highlighting its importance, challenges, and access issues across provinces. C3’s national molecular testing initiative (launched in July) has been a critical stopgap, and we continue to advocate for sustainable, government-backed solutions.
🥳 A recurring highlight on Friday was the recent positive draft recommendation for Pemigatinib funding by the CDA. In Session 4 we had the key Patient Advocates who were involved in this positive recommendation, including Mohammed Islam, Brenda Clayton, Melinda Bachini, Cynthia Mitchell, and myself—sharing how advocacy drives real change in a guided advocacy panel.
⛽ To end off the day, we had our keynote session on Hepatic Artery Infusion Pump (HAIP) Therapy and Dr. Flavio Rocha from Oregon Health & Science University give a thorough overview of this therapy and its promise in targeting BTC associated liver metastases. This keynote talk was followed by a Canadian perspectives panel featuring Dr. Paul Karanicolas, Dr. Michael J. Raphael, Dr. Katherine Soltys, and Erik Bradstock.
Saturday April 5
Saturday was dedicated to our incredible patients and caregivers—offering space for connection, reflection, and shared learning.
We were thrilled to welcome around 40 participants for behind-the-scenes tours at the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research (OICR).
🧬 Tour 1 featured OICR Genomics, a clinically accredited lab producing clinical-grade reports from whole genome and transcriptome sequencing—transforming research into real-world impact.
🔬 Tour 2 showcased a C3-funded discovery research project, exploring retrotransposable elements—less studied parts of the genome that may hold keys to new therapies.
🍽️ Following the tours, we gathered for a private lunch that turned into an unforgettable afternoon. For over four hours, we connected, shared stories, laughed, and cried together. Words can't quite capture the depth and power of that time together.
Creating spaces like this—where patients and caregivers feel seen, heard, and valued—is central to our mission. We’ll keep building them across Canada.
Sunday April 6
The final day of Meet C3 2025 was our biennial public update on the progress C3 is making across all our aims.
💚 In Session 6, Dr. Rebecca Auer (C3 HOPE lead), Christine Lafontaine (Research Navigator), and Dr. Samar Attieh (Postdoctoral Fellow) shared updates on our first aim: providing comprehensive patient support and access to research opportunities in Canada. We heard about the incredible reach our network has achieved since launch, our impact on molecular testing, and preliminary results from the psychosocial oncology study measuring hope and patient-reported outcomes.
🏃➡️ Every C3 meeting includes a patient voice, and on Sunday we were honoured to hear from Dana Fox—a 66-year-old man who refused to take no for an answer. Instead, he biked 200km, then ran the Georgina marathon which qualified him to run the Boston Marathon this fall. You could definitely feel the hope in the room.
Friday April 4
🔬 Next, Dr. Carolina Ilkow (C3 IMPACT lead) led Session 7, highlighting the innovative research being driven by our C3 investigators. We heard from Dr. Zaid Taha (Postdoctoral Fellow), who is repurposing drugs to enhance tumour-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy, and from Dr. Naghmeh Khoshgoo (Research Associate), who is investigating retrotransposable elements as potential drivers of cholangiocarcinoma.
🥼 To close Meet C3, Session 8 featured a comprehensive update from Dr. Simon Turcotte (C3 STAR lead) on the background, status, and next steps of the C3-led TIL clinical trial. Dr. Sandy Pelletier (Research Associate) and Dr. Mathieu Crupi (Research Associate) shared insights into the complex cell manufacturing process required to deliver a safe and effective therapy. We ended on a high note with Melinda Bachini—a 15-year cholangiocarcinoma survivor—who shared her powerful journey of being cured through a groundbreaking TIL trial at the NIH.
Final thoughts
While Meet C3 2025 was an incredible milestone, it’s not the finish line—just another step in the marathon we’re running together. I look forward to every day I get to cheer on our inspiring cholangiocarcinoma warriors and continue working to make this rare cancer feel a little less hopeless.
A few thank you notes: First, the Meet C3 planning team (Samar Attieh, Christine Lafontaine, Cynthia Mitchell, Brandon Joice & Zaid Taha) who did an incredible job. I want to thank all of our speakers (listed above) and our attendees for listening in. I want to thank our sponsors: Incyte, Servier, the LeGresley Family Foundation, AstraZeneca, Jazz Pharmaceuticals, and InteraOncology for your financial support. Finally, I want to thank our supportive partners: the Canadian Cancer Society, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Cholangio-Hepatocellular Carcinoma Canada, the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation, OncoHelix, UHN Genome Diagnostic Labs, the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, and BioCanRx.