Dan Stolfi | Patient Commando

Patient Commando #TentTalk – Live Journal

Posted on July 10, 2012 by Eamonn in Patient Commando Blog

“Healing Through Theatre” – July 10th, 5PM at The Toronto Fringe Festival Tent Talks

Relevant Hashtags: #FringeTT, #TentTalk #FringeClub

♦♦♦ Pre Event ♦♦♦ 13:00 via @PatientCommando: Join us Today for our @Toronto_Fringe tent talk with @CancerCantDance details on FB http://t.co/9Sba9WPu

13:05 via @PatientCommando: PM Tent Talk at 581 Bloor Street for @Toronto_Fringe – Come one, Come all.

(RT via @mhoul3)

13:12 via @Colleen_Young: @PatientCommando see you at the #FringeTT at 5pm for your show. Can’t wait http://t.co/vPGmEfJk

13:39 via @PatientCommando: Everything you need to know about today’s Tent Talk event – http://t.co/0sIdoxca

(RT via @Toronto_Fringe, @rosabourin, @BeeRaskob)

16:00 via @PatientCommando: 1 Hour to show time @Toronto_Fringe “Healing Through Theatre” #FringeTT http://t.co/0sIdoxca

(RT via @EatPooLove)

16:41 via @PatientCommando: Getting our team sorted, the camera primed and twitter feed at the ready ♦♦♦ Event Start ♦♦♦ 17:00 via @verbitty: Taking in a @Toronto_Fringe #TentTalk at Artist Alley about theatre’s power to heal, follow me for all the live action! 17:01 via @PatientCommando: Tent talk starting and its a packed house

17:02 via @PatientCommando: Clare from @Toronto_Fringe kicks us off

17:04 via @PatientCommando: Intros with Brian G Smith, Dan Stolfi, Zal, and Dr. Jeremy Photo: http://t.co/4Uw41jZK

17:06 via @PatientCommando: Zal talking about what we do http://t.co/fIZCl19c

17:08 via @verbitty: Patients like to tell their story, empowers them to engage their providers for better care

17:08 via @PatientCommando: Dr. Jeremy talking [...] continue the story

Tagged Under: Brian Smith, Cancer Can't Dance Like This, colleen young, Dan Stolfi, event cast, feed, fringe, healing through theatre, honest ed's, humour, improv, jeremy rezmovitz, kathy kastner, live, margaret atwood, Patient Commando, performance, photos, public event, speakers, storytelling, tent talk, Theatre, Toronto, twitter, you and media, Zal Press

Pumping up the volume on patient voices | Health Council of Canada

Posted on December 16, 2011 by admin in Patient Commando Blog

Originally posted on the Health Council of Canada Blog.

Patient Commando Executive Director Zal Press writes a guest column for the Health Council of Canada blog as part of the release of the Health Council of Canada report “How do Sicker Canadians with Chronic Disease Rate the Health Care System? ” Get the report here and watch their patient story video – a familiar face included.

I’m taking a biologic for Crohn’s disease. And I’m a lucky guy – my $30,000 annual tab is picked up by my wife’s benefit plan. But in five years, when I hit 65, we’ll be off her plan and I’ll be transferred to the Ontario Drug Benefit Plan.

I’m already fretting over what that future will bring. Will the continued financial strain on the health system foreclose on my access to this medication, and instead force a body-altering operation because it will cost the system less in the short run?

And will this decision be made by a cost-benefit analyst rather than by a collaborative agreement between me and my doctors?

US insurance companies have required multiple step therapies before approving many biologics, resulting in multi-year delays. In Ontario, the Exceptional Access Program has fallen behind in processing applications. The population [...] continue the story

Tagged Under: benefits, chronic illness, cost, Dan Stolfi, drug, hcc, health council of canada, insurance, Patient Commando, patient voices, plan, Zal Press

A Donation to SickKids Foundation

Posted on June 14, 2011 by Eamonn in Community Action, Patient Commando Blog

On May 12, Cancer Can’t Dance Like This, presented by Patient Commando, played to a sold out audience at CBC’s Glenn Gould Studio in Toronto.

The evening’s production was hosted for Lilah’s Fund – a fund that supports research into neuroblastoma, a cancer that mainly affects children under 5 years of age.

Last week the star of the Cancer Can’t Dance Like This, Daniel Stolfi and Patient Commando’s Executive Director Zal Press, gave a significant donation to SickKids Foundation on behalf of Lilah’s Fund. A $5,000 check was presented to Dr. David Kaplan, Senior Scientist and head of Cancer Research at The Hospital for Sick Children.

Our sincere thanks to all of those who came out and supported our inaugural event. We look forward to hosting many more productions and continuing our work in patient storytelling and education.

For information on Patient Commando feature presentations, speakers bureau and workshops please email info@patientcommando.com

Tagged Under: Cancer Can't Dance Like This, Dan Stolfi, Donation, Lilah's Fund, Patient Commando, presentation, Sick Kids Foundation, speakers bureau, theatre production, Zal Press