The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver Weekend, Saturday December 30, 2006 - 3 Lozon poised to push back at cancer By Angela Blackburn OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Oakville resident Jeff Lozon is no stranger to pushing the envelope. That's one reason Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper handpicked the Golden Meadow Trail resident -- who is also the CEO of St. Michael's Hospital and Canada's top healthcare executive -- to do what he does best when it comes to battling cancer. As 2006 drew to a close, Harper named Lozon chair of the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer. The new, not-for-profit organization has been set up by the federal government to equalize cancer care and treatment across Canada. The arm's-length organization will report to the federal Health Ministry and be the vehicle that implements the Canadian Strategy for Cancer Control. It will have a $260-million, five-year budget to tackle inequities in care received by cancer patients across Canada. "The new partnership will save 420,000 lives and more than $30 billion in direct healthcare costs by prevention, early detection and speedier treatment," said Lozon, 51. "Now, Canadians will have a cancer system that will offer timely and high-quality treatment for all," said Lozon who has made his home in Oakville for about 15 years. "I am pleased to have been appointed the lead of an organization whose aim will be a first in the country -- prevention, early detection and best possible care in collectively combating and reducing the burden of cancer in Canada," Lozon said. He will chair the agency's board of directors whose members will hail from cancer groups, the provinces, territories, patient, family and survivor groups, the federal government and Canada's Aboriginal peo- PHOTO COURTESY OF ST. MICHAEL'S HOSPITAL MAKING A DIFFERENCE: Toronto's St. Michael's Hospital president and CEO Jeff Lozon of Oakville has been appointed by Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper to lead the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer that will strive to equalize cancer care across Canada and position Canada on the global stage when it comes to tackling the disease. ples. Born in St. Thomas, Ontario, Lozon lives in Oakville with his wife Donna, an English-as-aSecond Language (ESL) teacher. They have two daughters, Alicia, 23, and Nadine, 20. "When we came to Toronto, we had some friends who lived in Oakville and they recommended Oakville as a good place to live," said Lozon -- who heeded the advice. As one of Canada's most influential healthcare administrators, Lozon has distinguished himself over a 30-year career. He has had a hand in transforming the industry and positioning Canadian healthcare on the international stage. "Now, Canadians will have a cancer system that will offer timely and high-quality treatment for all." Jeff Lozon, chair Canadian Partnership Against Cancer Lozon is even a past Deputy Minister of Health and LongTerm Care for Ontario. He was seconded -- an unusual occurrence -- for a year to that position in 1999/2000 to steer Canada's largest health system through unprecedented reform. Lozon was influential in guiding new policy directions and decision-making to reshape Ontario's health system with the aim of ensuring better and more accessible services for 11 million Ontarians. Now, he will put his industry acumen to work for all Canadians. Lozon has served on many national boards and advisory panels, notably Canada Health Infoway and a provincial committee appointed by the premier on the future role of government. The man whose hobbies include golf, reading and cooking, holds an honorary doctor of civil laws from Bishops University, is an associate professor at the University of Toronto and a board member at the University of Guelph. He is also president and CEO of St. Michael's Hospital and successfully steered that $485-million research, education and healthcare institution through 14 years of challenge, change and growing prosperity. In fact, he led St. Michael's through a significant financial and strategic turnaround, leading it out of a $63-million debt and guiding a governmentdirected merger with the former Wellesley Central Hospital. It was that achievement that Lozon believes he is credited with pushing the envelope. However he didn't stop there. Lozon is now creating a new vision for St. Michael's Hospital by positioning it as a significant global player in medical research, education and patient care. Under his leadership, St. Michael's is building the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, consisting of the Keenan Research Centre and the Li Ka Shing International Centre in Health Care Education. Also a first of its kind in North America, the institute will herald a new era in medicine -- by speeding the transfer of research breakthroughs to the patient's bedside and serving as a model for the international medical community. And now Lozon will head into 2007 to lead an illustrious team out to revolutionize cancer care in Canada. Though the numbers of lives expected to be saved has been estimated, Lozon calls his newest challenge "a fantastic opportunity" and said even if the efforts save 1,000 lives, it will be time and money well invested. The new agency is in its "early days yet" according to Lozon who hopes a staff will be appointed by the end of March, but recognizes it could take up to eight months to get the agency operational. A board must be created, the See Lozon page 4 Welcome to Spice Your Kitchen. Making Your Cooking Fun & Easy ing Fu · Knives and Garnishing Tools · Spice Racks · Small Appliances · Cookware and Tableware · Linens, Aprons and Mitts · Bakeware · Barware · Espresso Makers and Accessories Hours: Monday-Friday 10am - 6pm Saturday 10am - 5pm Sunday CLOSED River Glen Mews Plaza 2530 6th Line, Oakville (905) 257-3500