We are happy to introduce two new members to Arthritis Research Canada’s Quebec patient advisory board – PIRA (Patients Interested in Arthritis Research). Mrs. Garceau and Mrs. St-Pierre have inflammatory arthritis, and they join PIRA hoping to share both their professional and personal experiences. 

Hélène Garceau

As a nurse for more than 30 years – with 15 years in hospital intensive care, emergency, medicine-surgery, and recovery room – Mrs. Garceau had the opportunity to acquire new knowledge and research experience as a nurse coordinator of clinical research at Q & T Research in Sherbrooke for the past 17 years.

Arthritis has had a large impact on Mrs. Garceau. With several family members affected by arthritis, she received a diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus only a year ago. Mrs. Garceau believes that patient involvement and being a patient-partner is an integral part of treatment, and is therefore thrilled to be part of Arthritis Research Canada’s patient advisory group in Quebec. 

Denise St-Pierre

Recently retired, Denise St-Pierre has spent most of her career in workplace education and development. The first symptoms of systemic lupus erythematosus occurred at the age of 27 as severe arthritis. In the twenty years that followed, she suffered from several systemic crises, one of which nearly killed her.

Determined that this immune system disorder was not going to define her, Mrs. St-Pierre pursued to have a long career of 42 years. She has a Master’s Degree in Educational Technology from Concordia University, where she researched the role of online learning collaboration, the results of which were published in the Australian Journal Distance Education. In the last ten years of her career, Mrs. St-Pierre designed dozens of e-learning courses for organizations and companies in Canada and the United States. Her involvement as a member of PIRA is a result of a life of community volunteerism.

For more information about PIRA, visit: https://www.arthritisresearch.ca/pira