CERCP Clinical Leads

Meet our regional clinical leaders who provide expertise and guidance to the Central East Regional Cancer Program.

Patti Argier

Dr. Joel Broomfield

Debbie Devitt

Patti Argier Psychosocial Oncology Lead

Patti Argier has been a practicing registered dietitian for more than 30 years and she has spent the majority of her career within the field of oncology. In 2007 when the DRCC officially opened, Patti was the first dietitian in this newly established role within the cancer centre. She has continued to provide clinical nutrition assessments and evidence-based nutrition care and counselling to help improve patients' nutrition status and manage nutrition-related side effects from cancer treatment. Patti has been the Psychosocial Oncology Lead since 2017 representing the members of the PSO group in the Central East region.

Dr. Julie Francis - Cervical Screening & Colposcopy Lead

Dr. Francis collaborates closely with the CE RCP Prevention & Screening Team and the Ontario Cervical Screening Program (OCSP) at OH-CCO to advance
cervical screening efforts across the region. Dr. Francis brings a wealth of expertise and a strong academic background to her role. She has been the Division Head of Gynecologic Oncology at Lakeridge Health since 2018 and an Assistant Professor at Queen’s University since 2008. Dr. Francis has sat on numerous Regional and Nations Committees serving in different capacities including the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology. She has participated on the OH-CCO’s Disease Site group for Gynecology Oncology. Dr. Francis holds an AB cum laude in the History of Science from Harvard University and earned her MD from Yale University. Dr. Francis completed her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at McMaster University, followed by a Clinical Fellowship in Gynecologic Oncology at Western University.

Dr. Hugh Kendall - Endoscopy & Colorectal Screening Lead

Dr. Kendall is a general surgeon who graduated from McGill Medical School in 1990 and completed the University of Toronto Surgical Program in General Surgery in 1995. With over two decades of leadership in
endoscopy and colorectal cancer screening, Dr. Kendall established an out-of-hospital endoscopy facility in Durham and served as Medical Director for 17 years. He
has served in numerous provincial quality management roles, including membership on the Expert Advisory Panel for Endoscopy, and the Provincial Quality Committee. Dr. Kendall served at the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario, as Chair of both the Premises Inspection Committee and the Quality Assurance Committee, bringing expertise in healthcare facility standards and physician quality improvement. Currently, Dr. Kendall works as a Surveyor of surgical facilities at Accreditation Canada and has served as Regional Lead for Endoscopy and Colorectal Cancer Screening for 15 years, providing strategic direction and clinical leadership for the program.

Dr. Rola Shaheen - Breast and Cancer Imaging Lead

Dr. Shaheen recently completed her 10-year term as Chief of Radiology and Medical Director at PRHC. She was appointed the Provincial Clinical Lead for Mammography Quality Management Partnership (QMP), a joint program at OH-CCO & College of Physicians & Surgeons from 2016 to 2019. She completed Global Executive MBA in Healthcare and Life Sciences from the University of Toronto (Class of 2021) and is the founder of the Women’s Imaging & Leadership Lab (The WILL). Dr. Shaheen received her medical degree from the University of Jordan and completed her residency training in Radiology at the University of Toronto. Dr. Shaheen is a fellowship trained women’s imaging/breast imager from Harvard Medical School. She is passionate about improving global access to high quality cancer care through innovative digital technology. Dr. Shaheen is a strong advocate for healthcare providers wellness, career advancement, and mentorship with special interest in enablers of overarching diversity, equity and inclusion practices.

Dr. Joel Broomfield - Regional Indigenous Cancer Lead

Dr. Broomfield is a Radiation Oncologist with the Durham Regional Cancer Centre (DRCC) at Lakeridge Health. He received his Master of Science from the University of Western Ontario and his Doctor of Medicine and Radiation Oncology Residency Training at the University of Ottawa. Dr. Broomfield completed a research fellowship in Stereotactic Ablative Radiotherapy at the Juravinski Cancer Centre in Hamilton. Before joining DRCC, he was a Radiation Oncologist with the British Columbia Cancer Agency. Dr. Broomfield is also the very first Indigenous Radiation Oncologist in the world and we are thrilled that he is part of the DRCC/Central East Regional Cancer Program Team.

Dr. Orit Freedman - Systemic Therapy Lead

Dr. Freedman completed her Master's Degree in Clinical Epidemiology and her Doctor of Medicine at the University of Toronto. Since 2009, Dr. Freedman has served as a Medical Oncologist at the DRCC, also travelling to Scarborough Health Network to provide clinical care. From 2019-2025 Dr. Freedman was Division Lead of Medical Oncology at the DRCC. Since 2010, Dr. Freedman has been an active member of the Breast Site Group and the Gynecology Site
Group at OH-CCO, contributing to the advancement of cancer care across the province. In 2022, she took on the role of Regional Systemic Therapy Lead for the CE
RCP, further expanding her impact on oncology services in Ontario. In November 2025 Dr Freedman
was appointed Chief of Oncology and Medical Director of the DRCC.

Darrilyn Lessels - Nursing Lead

Darrilyn Lessels is the Nursing Lead for the CE RCP, bringing more than 20 years of oncology nursing experience to regional cancer care leadership. She provides strategic and professional leadership to advance oncology nursing practice, support regional alignment, and promote evidence‐informed, high‐quality patient care across the cancer continuum. Darrilyn holds a Master of Nursing and maintains national certification in oncology nursing (CON(c)). In addition to her regional role, she serves as Patient Care Manager at the DRCC. She is recognized for her collaborative leadership, clinical expertise, and commitment to advancing oncology nursing practice.

Dr. Rebecca Wray - Regional Primary Care Lead

Dr. Wray obtained her Masters in Sociology at McGill University and a BScH Queens University in Life Sciences. She completed her Doctor of Medicine at Queen’s University and then went on to complete her Family Medicine Residency at the University of Toronto (Mount Sinai Hospital). Dr. Wray continues her involvement with Queen’s University as a community preceptor for medical students and resident physicians. In addition to a busy family practice in Port Perry, Dr. Wray is also a community palliative care physician, attending to patients in their homes as well as at Oak Ridges Hospice. She also provides primary care to Indigenous patients at the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation Health Centre. Dr. Wray sits on numerous boards and committees and is also the Primary Care Co-Lead for the Durham Ontario Health Team. She is passionate about health promotion and works tirelessly to improve the delivery of primary care services in the community. She has been passionately serving the CE RCP as the Regional Primary Care Lead with her extensive expertise since 2023.

Debbie Devitt - Patient Experience & Patient Education Lead

Debbie Devitt has served as the Patient Education and Experience Lead at the Durham Regional Cancer Centre since 2013 and has been at Lakeridge Health for over 39 years. Debbie holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and completed national certifications in both oncology and palliative care. She also has certification from the Michener Institute in Plain Language for Patient/Public Health Communication and a Lean Healthcare Green Belt. Debbie contributed to the development of an oncology course for nurses at Ontario Tech University and a palliative care certificate program at Durham College. In her regional role, Debbie recently participated as an expert member working group convened by Ontario Health (Cancer Care Ontario)'s Program in Evidence-Based Care (PEBC) to develop a Guideline for Effective Teaching Strategies and Methods for Cancer Patient Education.

Dr. Julia Jones - Surgical Oncology Lead

Dr. Julia Jones is a surgical oncologist and general surgeon trained at the University of Toronto. She is committed to advancing high-quality cancer care and improving surgical outcomes through collaborative
leadership and quality initiatives. Dr. Jones has served as the regional surgical oncology lead at
Lakeridge Health Oshawa and the DRCC and as the surgeon champion for the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) at Lakeridge Health
Oshawa. Through these roles, she has contributed to regional planning, performance improvement and delivery of patient centred cancer care. Outside of her professional work, Dr Jones enjoys spending time with her husband and three sons.

Dr. Katie O’Reilly - Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Lead

Dr. O’Reilly received her undergraduate degree from Loyola University and medical degree from Louisiana State University School of Medicine both in New Orleans, Louisiana. She completed her residency training in General Pathology at Emory University Department of Pathology, Atlanta, Georgia and went on to do fellowships in Surgical Pathology and Cytopathology at Stanford University in California. After working as a community pathologist and lab director for Ascension Hospitals in Austin, TX for 7 years, she and her family relocated to Peterborough, ON, in 2016. Since then, she and the group of pathologists at Peterborough Regional Medical Center (PRHC) provide pathology services for multiple hospitals, and she serves as the laboratory medical director of PRHC, Northumberland Hills Hospital, Ross Memorial Hospital, and Campellford Memorial Hospital. Dr. O'Reilly chairs and serves on multiple committees related to this work, including quality, point of care, transfusion, and utilization. Dr. O'Reilly also serves on the Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Program for OH-CCO.