On September 16, 2026, in honour of Aortic Dissection Awareness Week, GADA will host a webinar for patients, families, caregivers, and healthcare professionals titled “The Journey From Emergency Diagnosis to Recovery” led by the following experts in the field of Heritable Thoracic Aortic Disorders:
Dr. Niklas Bobrovitz, Emergency Medicine Physician
Dr. Joel Price, Cardiothoracic Surgeon
Samantha Afonso, Genetic Counsellor
Jordan Marchand, Registered Nurse
This panel format webinar will feature multiple experts in the field sharing their perspectives along the patient journey. Topics include recognizing the signs and symptoms, navigating the emergency room, surgical procedures, genetic testing, and follow-up care and ongoing management after discharge.
ABOUT THE SPEAKERS:
Dr. Niklas Bobrovitz is a fourth-year emergency medicine resident and health services researcher in Calgary. He completed a master's degree in health services research at the University of Calgary, a doctorate in primary care health sciences at the University of Oxford as a Clarendon Scholar, and medical school at the University of Toronto. His research focuses on the quality and safety of acute care, improving continuity of patient care in the health system, and patient and family experiences of care.
Dr. Joel Price is the Director of the Centre for Thoracic Aortic Disease at the Dilawri Cardiovascular Institute. He is also the attending cardiac surgeon and a clinical associate professor of surgery in the Division of Cardiology at the University of British Columbia. He also serves as the medical lead for the Aortic and Structural Cardiac population group at Cardiac Services of British Columbia. After obtaining his undergraduate degree in medicine from the University of Western Ontario, Dr. Price completed a residency in cardiac surgery at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute.
During this time, he also obtained a Master of Public Health from Harvard University. Following his residency, he went on to pursue advanced fellowships in complex valve reconstruction in Brussels, and aortic and endovascular surgery at the Cleveland Clinic. Prior to joining the faculty at UBC in 2016, Dr. Price served as an attending cardiac surgeon and an assistant professor of surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital.
Samantha Afonso is an American and Canadian Board certified genetic counsellor. She trained at the University of Pittsburgh and has experience in medical genetics clinics in Quebec, Newfoundland and Labrador and Ontario. She has been at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto since 2020, where she developed genetic counselling services for the Heart, Lung and Vascular Program, which includestheir Aorta Clinic. She is actively involved in teaching as a supervisor and instructor at the University of Toronto’s M.Sc. Genetic Counselling and Medical Genetics programs.
Jordan Marchand received his Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Dalhousie University in 2012. That same year they started full-time work as an RN on the General Surgery Unit at the Victoria General Hospital where he remained for over 8 years, including 2 years as charge nurse for unit 9A. In 2020 Jordan decided to join the Cardiac Surgery Team at the Halifax Infirmary as a full-time RN on 7.1. Currently he still works on 7.1, however in December 2025 he took a year long term position as a Discharge RN for the unit.
This webinar is moderated by Science Director of GADA Canada, Andrea Rideout, MS, CCGC, CGC.
EVENT DISCLAIMER: The contents of this GADA Canada hosted virtual event, such as presentations, discussions, text, graphics, images, and other materials created or presented by GADA Canada and by others appearing in the event at the invitation of GADA Canada are for educational and informational purposes only. GADA Canada is a voluntary health organization and is not engaged in rendering medical advice or recommendations on diagnosis or treatment of genetic aortic disorders. The content within this virtual event or the GADA website, www.gadacanada.ca, should not replace necessary consultations with qualified health care professionals for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
Genetic aortic disorders are complex, multi-system disorders that can only be properly diagnosed and managed by skilled and trained health care professionals. The manifestations and severity of these disorders vary greatly among individuals and require personalized medical management. None of the medications, courses of treatment or lifestyle & activity recommendations discussed in this virtual event should be undertaken without being discussed with your physician.