The RUBY Study engages with young breast cancer patients from across Canada. These are some common qusetions we get about our program design:
1. Why young women?
Around five to six per cent of women diagnosed with breast cancer in Canada are women under the age of 40. Through their clinical practice, many physicians have come to understand that young women have unique treatment and support needs. We want to understand and improve the diagnosis, care and treatment of young women with breast cancer.
2. How do I get involved?
If you are 40 and under, have been newly diagnosed with breast cancer and are
under the care of a physician or oncologist at one of our participating centres, please contact our RUBY project manager.
Susan Isherwood
Email:
Susan.Isherwood@albertahealthservices.ca
Phone: (403)-944-3649
3. What is needed from me to participate?
Once you have been in touch with a RUBY representative at your cancer centre you will be asked to sign a study consent form. You cannot participate in RUBY without signing this consent form.
4. Do I get paid to participate?
No. We are an academic research project. Research ethics regulations do not allow us to directly pay our participants. All of our participants are volunteers. However, we recognize the time our participants put into RUBY and upon completing their first and last sets of surveys, we will send a $20 gift card to participants.
5. Can I be involved in a hospital not with RUBY?
No. You can only be involved in RUBY if you are receiving care at one of our participating sites.
6. Once I’ve signed consent, am I obligated to participate for the rest of the study?
Participating in RUBY is entirely voluntary. You can withdraw from RUBY at any time. Just let your local RUBY coordinator know you wish to withdraw. You can also contact Susan Isherwood or tell your oncologist.
7. Is my information kept confidential? How?
We take your privacy very seriously. On enrollment into RUBY, you will be given a unique study ID by your local coordinator. Only your local coordinator will be able to link your study ID to your name. Throughout the study you will be known by RUBY staff by your study ID only.
8.What happens to my survey answers?
Your survey answers are stored in
REDCap which is a secure web application managing online surveys and databases. It is compliant with health privacy security guidelines. Once RUBY is complete the data will be analyzed and results published.
9. Where do I find the results of the study?
The results will be published in
academic journals and will also be made available to you through this website. Full results will not be available until RUBY is completed.