International researchers find purpose and belonging through the Canadian Cancer Society's Research Information Outreach Team (RIOT) program, where science meets connection.
2 min. read
When Jessica Lopez Espinosa and Ismay de Beijer stepped into a Canadian research lab for the first time, they weren’t just beginning a new chapter in their academic careers – they were reigniting personal missions that began before they arrived in Canada.
Jessica is one of many researchers who found not only scientific opportunity but a sense of belonging in Canada. Diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma as a toddler, Jessica knows first-hand the impact the disease can have. Now a master’s student in immunology, she’s determined to improve cancer treatments for those who come after her.
“I came to Canada for a reason,” she shares. “I knew I liked the way research is being done in Canada and the way healthcare is approached.”
Ismay, a behavioral scientist from the Netherlands who is currently pursuing a PhD in childhood cancer survivorship research, echoes this sentiment. When she came to Canada to study, her motivation stemmed from the loss of her best friend’s father to a brain tumor and her grandmother to lung cancer. Now, her work in psychosocial oncology at the University of Calgary focuses on optimizing survivorship care through healthy lifestyle behaviors.
“I feel super grateful that I can be here and continue the research work I started in Europe,” Ismay explains. “Being a part of the Canadian Cancer Society's Research Information Outreach Team (RIOT) program is my way to really give back to the community that took me in so warmly.”
Jessica is one of many researchers who found not only scientific opportunity but a sense of belonging in Canada. Diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma as a toddler, Jessica knows first-hand the impact the disease can have. Now a master’s student in immunology, she’s determined to improve cancer treatments for those who come after her.
“I came to Canada for a reason,” she shares. “I knew I liked the way research is being done in Canada and the way healthcare is approached.”
Ismay, a behavioral scientist from the Netherlands who is currently pursuing a PhD in childhood cancer survivorship research, echoes this sentiment. When she came to Canada to study, her motivation stemmed from the loss of her best friend’s father to a brain tumor and her grandmother to lung cancer. Now, her work in psychosocial oncology at the University of Calgary focuses on optimizing survivorship care through healthy lifestyle behaviors.
“I feel super grateful that I can be here and continue the research work I started in Europe,” Ismay explains. “Being a part of the Canadian Cancer Society's Research Information Outreach Team (RIOT) program is my way to really give back to the community that took me in so warmly.”
Jessica Lopez Espinosa (left) and Ismay de Beijer
Bridging the gap between cancer research and the public
The Research Information Outreach Team, also known as RIOT, is a volunteer-led initiative supported by the Canadian Cancer Society (CCS). It connects early-career researchers and science communicators with the public, helping bridge the gap between complex research and everyday understanding.
RIOT volunteers connect with the wider community through events, awareness seminars and outreach lectures, with the goal of uniting and inspiring Canadians to take a more active role in learning about cancer research.
For Ismay and Jessica, who have been united through their experiences with cancer and their work with the RIOT team, it's all about connection. To them, the importance of connecting with fellow volunteers, researchers, patients, and survivors has been an experience like no other.
As Ismay explains, “I think RIOT creates this important avenue for all of us to connect with each other, to hear each other's stories, and to get motivated because of each other's stories.”
Learn more about RIOT and how we’re connecting researchers from around the world with communities here in Canada.
RIOT volunteers connect with the wider community through events, awareness seminars and outreach lectures, with the goal of uniting and inspiring Canadians to take a more active role in learning about cancer research.
For Ismay and Jessica, who have been united through their experiences with cancer and their work with the RIOT team, it's all about connection. To them, the importance of connecting with fellow volunteers, researchers, patients, and survivors has been an experience like no other.
As Ismay explains, “I think RIOT creates this important avenue for all of us to connect with each other, to hear each other's stories, and to get motivated because of each other's stories.”
Learn more about RIOT and how we’re connecting researchers from around the world with communities here in Canada.