Marianne Arab

Marianne is the Provincial Manager of Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care with the Nova Scotia Health Authority Cancer Care Program. Her career experience includes working as an inpatient clinical social work in the areas of Family Medicine, Oncology and Palliative Care. She established the Grief and Bereavement Program for the Capital Health Palliative Care Program, and was the Bereavement Coordinator for the Program for four years.

Marianne is a strong advocate and champion for persons with cancer and hospice palliative care in her province.  She has served on the Nova Scotia Hospice Palliative Care Association Board for many years and currently holds the position of President.  She also represents Nova Scotia on the Canadian Association of Psychosocial Oncology Board.

She has co-chaired numerous initiatives to improve oncology and palliative care services in her province.  She was instrumental in the development of the Paramedics Providing Palliative Care at Home program which trains paramedics to support palliative patients at home, who do not wish to be transported to their local emergency department.  She also co-lead the development and implementation of screening for and management of distress in oncology clinics across Nova Scotia.

She has been an on-line facilitator for the IPODE continuing education course since 2009 and was a field placement supervisor and seminar facilitator for MSW and BSW on campus and distance education social work students at the School of Social Work, Dalhousie University.

Marianne has played a key role in the development of the Palliative Care Strategy in Nova Scotia and continues to act as a consultant to various working groups involved in moving the Strategy forward and improving access and quality of palliative care for all Nova Scotians.

Marianne has her Bachelor of Social Work from McGill University and her Masters in Social Work from Dalhousie University.