Dr Pippa Hawley

Originally from the UK, Pippa worked in Dunedin, New Zealand for 5 years before coming to Canada in 1990 to work in AIDS research. She then completed two entire medical residency training programs and certified as a medical specialist in New Zealand, the UK and Canada.

In 1997 Pippa founded the Pain & Symptom Management and Palliative Care service at BC Cancer and remains its medical director. She is also a Clinical Professor of Medicine and Head of the Division of Palliative Care at the University of British Columbia. Pippa has a busy clinical, research and teaching practice. She designed the innovative ‘Bowtie Model’ of integrated palliative care in 2014 to break down the misconception that palliative care is only for people in the last few weeks of life. This has been adopted throughout the world, such that her name is recognizable to many professionals in palliative and hospice care worldwide.

Pippa has published over 30 articles in medical journals, and has authored and edited chapters in a variety of palliative care textbooks, and made invited presentations at numerous medical conferences. She is currently carrying out a number of research projects, particularly a clinical trial on the use of medical cannabis extracts for cancer-related symptoms.