Clinical trials in our outpatient oncology clinic, can open the door to new hope for cancer patients. Behind these opportunities are people like Khadija Al-Harazi.
Khadija has been a Clinical Trials Coordinator at the Walker Family Cancer Centre (WFCC) at the Marotta Family Hospital, for the past four years.
“The best part of my job is giving patients who have few other options, access to treatments that aren’t yet available through standard care,” she says. “It’s an opportunity to contribute to medical breakthroughs that may change the future of cancer treatment.”
Khadija’s outstanding work coordinating complex cancer treatment trials was recently recognized with Niagara Health’s Excellence in Research and Innovation Award at this year’s Interprofessional Practice Awards.
“I feel so honored,” she says. “Being here for four years, I feel that other deserving people could have received the award, but so grateful that it was me.”
Khadija’s humility and dedication are hallmarks of her work. Trained as a physician in Kenya before moving to Canada 15 years ago, she now stands at the intersection of science and compassion, helping translate emerging research into real-world care.
The Power of Clinical Trials
Clinical research coordinators like Khadija are at the heart of oncology research. They manage everything from patient recruitment to data collection, ensuring every aspect of a clinical trial is conducted ethically, safely, and in strict accordance with protocol.
“My job is to make sure everything in the trial is done properly—from the moment a patient is identified to the very last follow-up,” she explains. “That includes ethics applications, screening, informed consent, patient follow-ups, data entry—everything. These studies are very specific, and integrity is a big thing.”
The Department of Oncology has conducted clinical trials at Niagara Health for more than 40 years.
Khadija and her team currently oversee six open trials—two pharmaceutical and four academic—as well as 13 additional studies that are in the long-term follow-up phase, some spanning up to 15 years.
“We’ve got studies in breast cancer, colon cancer, hematology and radiation studies… They’re all exciting in their own way,” she says.
Despite the complexity and scope of her work, the core motivation remains simple: improving lives.
Research and Relationships
Cancer care can be overwhelming, especially for patients with few remaining treatment options. Clinical trials offer hope, and Khadija provides not just clinical oversight but emotional support and continuity of care throughout the process.
“It’s very demanding for the patients, and that’s why we build such strong bonds. We follow up each patient closely—sometimes every few weeks or months. If they weren’t in a trial, they wouldn’t be monitored this closely.”
Over time, those close relationships often evolve into deep, personal connections.
“I’ve definitely made some close bonds. We all want this treatment to work for them. When we see a scan showing a decrease in tumor size, it feels incredible. You know you’re part of something that is actually helping."
Small Team, Big Impact
Though the clinical trials program involves collaboration with nearly every department—oncologists, chemotherapy nurses, lab personnel, imaging staff—the core research team is remarkably small: just Khadija and one clinical trial nurse, Caitlin Leblanc.
“It’s just the two of us, but we work with everyone. From labs and pharmacists to investigators and chemotherapy nurses—it’s a team effort."
That collaboration is vital. Conducting a clinical trial is much like conducting an orchestra, and Khadija is one of the key conductors ensuring every element is in tune and on time.
“It’s also a learning experience for us, too,” she says. “Every new trial is a chance to explore new therapies that have never been done before. That makes it so interesting.”
Looking Ahead
While the long-term results of many trials may take years to emerge, Khadija knows the value of her work extends beyond the data. Every interaction, every patient, every protocol followed with care contributes to the evolution of cancer care.
“Sometimes you don’t see the results right away. But you know this data, this work—it’s going to shape treatments 10 or 15 years from now. That’s what keeps us going.”
Her work is not just about research. It’s about hope, integrity, and the human connection at the core of every clinical breakthrough.
As our cancer research program continues to grow, it is people like Khadija Al-Harazi and Caitlin Leblanc who ensure that innovation reaches the patients who need it most—and that every step forward in the lab becomes a step forward in someone's life.
