Spirit PEP Inc. is a private company founded by the husband and wife team of Drs. Rob Rutledge and Gabriela Ilie, and is not associated with a University. The purpose of Spirit PEP Inc. and this website is to provide access to the CancerPEP program for individuals who would otherwise be unable to participate. By having people pay for the program, as they are able, we can more easily expand these empowerment programs internationally with the goal of improving the physical and mental health of diverse groups of people globally.
Our Founders
Rob Rutledge, MD FRCPC has been a Radiation Oncologist specializing in breast, prostate and pediatric cancer for 27 years, and is an Associate Professor at Dalhousie University. Growing up in northern Canada he went to school in Toronto for undergraduate and medical school, and Ottawa for his residency. Inspired by Dr. Bernie Siegel’s book, “Love, Medicine, and Miracles,” Rob joined forces with a social worker in Ottawa in 1993 to establish a men’s cancer support group. Since then, Rob has dedicated himself to delivering numerous free public talks, webinars, and charity-led initiatives. He has organized and led 60 weekend retreats across 30 cities worldwide, as well as conducted dozens of day-long healing seminars for patients and staff.
Though he loves the work he does every day, his passion has been empowering people at levels of body, mind and spirit, and teaching them how to get the best care from the medical system. Over the years, he has diligently kept up with the emerging scientific research on enhancing immune function, boosting energy, improving overall function, and building emotional resilience. With his extensive experience, he has provided guidance and counseling to individuals regarding their diets, microbiome, mindfulness-based stress reduction, methods to reduce anxiety and fear, and more recently, cultivating and maintaining healthy habits. Furthermore, he has dedicated over 30 years to studying remarkable cancer survivors, individuals who have achieved remarkable outcomes against all odds, uncovering their unique attributes and strategies for success.
“The experience of meeting, marrying, and collaborating with Gabriela has brought immense professional fulfillment. Through our partnership, Gabriela has imparted valuable insights on the profound impact of relationships on our health. There is a scientific methodology to teaching individuals how to forge deeper connections with their loved ones, and Gabriela’s extensive psychology background has proven to be the perfect complement to my role as an oncologist.
Our journey together has been both joyful and meaningful. Interacting with hundreds of individuals through monthly video conferences and receiving weekly emails from people whose lives have been transformed by the program has been incredibly rewarding. I am sincerely grateful for the opportunity to share this transformative experience with those affected by cancer.”
Gabriela Ilie, PhD, is a Dalhousie University Faculty of Medicine Endowed Soillse Scientist in Prostate Cancer Quality of Life Research, and Associate Professor of Epidemiology at Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada. In Gaelic Soillse means “guiding light”. Born and raised in Romania she became a popular radio star as a young teen, then a national TV news host. She emigrated to Belgium at age 20 working for the European Commission, then to Canada at age 23 (very successful in telecommunications). Gabriela then completed her undergraduate and PhD (effect of music and speech on emotion and cognitive function) in Toronto in a record time of four years. Her university teaching career began before she had her doctorate, and in 16 years taught over 90 statistics and diverse psychology and epidemiology courses at the University of Toronto to over 25,000 students. She was nominated as TVO’s lecturer of the year twice. At the same time, her research career flourished, working with neurosurgeons and other scientists, and supervising many graduate students. She published seminal papers in top scientific journals showing concussions lead to long-term emotional, cognitive, and social problems especially in teens.
In 2016, Gabriela pursued a highly competitive opportunity and was awarded an endowed scientific chair at Dalhousie University in Halifax. This prestigious position was focused on researching and developing interventions to address the unmet survivorship needs of prostate cancer survivors. While Gabriela possessed a strong background in design and methodology, statistics, and health psychology, she initially had limited knowledge of prostate cancer. However, this knowledge gap did not deter her from accepting the endowed scientific chair position in Halifax. Instead, she enthusiastically embraced the opportunity to immerse herself in the complexities of prostate cancer, driven by the desire to apply her expertise towards addressing the unmet survivorship needs and tackling the unique challenges experienced by prostate cancer survivors. With a passionate commitment to making a difference in their lives, Gabriela eagerly embarked on the journey of learning and understanding the intricacies of prostate cancer.
On the first day of the job she attended a local support group to learn first hand about the effect of prostate cancer on the men’s lives. It was there that she connected with a group of individuals whom she referred to as “Research Citizens,” considering them the true experts on prostate cancer quality of life. Working closely with Urologists and PC specialists (Dr. Rutledge joins her team here), she developed and administered an online quality of life survey, which has been completed by over 500 Eastern Canadian men. The results were shocking – men surviving prostate cancer have twice the risk of depression and anxiety than men without cancer (and even compared to men survivors of other types of cancer). While publishing these results, Gabriela’s team began to create an intervention to address the unmet needs – thus the Prostate Cancer Patient Empowerment Program (PC-PEP) was born (see PCPEP.org for more).
The one-month version of PC-PEP was tested in 2019 on 30 men to prove it was safe and feasible. Results from the feasibility trial show that even after 28 days, the mental health of the men who participated in the trial improved, they lost weight, had fewer side effects, and endorsed the program at a rate of 9.4 out of 10. Next, Gabriela’s team developed a six-month version of PC-PEP, closely resembling the Cancer PEP program. Through their efforts, they successfully recruited a total of 128 men who were scheduled to undergo curative prostate cancer surgery or radiotherapy for a randomized trial, which took place between December 2019 to early 2022. In December 2019, Gabriela and Rob dedicated themselves to filming the 3-5 minute PEP videos in the comfort of their own kitchen. This daily routine lasted for a period of six months, ensuring a comprehensive collection of video resources for the program. In addition to the video content, they initiated monthly video conferences specifically tailored for the men enrolled in the program based on the program’s curriculum that included scientific updates and group exercises. These video conferences were initially introduced during that period and have continued on a monthly basis ever since, providing ongoing support and guidance to the participants. This Phase 3 randomized clinical trial shows the PC-PEP program improves mental health (and more) in men scheduled for curative treatment at 6 and 12 months later. PC-PEP is now being expanded across Canada and abroad.
The CancerPEP program (for all other types of cancer) was piloted in a Phase 2 clinical trial starting in December of 2022. In less than a week 102 people from across Canada signed up for the program. Gabriela and Rob filmed all 182 daily videos plus many more throughout the winter of 2023, and hosted videoconferences for the patients in the program every 2 weeks for seven months. Out of the 102 participants in the trial, an impressive 81 patients joined the moderated FaceBook group. Similarly to the Prostate Program, the team received weekly emails from participants expressing their gratitude and sharing how the program had significantly contributed to their healing journey. The positive feedback and testimonials further reinforced the program’s effectiveness and impact on the lives of those involved. In one such email a participant wrote: “Good morning, I wanted to express my gratitude and send a simple “thank you” message to you, Rob and your amazing PEP Team. I feel blessed to be participating in this program. I have gained so much knowledge and the simple life altering lifestyle changes have been profound. I look forward to the daily messages and the positive energy that emits each morning. Your energy (and love of life) is truly contagious, and I feel an energy high after watching. Today (being Day 83) cannot continue, until I have written you (and your team), to thank you for the positive impact you have given me (and trickledown effect to my family and close friends). Your work and commitment to the participants with this program is so VERY much appreciated. A simple thank you does not seem enough. With appreciation and sincere gratitude“.
“I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to the Dalhousie Research Medical Foundation, the generous funders of the Soillse Research fund, Frank and Debbi Sobey, and the Dalhousie University Faculty of Medicine.Their unwavering support has provided me with the opportunity to work directly with cancer patients, ultimately leading to the development of PCPEP and CancerPEP. It is with immense appreciation that I acknowledge their contributions, as their support has enabled us to offer a program that has a profound and transformative impact on people’s lives. As I reflect on my life journey, it feels as though every experience has led me to this point, where I can make a meaningful difference through this work. Working alongside my husband adds an extra layer of joy and fulfillment, as we combine our diverse expertise to enrich the program.The success of PC-PEP, which demonstrated improved mental and physical health outcomes for men, and the overwhelming positive response to the CancerPEP program, have further fueled our enthusiasm. It is with great excitement that we expand our reach and offer this program across Canada and internationally through this website. We are thrilled to bring the benefits of CancerPEP to a wider audience and make a positive impact on individuals’ lives.Thank you for your support and contribution to make this happen.“
What makes CancerPEP so powerful?
No other cancer patient support program in the world exists to match the depth and breadth of the program we have created. We drew on the real experts (people who have experienced cancer and their loved ones) to find out what people really need – and combined it with the best scientifically-proven healing habits and techniques. The program has been tested in multiple research trials. CancerPEP grew out of the highly successful Prostate Cancer Program by adding the science of habit formation, healthy sleep habits, weekly cooking videos, how to lessen anxiety and fear of recurrence, healing attitudes and much more. Participants can choose to tap into this very comprehensive daily program in a way that works for them by focusing more or less on each of the different elements of the program. Lastly, it is crucial to highlight that this program embodies an “organic” nature, ensuring a consistent and stable approach to its delivery. Throughout the six-month duration, you will have the privilege of connecting with a husband-and-wife team consisting of an Oncologist and Scientist. They will share personal experiences, present scientific insights, and provide practical tools and techniques to empower yourself. This ongoing engagement guarantees a reliable and supportive environment throughout your journey with the program. You have the option of calling your two PEP partners (co-participants) every week, or becoming part of a larger community at our monthly videoconferences. As the program expands we will offer more interactive weekly programs (e.g., dance class, meditation, cooking class etc).
Please join us in a program that can have a profound influence on your physical and mental health in the short and long term, and support a caring community of like-minded people.
Check out the Program Details