Dr. David Langelier works in the relatively new field of physiatry, managing the physical and mental side effects that can accompany cancer and its treatment.
By Fabian Mayer
Photographs by Jared Sych
Treatment may end, recovery doesn’t. That’s the philosophy behind Dr. David Langelier’s work as medical lead of the Alberta Cancer Physiatry Program at the Arthur J.E. Child Comprehensive Cancer Centre.
Physiatry is a relatively new and growing field of medicine that specializes in managing the physical and mental side effects that can accompany cancer and the side effects of treatment. It’s a focus on the whole body and how it works, not just one symptom. Muscles and nerves surrounding cancer tissue can be damaged during treatments, for example, with breast cancer survivors often facing significant shoulder pain and even curtailed range of motion, a side effect of surgery and radiation treatments.
Langelier says simple tasks like putting on a shirt, doing one’s hair or holding family members’ hands can be difficult or painful as a result.
“We use our medical knowledge to diagnose the multiple things that could be contributing to that shoulder problem. We investigate to help narrow this down and then use advanced treatments,” says Langelier. “Ultimately what we want to get people back to is a good range of motion leading to improvements in their mobility, independence, dignity and quality of life.”
Langelier completed his medical training at the University of Calgary in 2013. During his five-year residency in general rehabilitation, he saw physicians focus on quality of life, pain management and creative treatment courses, and considered who else could benefit from that emphasis on quality of life. This inspired Langelier to pursue cancer physiatry.
“Oncologists cure and treat cancer, whereas physiatry focuses on restoring function and giving meaningful life back. That’s what drew me to this field.”
—Dr. David Langelier
After working in Toronto for four years, Langelier returned to Calgary in 2023 to run the Alberta Cancer Physiatry Program.
“Calgary is home. I was born and raised here, and always saw myself serving Albertans. I decided to move back with the opening of the Arthur Child. I saw the opportunity to use my leadership and program-building skills to transform rehab care in Alberta,” says Langelier.
Langelier works with two other physiatry doctors, providing services across Alberta to anyone 18 years and older with an impairment believed to be caused by their cancer diagnosis or side effects from their treatment. Individuals with cancer are typically referred to this program by their oncology providers, rehabilitation therapists or family physicians.
Langelier explains that physiatry is about helping individuals with cancer gain more time doing what matters to them.
“Can you walk your family member down the aisle? Can you return to work? Can you hug your loved one with less pain? All of those things that we focus on in physiatry aren’t often the focus when we’re talking survival,” he says.
Langelier and his team work collaboratively with Albertans with cancer to prioritize their needs, desires and preferences when it comes to cancer treatment and medication side effects. He often sees individuals exhausted by needing to take a variety of pills every day just to manage their pain. Instead of simply dealing with symptoms, physiatry seeks to treat what’s causing the symptoms.
“There’s other ways that we can address pain in a more focused and tailored way,” Langelier says. “Oftentimes, we can manage pain with injection procedures or creams, which are more favourable to patients in terms of their own needs and get equally good results.”
While many Albertans with cancer are willing to travel long distances to access these services, Langelier and his team worked to address the geographic challenges of being the sole provider of this service in such a vast province by seeing individuals with cancer virtually.
In the middle of 2025, the Alberta Cancer Physiatry Program began offering virtual care consults and now has a regular, half-a-day virtual clinic exclusively serving people outside Calgary. Langelier has helped individuals with cancer in High Level, Upper Peace Region, Lakeland and across southern Alberta, spreading his medical philosophy that cancer recovery can be greater than simply surviving.
“Many people come to our clinic and they have this perception that they should be grateful they’re alive, and I challenge that,” says Langelier. “I think we should be very grateful that we’re alive, but we should be challenging our system so that these patients are living the best lives that they can.”
