Archives des Creating Tomorrow | The Ottawa Hospital Foundation

Every single step of this journey represents someone currently fighting for their life. Someone is sitting in a waiting room, praying for good news. Someone recovering from treatment. Someone is grieving a person they loved deeply.

Cancer touches every family. Every community. Every generation.

Cancer research funded through The Ottawa Hospital Foundation gives people more time, more treatment options, more breakthroughs, and more moments they thought they might never have.

Learn more: Ziyada’s Walk

The tournament is dedicated to supporting individuals and families currently battling cancer. It is an opportunity to raise awareness, show support, and contribute to the ongoing fight against this disease that affects so many lives.

Learn more: OMA P.E.A.C.E Charity Golf Tournament

The Ashley Lemire Memorial Golf Tournament – Teeing off for Diabetes returns on Saturday, July 18, 2026, at the Rockland Golf Club. This year marks the 3rd annual event in loving memory of Ashley, who lived her life with kindness, strength, and determination.

Today, her legacy lives on through this tournament and efforts to support leading-edge diabetes research at The Ottawa Hospital in her memory.

Learn more: Teeing off for Diabetes

Published: July 2026

Read time: 4 mins

Published: July 2026

Read time: 4 mins

More than eight billion people live on Earth. Fewer than 700 have ever left it to venture into space. Robert Thirsk is one of them.

Long before Robert became an astronaut with the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), he was a young boy living in British Columbia watching the Apollo moon landing on television with his family. When the broadcast ended, he ran outside to look up at the moon. He was captivated. The astronauts who had travelled there seemed impossibly brave. From that moment, he dreamed of following in their footsteps.

Years later, he would do exactly that.

“It was at that moment I realized I had fulfilled a childhood dream.”

— Robert Thirsk

In 1996, Robert first launched into space and spent 17 days aboard Space Shuttle Columbia. Then in 2009, he spent 6 months in orbit, floating weightless aboard the International Space Station and looking down on Earth from a perspective few people will ever experience. He still remembers the first time he saw the sun rising across the Atlantic Ocean from above.

“It was at that moment I realized I had fulfilled a childhood dream,” said Robert.

But years after returning from space, an unexpected problem here on Earth began affecting his daily life.

More than a pinched nerve

At first, Robert assumed it was a pinched nerve. Whenever he gazed ahead or to his right, numbness and tingling would radiate from his right shoulder down his arm and into his fingers. The sensation disappeared almost immediately when he turned his head the other way. But every time he looked to his right again, it returned.

He thought it would resolve on its own with the help of a few exercises. Instead, it persisted, and the symptoms began interfering with everyday activities such as driving and watching television. As time passed, he also noticed a loss of strength in his upper arm. For someone who has maintained an active lifestyle and pushed the limits of human performance — as an engineer, a physician, and an astronaut — the loss of function was difficult to accept.

“I couldn’t go through the rest of my life only looking to my left,” said Robert.

A novel approach to spine surgery

As the symptoms worsened, Robert was referred to Dr. Safraz Mohammed, neurosurgeon at The Ottawa Hospital. Imaging, including X-rays and an MRI, revealed osteoarthritis in his cervical spine. A degenerated disc at the C5-C6 level had herniated and was compressing a nerve root in Robert’s neck, triggering the numbness, tingling, and weakness that was disrupting his life.

The diagnosis brought an important decision. Traditionally, many patients with this type of condition undergo spinal fusion surgery, a procedure that permanently joins two vertebrae together. While highly effective at relieving pain and stabilizing the spine, it eliminates movement at that level of the spine. For Robert, maintaining the mobility of his neck was essential.

Dr. Mohammed believed Robert could benefit from a novel procedure known as artificial disc replacement. Unlike spinal fusion, artificial disc replacement uses an implanted device designed to preserve movement in the neck while relieving pressure on the affected nerve.

Not every patient is a candidate for the procedure, but Robert’s overall health, active lifestyle, and strong bone quality made him an excellent fit.

“Artificial disc replacement allows us to treat the source of the problem while preserving motion in the neck,” said Dr. Mohammed. “For patients, it can provide excellent symptom relief while helping them maintain the active lifestyle they enjoy.”

It also meant Robert could benefit from expertise available at only a few hospitals in Ontario. Dr. Mohammed is among the region’s leading spine surgeons trained to perform the highly specialized procedure. In fact, he is helping train other surgeons to offer it across the province.

Prepared for launch … and surgery

For Robert, the decision felt surprisingly familiar. Throughout his career as an astronaut, he learned that extraordinary outcomes depend on extraordinary teams. After discussing the risks and benefits of each option with Dr. Mohammed, Robert felt confident he was in the right hands and wanted to move forward with the innovative procedure.

Despite the complexity of the operation, he wasn’t nervous on the day of surgery. His years of astronaut training taught him that trust matters when outcomes depend on a highly skilled team. In many ways, the feeling reminded him of walking out to the launch pad before both of his space missions. “You might think astronauts would be nervous at that moment,” said Robert. “But actually, we’re reflecting on the quality of our training as well as the preparation of our ground support team. Prior to both launches, I had complete confidence in the abilities of myself, my crew mates, and the ground team to accomplish our ambitious mission objectives.”

That same sense of confidence carried him into the operating room.

Speedy recovery

The surgery was completed successfully, and Robert felt the results immediately. When he woke up after surgery, the symptoms that had disrupted his life were gone. “I noticed right away the numbness and tingling had disappeared,” said Robert. “How remarkable!”

What impressed him just as much was the speed of recovery. Even after such a complex operation, he spent just one night in hospital before returning home.

Within a few months, Robert had returned to all of the activities he previously enjoyed, moving freely without experiencing any symptoms.

What happens to the body in space?

While The Ottawa Hospital helped restore Robert’s mobility and quality of life, researchers at our hospital have spent years studying how spaceflight affects the human body.

For decades, Dr. Guy Trudel, a rehabilitation physician and senior scientist at The Ottawa Hospital, has been at the forefront of that work. His internationally recognized research has helped the Canadian Space Agency and scientific partners around the world better understand how prolonged exposure to weightlessness changes muscles, bones, joints, and the spine.

Much of his work combines clinical research with experiments on astronauts in space and space analog studies. In the studies, on Earth, healthy volunteers participate in controlled bed rest experiments that simulate the effects of microgravity. Researchers carefully track changes in muscle strength, bone density, circulation, and the spine using advanced imaging and physiological testing.

“The body adapts remarkably well to space, but returning to gravity places new demands on bones, muscles, and the spine.”

— Dr. Guy Trudel

In space, astronauts grow taller as spinal discs expand without the constant pull of gravity. Many experience back pain during missions, and research suggests spaceflight may increase the risk of spinal problems after returning to Earth.

“We know that spaceflight affects the musculoskeletal system in many ways,” said Dr. Trudel. “The body adapts remarkably well to space, but returning to gravity places new demands on bones, muscles, and the spine.”

His work has also led to important discoveries about changes in bone marrow. The MARROW study, published in Nature Medicine, led to a better understanding of space anemia, a condition which affects astronauts after spaceflight. His team is now entering the next phase of research through the SPARK study, which will build on earlier findings identified through MARROW, with data collected from astronauts before, during, and after spaceflight.

Meet researcher and physician Dr. Guy Trudel

Discover what space travel has taught Dr. Trudel about the human body, how he became interested in this field of research in the first place, and whether he’d ever go to space himself.

Read our Q&A with Dr. Trudel

The impact of this research also extends beyond space exploration.

“The same changes we see in astronauts can also occur in patients who are immobilized for long periods of time,” said Dr. Trudel. By studying how the body responds to weightlessness, researchers are gaining insights that could help improve care for patients on Earth who spend long periods of time in bed due to illness or injury. Those discoveries could help identify new ways to prevent muscle loss, preserve bone health, and improve recovery for patients.

Whether Robert’s spinal ailment was connected to his time in space is impossible to know with certainty, but his experience highlights two areas where The Ottawa Hospital is making a difference: delivering leading-edge care for patients today and while advancing research that could help shape the future of human space exploration.

Life without limitations

Today, Robert is back to the active lifestyle he loves. Looking back, he is grateful for the expertise, innovation, and care that helped restore his mobility. For Robert, the experience was a reminder that exploration takes place at a variety of frontiers, including surgical and scientific.

Whether advancing our understanding of the human body through spaceflight research or offering cutting-edge surgical options closer to home, The Ottawa Hospital continues to push the boundaries of what is possible for patients in Ottawa and far beyond.

Categories: Innovation and Technology, Patient Care, Technology

In 1953, with a single-axle dump truck and a strong work ethic, Tom Cavanagh started a small hauling business that grew into one of the region’s most recognized construction companies. Over time, the company helped build the roads, neighbourhoods, and infrastructure that communities across Ottawa and the surrounding region rely on every day.

Known for taking pride in his work and his deep commitment to community, Tom built a reputation as a business leader and someone who stepped forward when it mattered most. Whether creating jobs across the region, supporting local sports teams and festivals, or lending a hand in times of need, Tom could always be counted on.

“For Tom, success was never just about what you build,” says Lori Cavanagh, Executive Vice President of Cavanagh Construction and Chair of the Thomas Cavanagh Foundation. “It was about who you build it for.”

A legacy rooted in community

That belief continues to guide the Cavanagh family today. Through the Thomas Cavanagh Foundation, they are now donating $1 million in support of the Campaign to Create Tomorrow. For the Cavanagh family, it’s an investment in the future of healthcare in the same community that has been at the heart of their story for generations.

For decades, the Cavanagh name has been closely tied to community-building across the Ottawa Valley — not only through the infrastructure the company has delivered, but through a long-standing commitment to giving back. That commitment reflects Tom’s belief in giving where you live — a philosophy that continues to shape the family’s approach to philanthropy today.

A personal connection to care

Like so many families in the region, the Cavanagh’s connection to The Ottawa Hospital is deeply personal.

In recent years, multiple family members have spent time in the hospital, giving them a firsthand view of both the exceptional care provided and the growing pressures on the system. That experience, combined with Tom’s belief that “health is wealth,” helped inspire the family’s continued commitment to supporting healthcare close to home.

“Hospitals touch every family at some point. If you’re able to give, it’s something that truly makes a difference.”

— Lori Cavanagh, Executive Vice President of Cavanagh Construction

Building for the future

For the Cavanagh family, supporting the Campaign to Create Tomorrow is a natural extension of what they’ve always done — helping build strong, vibrant communities.

“Giving back locally is a part of who we are,” says Patrick Davies, Director of Marketing and Communications for the Cavanagh Group of Companies and Executive Director of the Thomas Cavanagh Foundation. “Our staff have built lives here with their families, so it’s never just about business. It’s about supporting the community we’re all a part of.”

A new hospital campus will bring modern facilities and advance research, all within a patient-centred environment — something the family knows will make a meaningful difference.

“Investing in something like this is really investing back into the community,” says Lori. “Hospitals touch every family at some point. If you’re able to give, it’s something that truly makes a difference.”

Our brother Steve was diagnosed with ALS on January 7, 2021. Just a few months later, Steve had lost his ability to walk and required a breathing machine 24 hours a day. Steve’s battle was gruelling, frustrating, and just overall devastatingly fast. Steve accepted his diagnosis, faced this disease head on, and ultimately met his death with so much dignity only 4 months after his diagnosis on May 14, 2021.

Before Steve passed, we promised him that we would be relentless in promoting and fundraising for this horrible disease. The Steve Hastie Memorial Ride was founded in 2022 and raised $3,000 for the ALS Clinic in its inaugural year. We doubled that figure to $6,000 in 2023 and tripled our donation to The Ottawa Hospital Foundation in 2024. In 2025, the RIDE FOR ALS presented a cheque to TOHF for $24,500 bringing our total donation to $51,500. Our goal is to reach $100,000 by the end of 2028.

The 5th annual Ride for ALS – Steve Hastie Memorial Ride begins in Richmond, travels through scenic Perth, and wraps up the day of riding in Winchester, all in support of ALS research.

Fight for the Cure is back with a new charity partner — The Ottawa Hospital Foundation — to pack a powerful punch in cancer care and research in our city and beyond. As the region’s sole cancer care provider and one of Canada’s leading cancer research centres, The Ottawa Hospital is at the forefront of cancer care and innovation.

Fourteen fighters are stepping into the ring — giving everything they’ve got for you, your family, and the generations to come, fighting for the best care right here at home.

Published: May 2026

For Welch LLP, supporting The Ottawa Hospital isn’t tied to a single moment. It’s something that has built over time, shaped by personal experiences, long-standing involvement, and a shared commitment to giving back across the firm.

For over 100 years, Welch LLP, founded in 1918, has been recognized as one of Ottawa’s oldest companies. What began as a local accounting practice has grown into a full-service accounting and advisory firm with 12 offices across Ontario and Quebec, 39 partners, and more than 390 employees.

Despite that growth, the firm continues to see itself as deeply rooted in Ottawa. That local focus has shaped not only Welch LLP’s business, but also its support for The Ottawa Hospital. This has included a long-standing involvement in initiatives such as The Ottawa Hospital Foundation’s President’s Breakfast, where partners have played a key role in helping strengthen participation by hosting tables, securing sponsorship, and encouraging engagement across their networks.

Over the years, that support has also taken shape through a multi-year initiative that brought together several Welch LLP offices, including Ottawa, Pembroke, Quinte, and Cornwall, to raise more than $100,000 for The Ottawa Hospital’s Dermatology Centre.

A new chapter of giving

Now, Welch LLP is marking a new chapter in their support with a $250,000 gift to the Campaign to Create Tomorrow — The Ottawa Hospital Foundation’s $500 million fundraising campaign to build a new, state-of-the-art Civic Campus. This marks the largest gift in the firm’s history through its newly established charitable foundation.

“It’s where our families receive care and where we see the needs of our community firsthand.”

— Jim McConnery

Created in 2022, the Welch Community Foundation was formed after the COVID-19 pandemic to bring more focus and coordination to the firm’s giving. Funded entirely by partners, it allows Welch LLP to pool contributions and collectively decide where they can have the greatest impact.

Guided by the firm’s vales of care, impact, and empowerment, supporting The Ottawa Hospital was a natural choice.

“We’ve had a long connection to The Ottawa Hospital, and it’s something that matters to many people across our firm,” says Jim McConnery, Managing Partner of Welch LLP’s Ottawa office. “It’s where our families receive care and where we see the needs of our community firsthand.”

When impact is personal

In recent years, that connection has become even more personal. Members of the firm have required care at The Ottawa Hospital, giving colleagues a firsthand view of the expertise, compassion, and innovation that define the care our hospital provides.

For many at Welch LLP, it also deepened their understanding of our hospital’s role not just in delivering care, but in advancing it. From leading-edge treatments to world-class research, the impact extends far beyond any individual patient.

“We know The Ottawa Hospital is critical to the community, but the more you learn about it, the more compelling it becomes,” says Jim. “The level of care, the innovation, and the research taking place here in Ottawa are truly impressive and they’re making a real difference for patients.”

Across generations

Welch LLP’s involvement with The Ottawa Hospital is also being shaped by its next generation of partners.

Several emerging leaders across the firm are now stepping into community roles of their own — including participation in Young Leaders, sponsored by RBC, a program led by The Ottawa Hospital Foundation to encourage young adults to get involved through organized events. Their involvement is helping broaden the firm’s connection to our hospital, bringing new energy to the firm’s commitment to supporting our community.

“Many, if not all of us will need to rely on the care The Ottawa Hospital provides at some point in our lives and that is why this initiative is so important.”

— Alessandro D’Angelo

For a firm that has spanned more than a century, there is a strong emphasis on carrying that commitment forward with emerging leaders. With generations of families building careers at Welch LLP, there is a shared understanding that supporting healthcare is not only about making a difference today, but also ensuring strong, accessible care for the next 100 years.

“Welch LLP has always taken a long view, and that responsibility now sits with the next generation. Our support of The Ottawa Hospital reflects a commitment we intend to carry forward, as strong healthcare systems are essential to strong communities, now and in the future,” says Alessandro D’Angelo, Partner at Welch LLP. “Many, if not all of us will need to rely on the care The Ottawa Hospital provides at some point in our lives and that is why this initiative is so important. Our family has had three children at the hospital’s General Campus, and we have experienced firsthand the type of excellent care provided, it’s now our responsibility to give back and ensure that everyone in Ottawa has access to state-of-the art care and facilities at the scale needed to keep pace with the city’s growth.”

As The Ottawa Hospital moves forward with the Campaign to Create Tomorrow, Welch LLP’s $250,000 gift reflects that long-term view — an investment in the future of care for the community.

Categories: Creating Tomorrow, Donors

Published: May 2026

As the largest global law firm, Dentons is known for advising local, national and international clients on complex legal matters including venture tech, corporate commercial, banking, real estate and infrastructure, telecommunications, litigation, employment, regulatory, IP and privacy. But in Ottawa, the firm’s impact extends well beyond the work it does for clients.

For years, Dentons has been a familiar and enthusiastic supporter of The Ottawa Hospital. From The Ottawa Hospital Foundation Gala to the President’s Breakfast for the Public Service, the firm has helped bring the community together in support of better care and groundbreaking research.

Now, Dentons is taking that commitment one step further with a combined contribution of $260,000 to the Campaign to Create Tomorrow, including personal contributions from a group of senior members of the Ottawa office and a corporate gift.

A relationship built through leadership

The firm’s connection to the hospital was shaped in large part by longtime partner Greg Kane — a respected and influential leader in Ottawa’s legal and philanthropic communities. Greg served on both The Ottawa Hospital Foundation Board and the Board of the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, where he supported the hospital’s mission over many years.

“When Greg joined our firm, he was already deeply involved with The Ottawa Hospital,” says David Little, Partner at Dentons. “That created an opportunity for us to become more involved as a firm and to support the initiatives we all care about. Over time, that relationship continued to grow.”

Although Greg has since retired, the foundation he helped build continues to guide the firm’s approach to giving.

Rooted in Ottawa

While Dentons is a global firm, its Ottawa office is rooted in the local community, with many lawyers and staff building long careers in the city.

“Supporting projects like this allows us to make meaningful contributions to the growth of our city not just today, but for the future.”

— David Little

“We really pride ourselves on being part of the communities where we live and work,” says David. “Supporting projects like this allows us to make meaningful contributions to the growth of our city not just today, but for the future.”

That commitment is reflected in the firm’s decision to support a project of this scale. For Dentons, the Campaign to Create Tomorrow represents more than a fundraising effort, it’s a chance to have a lasting impact.

A shared investment in the future

Today, that spirit of giving continues under the leadership of Managing Partner Chase Irwin, who sees the campaign as both a community-building opportunity and a moment for organizations, like Dentons, to step forward.

“This is an opportunity for organizations in our community to make a profound impact.”

— Chase Irwin

“This is an opportunity for organizations in our community to make a profound impact,” says Chase. “Supporting this campaign allows us to contribute to something that will benefit Ottawa for generations to come.”

A new hospital campus will transform how care is delivered in our region — bringing together cutting-edge research, modern facilities and ongoing advances in care.

For the Dentons team, the impact is personal. Across generations, from younger professionals to long-time leaders, there is a shared understanding this hospital will touch everyone in the community at some point in their lives.

Recently, the firm also came together to honour the memory of former partner and dear friend Alex Kilgour, supporting cancer care and research through donations made in his name. It’s another reflection of the deep and personal connections that continue to shape Dentons’ commitment to The Ottawa Hospital.

As organizations across Ottawa step forward to support the campaign, Dentons is proud to be part of a collective effort helping shape the city’s story for the next 100 years.

Categories: Creating Tomorrow, Donors

In 2021, we lost Boston to his struggle with mental health. He was a loving son, a caring older brother, a loyal friend, and the life of the party, and he was taken from us far too soon. The Boston Classic is an ode to him and his love of golf, summer, and being with those he loved. It is an opportunity for us to remember and honour him as well as raise awareness about men’s mental health and funds for The Ottawa Hospital in Boston’s name.

The 5th annual tournament is taking place on Saturday, June 6th, 2026, at the Meadows Golf and Country Club. For tickets & more information on how you can support, visit TheBostonClassic.com.

Ziyada’s Walk

More than a pinched nerve

A novel approach to spine surgery

Prepared for launch … and surgery

Speedy recovery

What happens to the body in space?

Meet researcher and physician Dr. Guy Trudel

Life without limitations

A legacy rooted in community

A personal connection to care

Building for the future

A new chapter of giving

When impact is personal

Across generations

A relationship built through leadership

Rooted in Ottawa

A shared investment in the future

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