Published: July 2023
Next year, Jean Teron will proudly wear the 100-year-old nursing pin given to her mother in 1924 when she graduated — the same year the Civic Hospital opened its doors on Carling Avenue. “The Ottawa Hospital has been a lifelong part of my family,” says Jean. “My mother and sister were nurses trained there. My siblings and I and my children were born there.”
It’s that personal connection to the hospital — and to her city — that helped inspire Jean’s $100,000 gift to The Campaign to Create Tomorrow.
“The Ottawa Hospital has been a lifelong part of my family.”
— Jean Teron
But this is not the first time the Teron family has made an indelible mark on our city. Jean’s late husband, Bill Teron, was known as the “father of Kanata” for creating a small town amidst farmer’s fields and rock outcroppings west of Ottawa. What started as a dream in the 1960s became a vibrant, thriving place to call home. The Terons know better than most the importance of community.
Jean, Bill, and their family have long been supporters of The Ottawa Hospital — changing lives for decades. In 1977, Bill and Jean donated a kidney preserving machine that allowed surgeons to store and preserve kidneys for up to 40 hours while they matched kidneys with patients on a waitlist. In the years since, they helped build the Dr. Chris Carruthers Operating Room with Jean leading the way as Chair of the $1-million campaign. She was also part of The Ottawa Hospital Foundation’s Gala committee for years, helping raise funds for research. Together, the Terons contributed to the Legacy Campaign, the Centre for Stem Cell and Gene Therapy, and to fundraising efforts for the hospital through Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend.
Jean’s daughter, Kim Teron, has also been actively involved with Partners Investing in Parkinson’s Research (PIPR) since 2011, when Kim’s husband Ross was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Jean and other family members have rallied behind Kim who has worked tirelessly to raise funds and awareness for this cause.
It’s clear the Teron family is determined to make a difference.
Now, Jean’s generous gift will play a vital role in propelling The Campaign to Create Tomorrow forward, helping forge a brighter future for the community she loves by advancing medical research, expanding state-of-the-art facilities, and transforming patient care.
“As one citizen, it’s important to me that individuals and businesses in Ottawa give to this campaign to show how much the community supports the building of a great new hospital.”
— Jean Teron
Jean hopes her gift will help ignite a spark, inspiring others to follow her lead. “As one citizen, it’s important to me that individuals and businesses in Ottawa give to this campaign to show how much the community supports the building of a great new hospital,” she says. “I do hope that when people see lists of those who have donated, they too will be encouraged to participate.”
