Nanji Family Foundation steps forward with a match gift of $100,000 for COVID-19 fund
Category: Patient Care
APRIL 29, 2020 OTTAWA, ON – The Ottawa Hospital’s COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund received a significant boost thanks to the generosity of a $100,000 match gift from the Nanji Family Foundation.
“The Ottawa Hospital Foundation is incredibly grateful to have the support of the Nanji Family Foundation and we look forward to seeing how their gift will inspire others to give,” said Tim Kluke, President and CEO, The Ottawa Hospital Foundation.
The COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund will help patients and staff directly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Donations made will be matched by the Nanji Family Foundation and will:
support our frontline medical teams
purchase specialized protective equipment
develop innovative treatments through highly specialized technology
contribute to the care and comfort of patients
support our scientists and our researchers in their efforts to combat COVID-19
As the pandemic continues to evolve, incredible stories of generosity continue to emerge. Our front-line healthcare team has to adapt quickly and this match gift of up to $100,000 will help to keep them safe, along with our patients. It will also help support the work of our researchers who have joined the global fight against COVID-19. The Nanji Family Foundation has donated a total of $1.6 million to 16 hospitals across Canada in this collaborative effort.
We’re grateful to have the support from our community and thank the Nanji family for their leadership and for inspiring others to give and double their impact.
About The Ottawa Hospital:
The Ottawa Hospital is one of Canada’s top learning and research hospitals, where excellent care is inspired by research and driven by compassion. As the third-largest employer in Ottawa, our support staff, researchers, nurses, physicians, and volunteers never stop seeking solutions to the most complex healthcare challenges.
Our multi-campus hospital, affiliated with the University of Ottawa, attracts some of the most influential scientific minds from around the world. Our focus on learning and research leads to new techniques and discoveries that are adopted globally to improve patient care.
We are the Regional Trauma Centre for eastern Ontario and have been accredited with Exemplary Standing for healthcare delivery — the highest rating from Accreditation Canada. We are also home to world-leading research programs focused on cancer therapeutics, neuroscience, regenerative medicine, chronic disease, and practice-changing research.
Backed by generous support from the community, we are committed to providing the world-class, compassionate care we would want for our loved ones.
For more information about The Ottawa Hospital, visit ohfoundation.ca.
Mackenzie Daybutch
Mackenzie Daybutch
Everyone deserves to feel a sense of belonging where they work, which is made so much easier when you feel a connection with others.
This is exactly the goal of The Ottawa Hospital’s Indigenous Employee Network (IEN). Created in October 2021, the IEN’s ongoing goal is to create a safe space for self-declared First Nations, Inuit and Métis employees at The Ottawa Hospital and their allies to connect, share experiences, and celebrate Indigenous culture.
Mackenzie Daybutch is Ojibway from Mississauga First Nation #8 in North-Eastern Ontario, where she is a status band member, Bear Clan, and inter-generational residential school survivor. She is the Program Coordinator for the Regional Indigenous Cancer Program at The Ottawa Hospital and is Lead of the IEN, which she describes it as a “sacred space where indigenous hospital employees and allies can connect.”
Learn more about Mackenzie and the critical work of the IEN.
Hélène Létourneau-Donnelly
Hélène Létourneau-Donnelly
Our hospital has seen its fair share of trailblazing women, and Hélène Létourneau-Donnelly deserves to be mentioned.
Her nursing career began at the then Ottawa General Hospital in 1959, where one week after graduating as an RN, she assumed the position of Assistant Director of Nursing. Only a few years later, her talents were recognized from across town and she became a director in nursing at the then Civic Hospital. She was a young woman who chose to follow her career aspirations of caring for others at a time when other women her age were getting married and having children. Hélène would be instrumental in leading that position for the next 27 years.
She’s recognized for developing and establishing, with the support of her committed staff, a list of major hospital programs. They include the Comprehensive Surgical Day Care, which was a first in Canada, Ottawa’s first Triage Nurse Program in the Emergency Department, the Cerebral Vascular Service and Poison Information Centre, also a first in Ottawa, and the city’s first Operating Room Technical Course.
She is respected for completing a PhD (Education), without thesis, on a part-time basis during this hectic time.
Whether it was advancing care for patients or her life-long commitment to the education and wellness needs of women, Hélène has routinely been a voice and passionate advocate for others.
Hélène’s actions and commitment to care at The Ottawa Hospital have long since continued into retirement as a volunteer and as a donor—she continues to find ways to give back. Hélène has been particularly interested in supporting women’s health through the Shirley E. Greenberg Women’s Health Centre and the Rose Ages Breast Health Centre, which has a room named after her.
Last year, Registered Nurse Macrina Valcin wanted to find a creative way to mark Black History Month. With some help from her colleagues on the Mother Baby Unit at the General Campus, she transformed the unit’s bulletin board into a powerful celebration of the Black community, creating an intricate display with inspirational quotes, books to borrow and posters of historical Black leaders.
Macrina’s passion project was born from tragedy—the death of George Floyd. “I decided I was going to let people see what racism is, what Black culture is,” says Macrina. “I thought maybe they can see this display and learn a little bit more and ask me questions.”
This year, Macrina brought her creative labour of love to a much larger audience. Throughout all of February, Macrina’s displays were located in the Employee Corner right outside the cafeteria doors at both the General and Civic Campuses. The displays placed a strong focus on honouring Canadian Black heroes, including athletes, politicians and entrepreneurs.
Macrina Valcin
There was also a collection of books and posters that commemorate Black leaders from the past. “One of my big goals with these displays is to honour the past and inspire the future,” says Macrina.
Macrina hopes her displays will spark some difficult but necessary reflections. “I think people forget that racism is everywhere and exists every day. I’m hoping that these displays will bring about a greater awareness of what people do not see and do not know.”
Read more about Macrina and how last year’s project led to her co-leading Black Community at The Ottawa Hospital.
Mary Ierullo
Mary Lerullo
Mary Ierullo had her own children, but she was also the “other mother” to countless young women in Ottawa. After immigrating to Ottawa from Italy as a young girl in 1928, Mary was always inspired to help others.
In the 1950s, she saw young pregnant women from back home struggling, so, despite not holding an official role at the hospital, she helped set up the first prenatal clinic for immigrant women at the Civic Hospital. She held their hands, literally and figuratively, as they transitioned into motherhood in their new country.
It was only a glimpse she caught, standing on the side of the Trans-Canada Highway as it curved along Lake Superior, but since then, Terry Fox has remained a source of inspiration for Dr. Rebecca Auer. His vision and determination helped motivate her to where she is today — an award-winning cancer clinician-scientist.
Dr. Auer combines revolutionary cancer research with hands-on patient care every day in her role as Executive Vice-President of Research and Innovation at The Ottawa Hospital and CEO and Scientific Director at The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute.
As a surgeon, Dr. Auer sees with clarity that, while surgery may be the best chance for a cure in most cancers, patients are particularly vulnerable to both infections and cancer recurrence in its aftermath, in large part because the immune system is suppressed in the postoperative period. Dr. Auer’s research program is focused on understanding the mechanisms behind this effect and reversing them with innovative therapies.
Dr. Rebecca Auer
In recognition of her practice-changing research, Dr. Auer has been named the 2023 recipient of the Chrétien Researcher of the Year Award.
Access to culturally safe health care is a priority for The Ottawa Hospital. We’re focused on strengthening Indigenous partnerships to guide our work to improve the experiences of First Nation, Inuit and Métis patients and their families.
TOH’s journey of reconciliation would not be possible without the vision of Marion Crowe – the first Indigenous Governor at TOH and Co-Chair of the Indigenous Peoples Advisory Circle. An accomplished and award-winning leader in First Nations health equity and governance, Marion was appointed to the TOH board on Indigenous Peoples Day June 21, 2017. She is also a proud member of Piapot First Nation in Saskatchewan and founding Chief Executive Officer of the First Nations Health Managers Association.
Marion says TOH’s work to advance Indigenous priorities is a result of many candid and sometimes difficult conversations and a true willingness among everyone at the table to pursue the journey together.
“The work of reconciliation is not easy,” she says. “You cannot have reconciliation without truth, and the truth can often times be painful and discouraging. With TOH, we’ve had a willingness from the beginning to engage in the hard work of reconciliation. We’ve created a true allyship at the leadership level and a real shift in thinking is gaining momentum across the organization. I commend the dedicated members of the Indigenous Peoples Advisory Circle for showing up for their people and for change. I’m immensely proud of our work together and look forward to continued progress.”
For decades, Dr. Emily Gear and her husband, Dr. Frank Berkman, a cardiologist at the Cardiac Unit (now called The University of Ottawa Heart Institute), lived across the street from the hospital so she could be at the Civic in minutes to deliver a baby. Dr. Gear had a practice in the basement of her home with a full-time nurse.
“Her nurse was like another grandmother to us,” recalls Dr. Gear’s daughter, Janet Berkman. “She’d come up at noon and join us for lunch.”
Janet also remembers many men over the years parked in the driveway of their home on Melrose Avenue, too uncomfortable to come inside with their wives.
Dr. Emily Gear was Ottawa’s first female OB/GYN, pictured here (front left) with a group of medical interns outside the Civic Hospital in 1950.
“Mom loved the people at the Civic Hospital,” Janet adds. “She did rounds there every morning and was there all the time for deliveries. The Civic was almost like her second home.”
“I spent more than 25 years as the only operating female orthopedic surgeon in the city. I know what it’s like not to feel like part of the group,” says Dr. Kathleen Gartke, Senior Medical Officer at The Ottawa Hospital.
Dr. Gartke’s sentiments are not unique among many women physicians. Although women have outnumbered men in medical school for 20 years, individual and systemic biases in healthcare can prevent qualified women candidates from pursuing, achieving and staying in leadership roles.
To fight this inequality, Dr. Virginia Roth, now The Ottawa Hospital’s Chief of Staff founded the Women Physician Leadership Committee (WPLC), formerly known as the Female Physician Leadership Committee, in 2011. It identifies, mentors and trains potential leaders, and recognizes, enables and supports existing leaders. A decade later, the committee is still going strong. The number of women division heads at the hospital grew from 12 percent in 2010 to 23 percent in 2021, an increase of 92 percent.
Born, raised, educated, and trained in Ottawa, Dr. Julianna Tomlinson is using research to change the way we think about Parkinson’s disease. Her work focuses on Parkinson’s-linked genes and is revealing the complexity of the disease. As the Senior Laboratory Manager in Dr. Michael Schlossmacher’s lab at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute (OHRI), Dr. Tomlinson is highly involved in community outreach, and her work is inspired and influenced by people living with Parkinson’s.
Dr. Barbara Vanderhyden has spent her career looking for the metaphorical missing pieces to some of ovarian cancer’s most complex puzzles. As a senior scientist at The Ottawa Hospital, professor at the University of Ottawa, and Corinne Boyer Chair in Ovarian Cancer Research, Dr. Vanderhyden’s work makes a 3,000-piece puzzle look like child’s play.
From her first award — the Soroptimist Award for her volunteering as a high schooler in 1978 — to the accolades she’s garnered since — including the Dr. J. David Grimes Research Career Achievement Award, the Capital Educator’s Award, and the Governor General’s Caring Canadian Award — Dr. Vanderhyden’s award-winning career has changed the way ovarian cancer is understood and treated today.
The Ottawa Hospital is a leading academic health, research, and learning hospital proudly affiliated with the University of Ottawa.
Categories: TOH Family, World-Leading Research
Hope despite aggressive skin cancer diagnosis
Diagnosed with a stage 4 melanoma at the age of 62, Dan Collins feared for his life when he learned about the aggressive form of cancer. However, immunotherapy treatment gave him a reason to hold out hope. Dan had hope because of scientists who never gave up; who were determined to turn the tables on cancer and to create a better chance of survival, for patients like him. Hope that a cure is coming.
Discovery of a mass
Four years ago, Dan had been travelling for work, when he started noticing some pain when he’d lean his head back to rest on the plane. He recalls turning to his family doctor to get answers. An ultrasound revealed there was something inside the back of his head that looked like a cyst.
After an initial biopsy, Dan was referred to a surgeon at The Ottawa Hospital Cancer Centre. Another biopsy revealed the cyst was actually a mass. It was melanoma. “I was scared. Cancer had stripped my family of so much. I lost both of my two older brothers and my father to cancer. I feared for my life,” recalls Dan.
Unfortunately, the mass starting growing – and it was growing fast. By the end of July, just two months later, the mass went from being not visible on the back of his head, to the size of a golf ball.
His surgical oncologist, Dr. Stephanie Obaseki-Johnson, initially wanted to shrink the tumour before surgery to remove it. However, the mass was growing too quickly.
Dan Collins with Oncologist Dr. Michael Ong.
Time to act
On August 11, 2015, Dan had surgery that lasted most of the day. When it was over, he had 25 staples and 38 stitches in the back of his head. As he recovered, Dan was reminded of a saying that helped him through recovery, “Never be ashamed of your scars. It just means you were stronger than whatever tried to hurt you.”
He would need that strength with the news that awaited him. Only two weeks later, the mass was back. His doctors also discovered a mass in his right lung and shadows in the lining of his belly. He had stage 4 cancer – it had metastasized. This was an aggressive cancer that left Dan thinking about the family he had already lost and what would happen to him.
The next generation of treatment
Soon, he was introduced to The Ottawa Hospital’s Dr. Michael Ong and was told about immunotherapy – the next generation of treatment, with the hope of one day eliminating traditional and sometimes harsh treatment like chemotherapy. Dr. Ong prescribed four high doses of immunotherapy. At the same time, radiation treatment began for Dan – 22 in all. His immunotherapy treatments were three weeks apart at the Cancer Centre and between each, he would have an x-ray to monitor the tumours.
“Each x-ray showed the tumours were getting smaller. That’s when the fear started shifting to hope.” – Dan Collins, patient
By December 2015, Dan finished immunotherapy treatment and the next step was to wait. “This transformational treatment was designed to train my own immune system to attack the cancer. We would have to be patient to see if my system would do just that,” says Dan.
While the shadows in Dan’s stomach lining had shrunk, the mass in his lung had not. That’s when Dr. Ong prescribed another immunotherapy drug that would require 24 treatments.
Dan learned from his oncologist that melanoma has gone from being an extremely lethal cancer, with few treatment options, to having many different effective therapies available.
“When I started as an oncologist a decade ago, melanoma was essentially untreatable. Only 25 percent would survive a year. Yet now, we can expect over three quarters of patients to be alive at one year. Many patients are cured of their metastatic cancer and come off treatment. We are now able to prevent 50 percent of high-risk melanoma from returning because of advances in immunotherapy,” says Dr. Ong.
Dan completed his last immunotherapy treatments in September 2017.
Oncologist Dr. Michael Ong of The Ottawa Hospital.
Today, there is no sign of cancer
When Dan thinks back to the day of his diagnosis, he remembers wondering if he was going to die. “I believe I’m here today because of research and because of those who have donated to research before me.”
He thinks back to when his older brother Rick died of cancer in 2007. “At the time he was treated, his doctor asked if he would participate in a research study. The doctor told him directly, this would not help him, but it would help somebody in the future.” Dan pauses to reflect and then continues, “I like to think, that maybe, he had a hand in helping me out today. Maybe he helped me survive. One thing I do know is that research was a game changer for me.”
The Ottawa Hospital has been a leader in bringing immunotherapy to patients. Research and life-changing treatments available at The Ottawa Hospital altered Dan’s outcome and he hopes that advancements will continue to have an impact on many more patients, not only here at home but right around the world.
The Ottawa Hospital is a leading academic health, research, and learning hospital proudly affiliated with the University of Ottawa.
Turning adversity into action – young philanthropist couple pays it forward
It isn’t every day that people respond to difficult experiences by stepping forward to make a difference in the lives of others, but that’s exactly what local philanthropists and entrepreneurs Harley Finkelstein and Lindsay Taub did. And they hope their story will inspire others to do the same.
Unexpected complications
In February 2019, Lindsay was in labour with the couple’s second child. They headed to the Civic campus of The Ottawa Hospital with nervous excitement in anticipation of meeting their new baby. But the birth did not unfold as they had hoped. After a relatively easy labour and delivery with their first in 2016, they expected a similar experience. This time, labour was extremely difficult and tremendously painful.
Lindsay required an emergency c-section. This is not what she and her husband, Harley, had planned for. They were scared at the prospect of surgery and for the well-being of their unborn child. Thankfully, their daughter was delivered safely, and both mom and baby were healthy.
Lindsay and Harley were exhausted, overwhelmed by the unexpected series of events, and desperately needing a chance to decompress and rest—a challenge while sharing a roomwith three other patients anda constant stream of their nurses, doctors, and visitors.
Discoveringa need
As the Chief Operating Officer of Shopify, a Canadian multinational e-commerce company located right here in Ottawa, Harley has dealt with his fair share of stressful situations but even he found this experience pushed his limits.“It was a stressful experience and we just hadn’t anticipated it,” said Harley.
As healthy young parents, Harley and Lindsay have been fortunate to have limited interaction with the hospital. It wasn’t until this difficult experience that Harley realized what it was like to be the loved one of someone experiencing a health complication. The care Lindsay and their baby received was excellent, and he was confident they were in good hands. Yet, he saw a need for a space that would provide a better family experience following the birth of a child.“Lindsay and I experienced a need and saw an opportunity to do something about it,” said Harley.
“Everyone can do something that makes things better for someone else,” says Harley. “I think this idea of paying it forward is what creates a vibrant, well-run, and prosperous community. And it doesn’t need to start when you’re 60 years old and retired- it should start as early as possible.” – Harley Finkelstein
Building community by paying it forward
Harley and Lindsay both come from humble beginnings but reflect fondly on their respective childhoods and the emphasis that was placed on spending time together. This is what inspired Lindsayto open her own ice cream shop, called Sundae School, and provide a place for families to gather together and enjoy a treat over conversation.
As their respective businesses and careers grew, they felt strongly that along with their good fortune came a responsibility to pay it forward and help others. They have become well-known in the Ottawa area, not only for their entrepreneurial successes, but as influential philanthropists in a thriving community of people who believe in making life in Ottawa better, including contributing to the building of The Finkelstein Chabad Jewish Centre.
“Philanthropy isn’t always about writing a big cheque,” says Harley. “It’s about finding someone who might be going through something difficult and making their life better. You don’t have to change everything but being incremental in donating your time or money can have a very big effect, especially if a lot of other people are inspired to do the same.”
Baby Zoe at home with mom, Lindsay.
Turning their challenging circumstance into action
And that’s exactly what Harley and Lindsay plan to do. With a donation to The Ottawa Hospital, they hope to inspire others to give back to their community in a way that is meaningful to them.
“Supporting the hospital was very personal having given birth there and having received such excellent medical care, but I also wanted to contribute to other aspects of people’s experiences. It was really important to us,” says Lindsay. “I want our girls to see that not only do we have businesses we care about, but we also care deeply about our community and want to contribute however we can – there are so many ways to do it.”
“We care deeply about our community and want to contribute however we can – there are so many ways to do it.” – Lindsay Taub
A hope to inspire others
Ultimately, Harley and Lindsayfeel strongly that they need to lead by example, not only as role models for their own girls, but to motivate others in the community.
“Everyone can do something that makes things better for someone else,” says Harley. “I think this idea of paying it forward is what creates a vibrant, well-run, and prosperous community. And it doesn’t need to start when you’re 60 years old and retired- it should start as early as possible.”
The Ottawa Hospital is a leading academic health, research, and learning hospital proudly affiliated with the University of Ottawa.
Categories: Donors
True love will continue through legacy gifts
“When I search for you, I never look too far. In every room, in every corner – there you are.”
Jim Whitehead wrote that poem to his late wife, Pat, after she passed away. The two had a magical connection that spanned almost their entire lives, including over 35 years of marriage.
Pat and Jim first met as young children in an Orangeville neighbourhood where Jim lived, and where Pat would visit relatives. Eventually, the pair went their separate ways, and over the course of about 20 years, they each married and had two children, all boys.
It wasn’t until they were in their mid-forties and both living in Ottawa, that their paths would cross again. “We became ‘simultaneously singlelized’ and reunited,” Jim remembers, as a smile stretches across his face.
Love reconnected
Their reconnection was instant. “We both were at a party in Barrhaven, hosted by a mutual friend. When I saw her, I knew that this moment was it.”
The rest, shall we say, is history. The couple married and built their life together in their cozy home near the Civic Campus of The Ottawa Hospital. They shared a love of music, art and travel, all of which is obvious when you look around their home. They also had a deep connection to their community – in fact, Pat generously supported 40 local charities.
After Pat passed away in January 2018, following a seven-year struggle with the effects of Alzheimer’s dementia, Jim decided to revisit the charities he and his late wife had supported.
Jim’s late wife, Patricia, pictured at their cozy home.
Legacy of their love
Ultimately, he decided to leave a gift in his will to 11 organizations, including The Ottawa Hospital. During his work years, Jim some spent time as an employee of the geriatric unit of the Civic Hospital, now the Civic Campus of The Ottawa Hospital. With the hospital being just a stone’s throw from his front steps, this gift was important to him. “My sons were born there and my two stepsons as well. I worked there, Pat and I were both cared for at the hospital, and I realized that I wanted to do more.”
As Jim sits in his living room, he still grieves for the loss of his beloved wife. However, Pat’s presence fills their home, with the special touches, from the addition she designed to the pictures that hang on the wall to the marionettes that she made herself. Jim reflects on their special bond, which was so strong that it brought the two back together. “We were well matched,” smiles Jim. He continues, “I had never loved or been loved as much, or as well, as with my Patricia.”
Jim’s gift will be a lasting legacy for not only him but also of Pat, and it will honour their deep love of their community and each other. Their love story will continue for generations by providing care and attention to patients in years to come.
The Ottawa Hospital is a leading academic health, research, and learning hospital proudly affiliated with the University of Ottawa.
Categories: Donors, Donors, Gift In Will, TOH Family
Excruciating chest pains woke Phyllis Holmes from a deep sleep. A trip to the emergency room revealed a twist in her small intestine. Doctors used an uncommon technique that involved leaving her abdomen clamped open for two days after surgery – it’s the reason Phyllis is alive today.
The first of many miracles
For 18 months Phyllis experienced on-and-off pain in her chest. Some episodes lasted for only a few minutes, while others lasted for several hours. Unable to pinpoint the cause of her pain, Phyllis’ doctor started an elimination process; sending her for various tests, including a visit to the University of Ottawa Heart Institute. When results revealed it wasn’t her heart that was causing such discomfort, doctors ordered a CT scan hoping it would provide some answers.
However, only a few days prior to her scheduled appointment, Phyllis jolted awake in excruciating pain. Lying next to her, concerned, was her husband, Brian Jackson, who insisted they pay a visit to the emergency room. Her pain persisted as they checked in at The Ottawa Hospital’s General Campus. Recognizing the severity of her pain, the admitting staff immediately put her in an examination room.
A life-threatening diagnosis
Dr. Guillaume Martel and Phyllis Holmes
After several tests, Phyllis underwent a CT scan. The results showed her life was on the line.
As Phyllis recalls her experience, she describes hearing only one thing – they would need to perform emergency surgery immediately. “That was all I heard,” said Phyllis. “We have to do emergency surgery or you may be faced with a life-threatening circumstance.”
What the CT scan revealed was a small twist in her intestine, causing her entire bowel to turn purple, almost black. “Her whole small intestine was dying,” said Phyllis’ surgeon, Dr. Guillaume Martel, “which is not survivable. But we got to her quickly, and that day, things lined up perfectly.”
Traditionally, with a bowel in such a condition, surgeons would have removed the section of the bowel that was compromised. However, in Phyllis’ case, almost her entire bowel was jeopardized. Removing such a large portion of her bowel would have reduced her to being fed through IV nutrition for the rest of her life.
A mid-surgery decision
Once Phyllis was in the operating room, doctors were able to more accurately assess the severity of the damage caused to her intestine. Some vitality in her bowel remained— an encouraging sign that there was a chance it could be saved. Rather than remove the intestine, they decided to leave her abdomen clamped open and wait.
For two days Phyllis lay sedated in the intensive care unit, her abdomen left open. Throughout that time, Brian recalls the nurses and doctors were attentive and compassionate, letting him know what was going on every step of the way. “I was always in the loop about what was going on,” said Brian, something that he was grateful for during a particularly emotional and stressful time.
“Leaving a patient open can be a form of damage control,” explained Dr. Martel. This technique relieved a lot of pressure in Phyllis’ abdomen, allowing time to see whether her bowel would survive. However, it can be difficult for a doctor to know if this technique will work for one patient over another. Luckily, in Phyllis’ case, it did.
The wait was over
When Phyllis was brought back to the operating room for her second surgery, Dr. Balaa, the surgeon, told Brian what to expect. It could be a long procedure, where they would remove part of her intestine, and in its place attach a colostomy bag. Brian settled in for a long and stressful wait, unsure of what life might be like once Phyllis’ surgery was complete. But less than an hour later, Dr. Balaa appeared with incredible news.
When they took off the covering, a sheet that protected her abdomen while she lay clamped open, her intestine was healthy and back to normal again. To their amazement, her intestine remained viable and all they needed to do was stitch her back up.
Recovery period
The next morning Phyllis woke to Brian’s warm smile at her bedside. While she was unaware of the incredible turn of events, she was grateful to be alive.
She remained at the hospital for a week after the first surgery. While she recovered, Phyllis recalls receiving exceptional care. “The doctors always had so much time for me when they did their rounds,” said Phyllis. “They were very patient and engaged in my situation, it was heartwarming and wonderful.” Phyllis was so grateful, she wanted to show her appreciation.
Showing Gratitude
Dr. Guillaume Martel was part of a team that saved Phyllis’ life.
That’s when Phyllis heard of the Gratitude Award Program. This program was developed as a thoughtful way for patients to say thank you to the caregivers who go above and beyond to provide extraordinary care, every day. It’s a way for patients, like Phyllis, to recognize caregivers by giving a gift in their honour to The Ottawa Hospital. The caregivers are presented with a Gratitude Award pin and a special message from the patient letting them know the special care given did not go unnoticed.
Honouring Dr. Martel and several others through the Gratitude Award Program was a meaningful way for Phyllis to say thank you. “I wanted to be able to give something in return,” said Phyllis.
Dr. Martel was touched by the gesture. “When you receive a pin from a patient like Phyllis, it’s very gratifying,” explained Dr. Martel. “It’s something you can feel good about receiving.”
A healing experience
Phyllis’ journey at The Ottawa Hospital was far more than an emergency room visit and two surgeries. When asked to reflect on her experience, she tells a story of compassionate care and healing, both physically and mentally. “I felt that even though I was there to heal physically, I was getting psychological support as well,” Phyllis explained. “Everyone would use eye contact, or they’d touch my hand with compassion. It was very personal. I saw the divinity in those people,” explained Phyllis. “I saw it. I experienced it first-hand. And it is healing. That is the healing that takes place when you have those very special encounters. It heals you.”
Today, Phyllis feels incredibly grateful for the care she received at The Ottawa Hospital. “It was second to none,” she said.
Dr. Guillaume Martel
In August 2019, Dr. Guillaume Martel was announced as the first Arnie Vered Family Chair in Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Research. Dr. Martel is a gifted surgeon at The Ottawa Hospital who has saved and prolonged the lives of countless patients, particularly those with cancer. An international search conducted for this Research Chair found the best candidate right here in Ottawa. This Research Chair provides the opportunity for innovative clinical trials and cutting-edge surgical techniques that will benefit our patients for years to come. This was made possible through the generous support of the Vered Family, alongside other donors.
“When Arnie got sick, he needed to travel to Montreal for treatment. It was so hard for him to be away from home and our six children. We wanted to help make it possible for people to receive treatment right here in Ottawa. This Chair is an important part of his legacy.” – Liz Vered, donor
The Ottawa Hospital is a leading academic health, research, and learning hospital proudly affiliated with the University of Ottawa.
Categories: Gratitude Award, Innovation and Technology
Eternally grateful for the care she received, Gina Mertikas-Lavictoire is giving back to The Ottawa Hospital through the sale of beautiful calendars featuring her mother’s artwork.
2025 Mertikas Calendars of Hope
Purchase a 2025 calendar featuring the artwork of Ottawa local Katerina Mertikas, a renowned UNICEF artist since 1993. Her daughter Gina Mertikas, a cancer survivor, launched this initiative to raise funds in support of clinical trials at The Ottawa Hospital. The calendars are available for purchase now and throughout the holidays.
Please note:
The 2025 calendars are available for sale at $30, including shipping costs, with proceeds being donated to support clinical trials at The Ottawa Hospital.
Calendars will be delivered 3-5 business days after purchase.
If you have any questions regarding the 2025 Calendars of Hope, please e-mail events@toh.ca
Update: It is with heavy hearts that we share that Saila Kipanek passed away on Friday, March 25, 2022 in Iqaluit. Saila had a huge impact on the Indigenous Cancer Program at our hospital and on many of our staff. We are deeply saddened by his loss and offer our condolences to his family.
“Saila was one of my first patients in this role. He taught me so much — how to be a better listener not only of the spoken word but to listen for words that sometimes are too painful to utter. He shared about his youth, his family, and his culture — the joys as well as the sorrows. Our almost weekly telephone chats will be greatly missed. “
Carolyn Roberts, Indigenous Patient Nurse Navigator Indigenous Cancer Program
The following story was written in late 2019 before Saila passed away.
Inuit carves way to mental well-being after cancer
After his cancer diagnosis, Saila Kipanek, a traditional Inuk carver, couldn’t have imagined how important his life’s work would be for his recovery.
When Saila was diagnosed with cancer, he knew his best chance for survival was treatment at The Ottawa Hospital. But uprooting his life in Nunavut, to be treated in Ottawa, away from his family, friends, and community would prove to be a challenge. It took a toll on his mental health.
But staff at The Ottawa Hospital would go the extra mile to make him feel at home.
A holistic approach to healing
It was a cold February day, when Saila woke up in a post-op recovery room. He was feeling like a shell of his former self. Having spent months away from his home and his loved ones while undergoing cancer treatment, which included chemotherapy, radiation and surgery, he was suffering from extreme depression.
Not long after Saila’s surgery, Carolyn Roberts, a Registered Nurse and First Nations, Inuit, and Metis Nurse Navigator for the Indigenous Cancer Program, took Saila to Gatineau Park. As they sat by the river, Saila shared that his mental health was “in his boots” – but, he knew exactly what he needed to heal. “What I really need is to carve,” he explained to Carolyn. “Carving would help me feel like myself.”
Treating patients from Nunavut in Ottawa
The Ottawa Hospital Cancer Centre, through an agreement with the Government of Nunavut, is the provider of cancer services to residents of Baffin Islands and eastern Nunavut. For this reason, patients like Saila travel thousands of kilometres to receive the very best treatment and care in Ottawa. However, coming to such a large city away from familiar culture, language, and food can make them feel isolated, and take a toll on their mental health.
Saila Kapinek carving his way to mental well-being at The Ottawa Hospital.
The dancing bear that Saila began carving as he was receiving treatment at The Ottawa Hospital Cancer Centre.
Patient-centredhealth care
The role of the Nurse Navigator within the Indigenous Cancer Program is diverse and patient-centred. An important part of Carolyn’s role is to listen to the needs of each patient and work to the best of her ability to accommodate those needs. “If you just listen,” said Carolyn, “patients tell you what they need to heal.”
Carolyn did just that. After listening to Saila’s struggles, she was determined to help him. It was at that moment that Carolyn took it upon herself to find a space within the hospital for Saila to carve.
She approached Kevin Godsman, then one of the Managers of Facilities, to see if there was a room that Saila could use to carve in. With help from his colleagues, he found a room and fitted it out with furniture, tools and a vacuum.
Carolyn Roberts chats with Saila Kapinek at The Ottawa Hospital cancer centre.
A grand opening
A party was organized for the grand opening of Saila’s carving room. It was an emotional moment for him, realizing he would be able to carve again.
For the next six weeks, while he underwent his chemotherapy and radiation treatment, Saila carved.
His depression lifted, and his cancer was halted.
“Glad I got back to carving,” said Saila. “Grateful I’m doing it again. It helped in the long run.”
When he returned home to Iqaluit, he took his pieces with him and finished them. At a follow up appointment in September 2018, he brought his finished carvings back to show the team what they helped him create.
“They turned out even better than I imagined,” said Kevin. “It’s nice to know that The Ottawa Hospital has a little part in the making of them too.”
Today, Saila is feeling strong and well, and grateful for the compassionate care he received at The Ottawa Hospital.
The Ottawa Hospital is a leading academic health, research, and learning hospital proudly affiliated with the University of Ottawa.
Categories: Cancer, Cancer, Mental Health
Making world-first discoveries and pushing the boundaries of breast cancer care and research right here at The Ottawa Hospital
In front of a buzzing crowd of more than 200 generous contributors and tireless allies, the new Rose Ages Breast Health Centre at The Ottawa Hospital officially opened its doors on September 20, 2018. The event marked a thrilling close to an ambitious $14 million fundraising campaign.
Built and equipped through the unfailing generosity of our community, the Centre now houses an impressive suite of technologies that are among the latest and most comprehensive in Canada. Many of them enable more accurate and much less invasive diagnoses and treatments.
But more than just technology, the new Centre was designed as an inviting space to enhance wellness and connection to friends and family. It also allows patients to be closer to the specialists involved in their care, from before diagnosis to after treatment, and beyond. This means, thanks to donor support, more patients can be treated with therapies that are tailored to their unique circumstance.
A comprehensive breast health program to address growing need
The Ottawa Hospital offers a comprehensive breast centre, providing expertise in breast imaging, diagnosis, risk assessment, surgical planning, and psychosocial support.
The consolidation of four breast health centres spread out across the city down to two (the Rose Ages Breast Health Centre and Hampton Park), allow for more centralized services, less travel time, improved patient care and operational efficiencies.
This year alone, another 1,000 women in our region will be diagnosed with breast cancer. Thanks to the generous donor community in the Ottawa region, The Ottawa Hospital is already tackling this growing challenge and working hard to improve every aspect of breast cancer care with innovative research and the very best treatments and techniques.
“Your generosity has improved the largest breast centre in Canada,” said Dr. Seely. “We are now poised to lead the way for excellence in breast health care.”
The creation of REaCT
The Ottawa Hospital’s commitment to innovation and research is revolutionizing clinical trials, improving patient outcomes every day. Though clinical trials offer improved treatment options, less than three percent of cancer patients in Canada are enrolled in clinical trials. Part of the reason for low enrollment is the daunting prospect of lengthy paperwork each patient must fill out before becoming involved in a trial. As well, regulatory hurdles often make opening a new trial too expensive and time consuming. In response to these challenges, in 2014, Dr. Marc Clemons, medical oncologist and scientist, in collaboration with Dr. Dean Fergusson, Director of the Clinical Epidemiology Program, and their colleagues at The Ottawa Hospital, developed the Rethinking Clinical Trials or REaCT program as a way to make the process of enrollment in clinical trials easier and more efficient for cancer patients.
This ground-breaking program conducts practical patient-focused research to ensure patients receive optimal, safe and cost-effective treatments. Since REaCT isn’t investigating a new drug or a new therapy, but rather looks at the effectiveness of an existing therapy, regulatory hurdles are not an issue and patients can consent verbally to begin treatment immediately. By the end of 2017, this program enrolled more breast cancer patients in clinical trials than all other trials in Canada combined. Currently, there are more than 2,300 participants involved in various REaCT trials.
Drs Mark Clemons and Dean Fergusson developed the Rethinking Clinical Trials or REaCT program
The Rose Ages Breast Health Centre 2018-2019 stats and facts
49,288 diagnostic breast examinations and procedures
2,397 breast biopsies
5,129 breast clinic patient visits
1,929 referrals to the Breast Clinic
889 diagnosed breast cancer patients
Specialized patient care
Tanya O’Brien
Five years ago, Tanya O’Brien received the news she had been afraid of all her life. Like her six family members before her, she was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Today, Tanya is cancer-free. When she thinks back to the 16 months of treatment she received at the Rose Ages Breast Health Center at The Ottawa Hospital, Tanya credits her dedicated and skilled care team for guiding her through and out of the darkest time in her life.
“We have come so far as a community in changing the narrative of breast cancer. We have given women like me, like us, so much hope,” said Tanya.
Rita Nattkemper
When a routine mammogram identified a small tumour, Rita Nattkemper was given an innovative option to mark its location for the surgery. A radioactive seed, the size of a pinhead, was injected directly into the tumour in her breast.
For years, an uncomfortable wire was inserted into a woman’s breast before surgery to pinpoint the cancer tumour. Today, a tiny radioactive seed is implanted instead, making it easier for surgeons to find and fully remove the cancer, and more comfortable for patients like Rita.
“It’s a painless procedure to get this radioactive seed in, and it helps the doctor with accuracy,” said Rita.
Marilyn Erdely
At the age of 29, Marilyn had a lumpectomy after receiving a stage zero breast cancer diagnosis. She was confident she would be fine. But five years later, her cancer metastasized.
“Scans would reveal the cancer was throughout my body. I had significant cancer in the bones, in my femur, in my back, in my ovaries, and in my liver. I was head-to-toe cancer,” said Marilyn.
Oncologist Dr. Stan Gertler gave her hope for recovery. Within six months of her stage four diagnosis, Marilyn required several surgeries. But then things changed. She started feeling better, stronger.
Today, she is down to just a couple of one-centimeter tumours on her liver. Everything else is resolved. The cancer is dormant.
‘I walked through my darkest fears and came out the other side.’
It would be a routine mammogram, which would turn Annette Gibbons’ world upside down. The public servant would soon begin her breast cancer journey, but she put her complete trust in her medical team at The Ottawa Hospital.
Vesna Zic-Côté
The gift of time with family
Mom of three, Vesna, is living with terminal metastatic breast cancer. She is hoping clinical trials will continue to extend her life so she has more time with those she loves.
International research to find breast cancer sooner
The Ottawa Hospital is one of six sites in Canada participating in the Tomosynthesis Mammographic Imaging Screening Trial (TMIST), a randomized breast cancer screening trial that will help researchers determine the best ways to find breast cancer in women who have no symptoms, and whether a newer 3D imaging technique decreases the rate of advanced breast cancers.
The trial compares standard digital mammography (2D) with a newer technology called tomosynthesis mammography (3D). Conventional 2D mammography creates a flat image from pictures taken from two sides of the breast. With 3D mammography a 3D image is created from images taken at different angles around the breast.
Worldwide the study is expected to enroll around 165,000 patients over five years. With the new, increased mammography capacity at the Rose Ages Breast Health Centre we expect to enroll at least 1500 patients from our region.
Your impact
The Rose Ages Breast Health Centre at The Ottawa Hospital is committed to providing an exceptional level of care for patients, approaching each case with medical excellence, practice, and compassion. The Centre’s reputation for world-leading research and patient care attracts to Ottawa some of the brightest and most capable health-care professionals in the world who help deliver extraordinary care to patients in our community.
You continue to be a critical part of our success as we strive to redraw the boundaries of breast health care. On behalf of the thousands of patients and families who need The Ottawa Hospital, we thank you for your tremendous support and for your continued involvement.
The Ottawa Hospital is a leading academic health, research, and learning hospital proudly affiliated with the University of Ottawa.
Categories: Clinical Trials
It was an unimaginable brain tumour diagnosis that Natasha Lewis never saw coming. It started one morning, in 2016; the mother of three remembers waking up with a strange symptom.
“I looked in the mirror and noticed my tongue was twisting to the left,” recalled Natasha. Her first thought was that she had a stroke, but she was confused by the fact the rest of her body seemed normal.
She went for tests at The Ottawa Hospital and three days later, her life changed. Natasha was driving when she got the call. Tests revealed a tumour in her brain. “I felt so sick when I heard the news that I had to pull over.”
Diagnosis shatters mom’s world
Natasha Lewis with her husband, Marvin.
Natasha had a schwannoma tumour on her hypoglossal nerve, which controls the tongue. Schwannomas are rarely found in the brain and even more rarely on that specific nerve. Her mind was racing. “I was only 38 years old, a wife, and mother of three young children.”
When she got home to St. Isidore, east of Ottawa, she sat with her youngest daughter as she relayed the information to her husband. “I had tears falling down my face. I didn’t know what was going to happen.”
All this time she thought she was healthy. “I was losing weight, running, and training for marathons and triathlons.” All she could think about were her three, beautiful, young children. What would this mean for them?
“We’re in the right place. We’re in Canada, we’re close to Ottawa, we’ll get the best care.”
– Marvin Lewis
However, her husband, Marvin, was a pillar of strength. She remembers him saying, “We’re in the right place. We’re in Canada, we’re close to Ottawa, we’ll get the best care.” She adds, “He has never been so right.”
Natasha was cared for at The Ottawa Hospital – one of the few hospitals in Canada that could help her because of the complexity of her diagnosis. Dr. Fahad Alkherayf, a world-class skull base surgeon told her the tumour was benign and he would closely monitor her in the months ahead.
Normally, a schwannoma is a tumour that grows in the sheaths of nerves in the peripheral nervous system, or the parts of the nervous system that aren’t in your brain or spinal cord. Schwannomas are usually low-grade tumours, meaning they can often be successfully treated, but they’re still serious and can be life-threatening. It is estimated that in 2021, there will be 27 new primary brain tumours diagnosed every day in Canada. Non-malignant tumours account for almost two-thirds of all primary brain tumours.
Condition deteriorating
Less than a year later, while the tumour had grown only slightly, Natasha’s quality of life was deteriorating.
She was scared to see what was happening with her body. Initially, there was drooling from both sides of her mouth, then Natasha started slurring her words. It was a little embarrassing, but she could handle it. In addition, swallowing became more difficult and her shoulder felt like it was on fire. That’s when she lost the ability to move it and couldn’t use it to work out. Even worse, she couldn’t lift her children.
By May 2018, it was time to operate when the side effects continued to worsen.
Surgeons ready for complex procedure
It was an intricate 10-hour brain surgery. Dr. Alkherayf brought in ear surgeon, Dr. David Schramm, a colleague at The Ottawa Hospital, to assist because of where the tumor was located. Dr. Alkherayf wanted to have another highly-skilled surgeon with him because the tumour was near the ear canal.
Natasha with Dr. Alkherayf
The surgical team accessed her brain through the base of the skull. While minimally invasive surgeries are becoming more common than open surgeries, where the brain is accessed through a more invasive and significant incision, it wasn’t an option for Natasha because there were too many nerves to navigate. With traditional surgery, patients can spend a week recovering in the hospital. With minimally invasive surgery, they sometimes go home the same day. In Natasha’s case, though complex and intricate, open surgery was the less risky option and she benefitted from the expertise available to her right here in Ottawa.
Dr. Alkherayf knew they likely couldn’t remove all of the tumour because of those surrounding nerves; damaging them meant Natasha might lose her ability to hear and swallow. While these risks were terrifying for Natasha, Dr. Alkherayf made her feel confident and gave her hope.
“I remember Dr. Alkherayf said there would be another chapter in my life. I held on to those words.”
– Natasha Lewis
Incredibly, her surgeons were able to remove ninety-nine percent of the tumour leaving only a small sliver so they didn’t have to cut the nerves.
Journey continues after remarkable recovery
Following her surgery, Natasha made a remarkable recovery. She has her hearing — it’s a little muffled but she’s told over time it will return to normal. She’s back at work, her speech is back to normal, and she can swallow without difficulty.
This active mom’s recovery has been nothing short of remarkable. Four months post-surgery, Natasha ran the Commander’s challenge at the Army Run. She started training for a marathon and she has the dream of qualifying for the Boston Marathon.
However, in 2019, she received news the tumour had grown back, despite being told the odds of that were low. Natasha was devastated, but her healthcare team would turn to the CyberKnife – a revolutionary piece of equipment that arrived at The Ottawa Hospital in 2010, as a result of donor support.
“At first I was nervous to have the CyberKnife treatment. I had to go by myself because we had no one to watch the kids. However, the staff was very patient, kind, and made you feel warm and safe. I was able to watch a movie and the machine did the work,” recalls Natasha. She would have three, one-hour treatments.
Natasha and her family
“I had to go by myself because we had no one to watch the kids. However, the staff was very patient, kind, and made you feel warm and safe.”
– Natasha Lewis
Today, she prays that “Jim,” the name she’s given the tumour, will not come back. While there’s uncertainty over what will happen next, she continues to be active with her running and most importantly, she can run, play with, and hug her three children. “I can hear them laugh and tell me they love me. There is no greater feeling in the world,” smiles Natasha.
The Ottawa Hospital is a leading academic health, research, and learning hospital proudly affiliated with the University of Ottawa.
Categories: Creating Tomorrow, Creating Tomorrow, Innovation and Technology
Important Notice - Canada Post operations have resumed, but mail delivery may still be affected. For more details on online and in-person donation options, please click here.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
