Our Stories

Read the latest stories about what's going on at St. Joseph's Health Care London.

Stephen Yeo, Spiritual Care supervisor-educator, in the chapel at St. Joseph’s Southwest Centre for Forensic Mental Health Care.

"A real strength for living" Patients benefit from Spiritual Care services at Southwest Centre

Years ago, during an evening chapel service for patients held at Southwest Centre, a volunteer from the community began the service by saying he was there to pray on behalf of “all these wonderful people,” so they would know they were loved. Afterward, Stephen Yeo, Spiritual Care supervisor-educator at Southwest Centre, rode the elevator with one of the patients on the way back to his unit. As he often does, he asked how the service had been for him. "He looked at me and said, 'He called us wonderful people,'" Yeo recalls. "Usually, patients will say the music was nice, or the reflection was...
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Celeste pharmacy graduate

Finding her niche, discovering her passion

Celeste Giovanatti wants to be the best pharmacist she can be. She also wants to play a role in reducing what she describes as “fractured care”, which she noticed far too often during placements in community pharmacies throughout her four years of pharmacy school. Now, as a new pharmacy graduate...
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Dr. Susan McNair

An “extraordinary career”

With unwavering compassion and visionary leadership, Dr. Susan McNair has dedicated more than 40 years to improving the lives of survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence -a commitment that has earned her the distinguished honour of being named one of the 2025 YMCA Women of Excellence. As...
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Breanne and Elysia in garden at Parkwood

Regaining life through leisure

When Elysa Spetgang was 21 years old, she had no idea the numbness and tingling in her feet would eventually lead to a medically induced coma and life support, a diagnosis of Guillain-Barre Syndrome and an eight-month stay at St. Joseph’s Health Care London’s Parkwood Institute. For four months...
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Thuvaraha Jeyakumaran

‘Outstanding work’ nets young researcher three awards

If science were a baseball game, Thuvaraha Jeyakumaran’s batting average would rank her an all-star in her first major-league season. For the third consecutive time, the research coordinator and knowledge-mobilization specialist at St. Joseph’s Parkwood Institute has become an award-winner for three...
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Maggie and Ruth seated outside in park

Effective care, less stress

For eight years, Maggie Perquin was a caregiver for her partner, Ruth, as she navigated life with Alzheimer’s. Throughout, Maggie was able to care for Ruth at home, until Ruth passed away in April 2023. During much of that time, Maggie was grateful for virtual care appointments with specialists and...
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Sam Ayoko, navigator

Bridging the digital divide in health care

Sam Ayoko doesn’t have a health background but for the patients he works with, he plays an invaluable role in their health care journey. In the ever-evolving landscape of health care, technology is playing an increasingly critical role in how we access medical services. Every day at London Heath...
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patient Micheline

Care with comfort

Without hesitation, Micheline Steele provides an emphatic rave review of her extensive experience with virtual care. “It changed my life,” says the 64-year-old. For years, crippling chronic pain curtailed every aspect of life for Micheline. An avid fitness enthusiast, even gentle exercise was out of...
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Dr. Neville Suskin

A national leader in shaping cardiac rehabilitation

Anyone who has suffered a frightening heart-related event understands the importance of safely limiting the risk of developing more heart trouble, resuming life and improving wellbeing. This is the critical role of cardiac rehabilitation and a St. Joseph’s Health Care London (St. Joseph’s) physician...
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nurse Ellen Bertul

An investment in our future

Ellen Bentulan describes the experience of being Niya Manu’s nursing preceptor like watching a butterfly spread its wings. Over the course of her eight-week placement on the Palliative Care Unit at St. Joseph’s Health Care London’s (St. Joseph’s) Parkwood Institute, Ellen watched the young nursing...
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