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

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Unlocking boundless potential

Ashmeet Gill had her first PET/CT scan shortly after being diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a cancer of the body’s germ-fighting immune system. She was nervous. Claustrophobia is an issue for the young Stratford resident and the scan, necessary to determine if the cancer had spread beyond the lymph nodes in her neck, would take 34 to 45 minutes, she was told. Wrapped in a sheet and tucked inside the tube of the PET/CT at St. Joseph’s Health Care London (St. Joseph’s), Ashmeet, then 24, steeled herself to remain calm. But near the end of the scan, a sense of panic set in. “It was not pleasant...

Know your status

You can’t rely on symptoms to know if you have HIV. Tremendous progress has been made in the response to AIDS/HIV since the virus infection first emerged in the 1980s, but not enough. While HIV treatment now allows people to live much longer, healthier lives and is highly effective in preventing HIV...

Study reveals clinical factors linked to reduced mortality in injection drug users with heart valve infection

London researchers show importance of cardiac surgery and addictions counselling. Cases of endocarditis – infection of the heart valves – have risen dramatically in recent years as a result of the opioid crisis. In London, Ontario, 55 per cent of people who experience heart valve infections are...

Persevering through poetry

Melissa Weiler proudly holds her first self-published book. Entitled “Emotions”, it's a collection of thought-provoking poems written over a 30-year span. Many emanate feelings from her high school days. They are reflections on life, loss and all the mixed emotions of being a teenager. Melissa, 48...

A stroke of gratitude

Allan Campbell shares his story of recovery at both London Health Sciences Centre and Parkwood Institute after experiencing a devastating stroke. Like any other night, Allan Campbell went to bed after a long day of work. Little did he know that at 11:45 pm, his life would forever change. No longer a...

Resiliency and strength tame ‘uninvited visitor’ who never leaves

Mary Ann Morgan of London, who has lived with type 1 diabetes for 60 years, is among this year’s recipients of St. Joseph's Diabetes Half Century Awards. Mary Ann Morgan calls it an “uninvited, unwelcome, very demanding, 24/7 visitor that wants its own way at any cost.” She could have become a...

A soldier’s true courage

Chief Warrant Officer Lawrence Surridge was just 17-years old when he joined the Canadian Armed Forces in 1973. His family has deep military roots and he knew it was his calling. His grandfather, who served in the Great War, was a strong influence early in life, instilling traditional military...

St. Joseph's helps Shine the Light on women abuse

Are you a victim of woman abuse? Do you know where to go for help? The Regional Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Treatment Program at St. Joseph’s Hospital provides care for women, children and men who have experienced sexual assault/sexual abuse and/or domestic violence. A team of specialized...

A time to remember

Robert Kennedy, Second World War veteran, reminisces about his time in the military while gazing at the war medals he received for service in the Atlantic, the Arctic, Africa, Burma, New Zealand and Russia. There is one that stands out above the rest – the Victory Star. “It marked the end of the war...

Reducing diabetes related amputations

The numbers are startling. Half of all limb amputations in Ontario are directly related to diabetes. Of those, 85 per cent are a result of a foot ulcer (breakdown of the skin) that won’t heal. The impact is devastating, even deadly. Nearly 70 per cent of limb amputees with diabetes will not survive...