With the onset of COVID-19, Amanda became responsible for communicating to over 4000 staff and physicians. “It was completely overwhelming at first,” she says. “We were in crisis-mode and bombarded with information that was vital for our health care workers.” At St. Joseph’s the response to the...

Every morning Julie wakes up with an important mission to keep those she cares for safe, healthy and happy. With a keen sense of duty, she cares for an extremely vulnerable patient population in long-term care and never takes shortcuts. She fully understands the importance of her role. “The pandemic...

When the pandemic began, health care providers from both London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) and St. Joseph’s Health Care London received an outpouring of support from the community. Much of this support came in the form of food donations for emergency and urgent care staff and physicians at LHSC’s...

Family caregivers are often the invisible frontline workers in our health care system and act as vital members of the health care team. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many family caregivers were faced with significant challenges as supports within the community dwindled due visitor restrictions in...

Rebecca Cantor, Nurse Educator in Specialized Geriatrics Services can’t wait to see people’s smiling faces again. “Parkwood Institute is full of wonderful, friendly people! I miss seeing people smile as you pass them in the hall.” Throughout the pandemic, Rebecca hasn’t seen the smiles but has seen...

Emily McCarthy, Music Therapist in the Veterans Care Program, has always turned to music during difficult times, and COVID-19 has been no different. “Every day I see how it has helped me personally and the veterans I work with.” During this crisis it has been important for Emily to feel like she has...

“How can I help?” was Dave’s moto as COVID-19 began to ramp up. Scheduled appointments and surgeries began to be postponed but St. Joseph’s still needed to meet the care needs of patients. His team of information technology specialists readied themselves to enable virtual appointments for patients...

Understanding the COVID-19 situation will eventually improve Daria Nedilski, Occupational Therapist at Parkwood Institute, is focusing on the opportunity it provides for time and solitude. “Many of us have been able to slow down and become more introspective,” says Daria. “For me, I am constantly...

As a psychiatrist, Viraj, thought he would need to mentally support those close to him including his family and friends. He knew circumstances at work would be challenging and he would be running on little sleep. What he didn’t anticipate was that his wife and parents would be a constant source of...

A farmer. A hard worker. An independent man. This would describe Chris MacGregor, even after he experienced a stroke at age 50. “The stroke took everything on his right side. It took his speech. He could do nothing,” says Connie, his wife of 23 years. To regain movement, Chris received therapy in...