June 2015
at Humber River Hospital
M A G A Z I N E O U R
P E O P L E
SPECIAL EDITION C E L E B R A T I N G
O U R
L E G A C Y
O U R C A R E
at Humber River Hospital
SPECIAL EDITION C E L E B R A T I N G
O U R
L E G A C Y
Editorial Committee: Wendy Coello Christine Fisher Darren Indarsingh Bob Parke Rita Wilder-Craig
S
O MANY GREAT PEOPLE. So much great work. If they could talk, the walls at Humber River Hospital would have such wonderful stories to tell.
For they have witnessed generations of men and women come together: first, to bring a hospital to their community; then, to deliver decades of caring and service to patients and families. We are committed to honouring their legacy in a meaningful way when we move to our new hospital this October. By so doing, we show our understanding of a simple truth: the future is built on the past. This Special Edition of PeopleCare is a celebration of that rich history. It’s one way we are letting the walls speak. Because at its essence, Humber River Hospital has never been, and never will be, about the buildings. It’s always been about the people. The men and women who came together to make it a special place. Whatever we may achieve in our short time here is only possible because of those who came before. The staff, physicians and volunteers Humber River Hospital June 2015
magazine is published six times a year and is dedicated to highlighting the extraordinary care, service and good news from Humber River Hospital’s staff, physicians and volunteers. We take pride in sharing these stories with our patients, visitors and members of our community.
wants to hear from you! Stories and articles for consideration should be forwarded to Carla Peacock at cpeacock@hrh.ca
Humber River Hospital 200 Church Street Toronto, ON M9N 1N8 www.hrh.ca Designed and Produced by HRH Public & Corporate Communications
RUEBEN DEVLIN, MD
From the President & CEO
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HIS SPECIAL EDITION of PeopleCare is a tribute to our incredible history: to everyone who has ever worked or volunteered at Humber River Hospital, or our legacy sites: Humber Memorial, Northwestern and York-Finch General Hospitals. As you read through the pages, you will see many of the people whose contributions have helped make Humber River the hospital it is today. This is just a small sample of the stories to tell - it was not possible to include everyone or every story in this publication. Our Heritage Display, located along the main street of the new hospital, is another way we will continue to celebrate Humber River’s rich and diverse history. It will feature more stories from our past, interactive exhibits and artifact displays. Looking back, it is clear that many changes have occurred over the years. We have watched our role as three separate community hospitals evolve. Today, Humber River Hospital is an important acute care facility, with a number of programs and services that are recognized as leaders. My experiences here started with my own family when I was six years old. My father, a family
physician, would take me with him on house calls and his rounds at Northwestern. Later, as a fourth year medical student, I did my elective time at Northwestern. I was the only medical student at the time, which gave me the opportunity to learn about all areas of the hospital. During that experience, I met many of the staff and physicians, and even had my initial meeting with Dr. Lanny Goluboff, who would later become the first Chief of Staff of Humber River Hospital. I received my first hospital privileges at Northwestern in 1975, after my internship. There I worked in Emergency while I was in the early years of my orthopaedic training. Becoming President and CEO in 1999 was like coming home for me, to work with many people I knew from these past experiences. Each of the three hospitals that are now Humber River Hospital were built by the support of community leaders who wanted accessible care in the neighbourhoods they called home. Just as community leaders helped in the development of these hospitals, the staff, physicians and volunteers formed the backbone of each site. Looking back, we can see their compassion for our patients, their dedication to quality care and their commitment to our
community; living by the values to which we still subscribe today. Over time, the acuity of the patients being treated changed, with the demand for services growing year over year. Through strong leadership across the organization, we developed many programs that brought an increase of specialized staff and physicians. There are now a vast range of programs including Centres of Excellence – for which we can all be proud. We have come a long way together as a family, changing with the times. One thing that has remained constant is our mission - to provide excellent quality care to this community; to be there for them in their most vulnerable moments, and to engage them as partners in their care. We have shared many moments together. Looking to the future in our new hospital, we know that our success comes from the cornerstones of our legacy sites, places of healing and caring that so many people helped to build and nurture over the years. We thank them all. For they, and we, are Humber River Hospital.
Title Tribute Here
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Humber River Hospital - Special Edition
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Early Title Years Here
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Looking Back
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YORK-FINCH GENERAL
HOSPITAL ONE YEAR OLD AND ALREADY ACCREDITED!
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Looking Back
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History
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NORTHWESTERN HOSPITAL SOD TURNING
RALPH B. COWAN
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WALTER HARRIS
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RABBI D. MONSON
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Dedication
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NORMA STENHOUSE N ORMA STENHOUSE was the longest serving volunteer in Humber River Hospital’s history – 51 years. Norma’s passion to help others was evident from the day she walked into Humber River – then Humber Memorial Hospital – in 1961. With a long
NORMA STENHOUSE WITH HER SONS AND GRANDAUGHTER
family history of volunteering at the Hospital, Norma was determined to take on many projects and achieve ‘great things’ for her community hospital. Her first job was in the gift shop where she was in charge of the magazines. She also restocked the cherry wagon and the gift shop with confectionery. Over the years, she became famous for making one-of-a-kind candy baskets, baby baskets and silk flower arrangements. In over five decades of volunteer service, she undertook many roles at the Hospital and in the Humber River Foundation, including Clerk, Convener, President and Chairman.
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In her inaugural position on the Volunteer Association Board, as Public Relations Convener, Norma produced the Association’s first newsletter; she also created signs and took charge of newspaper publicity. Norma progressed through the ranks quickly, becoming a Vice-President and serving as President of the Association Board from the early to mid-1980s. In 1998, she was the first President of the Volunteer Association of the new Humber River Regional Hospital. There was no question that Norma took her volunteer role seriously.
Those qualities led Norma to become an original Governor of the former Humber Memorial Hospital Foundation, a role she remained in after the merger. Up until her passing, Norma served as Chairman of the Humber River Foundation’s Donor Recognition and Stewardship Committees. Norma took her last breath at Humber River in August 2012; but she will always remain the first Life Governor of the Foundation and a heroine at the Hospital she held so close to her heart.
“I can remember, every Christmas morning when we were kids, after we had opened our gifts, my mom would prepare the turkey, put it in the oven and then she would go to the hospital to open the gift shop,” recounts Jay Stenhouse, the youngest of Norma’s two sons. “She always told us that not everyone could be home for Christmas and that if she could make somebody’s Christmas more special by opening the gift shop then she would be happy,” he adds. “Mom always put family first, but Humber River was part of that family.”
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JENNIFER BRION W HAT HAS WORKING at HRH meant to me? I have been employed at HRH for 38 years. I was originally a staff member at the Northwestern Hospital that became part of HRH during the merger. I was a student at Northwestern and was hired after graduation. I must say having been here that long there are many many memories. Nursing is a challenging career and I have seen it change within on-going health care changes but I believe it is one of the most honourable professions yet today.
learn. I have also be able to change my focus within mental health a number of times helping me to stay interested in my job. But, what I treasure most of all are the relationships I have and have had with other staff, co-workers and the patients. When you work in place so long, for so many hours of the day this become a large part of your life. It is important to feel not only a sense of accomplishment but also of belonging ‌.and I do!
Working here at HRH as an RN I have learned to be patient, open-minded and to adapt. The emphasis on learning here at HRH has helped me maintain my personal development and need to
NEW HOSPITAL APPROVED
DECEMBER 2005
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Hull Donation
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MURPHY &
HELEN HULL
H
UMBER RIVER was the first community hospital in Canada to acquire and use a da Vinci surgical robot - in early 2012. Funding for the robot was provided thanks to an exceptional $10 million donation pledged by Marian (Murphy) Hull and his wife Helen just prior to Murphy’s passing in June of 2008. Marian ‘’Murphy’’ Hull was a founding member of York-Finch General Hospital and donated the land for the hospital. He was a Director of the Hospital for 30 years and a Chair of the Hospital Board for three years. Murphy was born in Poland in 1924 and immigrated to Canada at age 9. He was truly grateful to be a Canadian and always gave generously to Humber River and to his community. Mrs. Hull and her family came to Humber River in May of 2009 to publicly announce this wonderful gift to the hospital Murphy loved for so many years.
ILY
THE HULL FAM
Dr. Theadore Ptak, Gastroenterologist, HRH, and Hull Family friend: “THE HULL FAMILY HAS LEFT A LASTING LEGACY FOR OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH THEIR SUPPORT FOR HUMBER RIVER HOSPITAL. IN OUR EARLY DAYS, MURPHY AND HELEN HULL DONATED THE PROPERTY WHERE OUR FINCH SITE SITS TODAY. FOR THREE DECADES, MURPHY SERVED AS CHAIR OR MEMBER OF OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS. NOW, HELEN AND HER FAMILY CONTINUE THAT TRADITION, AND CELEBRATE THE LIFE OF A GREAT HUSBAND, FATHER AND CITIZEN, THROUGH THEIR FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR OUR HOSPITAL.”
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DR. PTAK AND MRS. HULL
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OVER THE YEARS
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OUR STORIES
MARION PATTERSON
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HY IS HUMBER HOSPITAL special to me? I was born in this hospital, when it was Humber Memorial Hospital. It was a lot smaller then. My nursing training included rotations in many areas of the hospital. I was hired in the ICU and worked there for 17 years. I have had the privilege of working in the PACU, Endoscopy and am currently working in the Angio Suite. My best memories include the patients I have nursed and the staff that I have worked with. I am looking forward to making new memories in the new hospital!!
MARY BURNS
I
HAVE BEEN an employee of HRH for more than 30 years and have many wonderful memories of Humber Hospital. I was born at Humber Memorial Hospital and grew up in the Weston area. Many of my family members were also born here, so Humber Hospital has always been close to my heart. Being an avid Toronto Maple Leafs hockey fan, one of my favourite memories was meeting Johnny Bower years ago in the main lobby. He was so kind to stop and chat for a few minutes and it is a moment I will always remember. I also cherish the friends that I have made over the years at HRH. They really are a special group of people. As we get ready to move into our beautiful new hospital, I look forward to creating some new memories there.
SISTERS JENNIFER AND MARY BURNS
JANET KOROL W HEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL, I thought about Nursing as a career path. I decided to volunteer at the local hospital -- which was then Humber Memorial Hospital. So, I went in, met with the Volunteer Coordinator and signed up. For two years, I volunteered in Emergency. It was a great experience! When the nurses asked me what I wanted to do after high school, I said “Nursing.” “Are you sure?” they asked me. What I went on to realize is that nursing is what they loved. I learned a lot from those nurses. They showed
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me and explained what was going on around me. In return, I was an extra pair of hands for them that freed them up to provide care. I would come in extra days just to be “part of the action.” I started my own nursing career in a downtown hospital. Who knew that only a couple of years later I would return to Humber Memorial Hospital to continue my career. I’ve been here, with all the changes, in a few different roles now for the past 24 years and the new hospital is just on the horizon!
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PAULA VILLAFANA
PAULA VILLAFANA
I
CAME TO HRH in 1983 to take on the role of Manager of Occupational Therapy at the former Humber Memorial Hospital. My office was located in the Outpatient Rehab Department which is where the current Cardiology Department is now located at the Church St. site. I worked with many wonderful Physios, OTs and Rehab Assistants, many of whom are still at HRH. It was at that time when some of the staff introduced me to the sport of Dragon Boating and coaxed me into joining the Humber Dragon Boat Teams (Thunder and Lightning!!) in 1998. This
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quickly became a passionate hobby and today I continue to compete in Dragon Boat racing often representing Canada all over the world. What really keeps me at Humber after so many years? It’s the people. Those that I work with and the patients and families. It’s the fact that we are always changing, striving for something better; there is always a challenge to work through together. I am honoured to be the Program Director for Mental Health and Addictions for the past 20 (plus) years and I continue to learn not only through formal training but from those around me.
Over the years I have led a variety of projects and mentored numerous staff and colleagues. Most importantly what I have learned as a leader is that treating others with respect and dignity can get you through the toughest changes, help you make the hardest decisions, encourage the creation of new ideas, create the warmest of relationships and makes you want to wake up each morning and come to work. As HRH embarks on probably the most significant change in its history, these factors remain the key to not only my personal success but to that of the organization as a whole.
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People Care
Humber River Hospital - Special Edition
Northwestern Hospital (c. 1973) hold – Clara in the Laboratory, and I in Health Records. It’s hard to imagine that we started in a time when cardveyors, IBM typewriters and carbon copy paper were our everyday tools. And now we can’t function without Meditech!
TWO BEST FRIENDS
DECIDING TO BECOME HOSPITAL VOLUNTEERS
C
LARA RIZZI and I were 14 years old when Northwestern General Hospital became our home every Friday after school and other days in between. Our volunteer duties varied from filing charts in Medical Records (Health Records), the Laboratory, delivering flowers to patient rooms, feeding pediatric patients and - our favorite - working the General Inquiry (Patient Information) desk while drooling over all the young men within our sight!
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Volunteering with the hospital was very rewarding on a number of levels, and in 1984 we were recognized by the former City of York as the first two teens to contribute over 500 hours of service each! We even received an award from the former Mayor Alan Tonks; it was like receiving an Oscar! At age 16, both Clara and I were hired to work part-time for Northwestern in the Medical Records department. And the rest, I guess you can say, is history. Our post-secondary education led to full-time positions which we both still
With the merging of hospitals in 1997, Clara and I each moved to a different site. It was initially sad to be split apart but, as luck would have it, we ended up back together at the Church site. As we walk through the halls now, a little slower, and maybe a little more arthritic, we look forward to the next step in our amazing journey: working in a brand new facility. IT’S VERY EXCITING TO KNOW THAT A NEW FACILITY IS ON ITS WAY; THIS HAS BEEN SOMETHING WE’VE HEARD ABOUT SINCE OUR DAYS BACK AT NORTHWESTERN. BOTH CLARA AND I ALWAYS SAID WE WOULD BELIEVE WHEN WE SEE IT, AND NOW THAT IT’S HERE, WE’RE THRILLED! So, 32 years later, I’m proud to say our story is still simple: two best friends looking forward to retirement.
CLARA RIZZI AND TIZIANA MAGNANTE
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OVER THE YEARS
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History
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FIRST ANNUAL REPORT 1951
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History
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LEFT TO RIGHT: BRIGADIER CLAUDE DEWHURST, IRVING PAISLEY, MURPHY HULL, JOHN BOOTH
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Looking Back
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BUILDING THE ADDITION OF NORTHWESTERN HOSPITAL (FEBRUARY 1961)
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Early Years
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WOMEN’S AUXILIARY
HUMBER MEMORIAL HOSPITAL
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Early Years
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LYNN YURCHUCK I
WAS BORN AT HUMBER Memorial Hospital many years ago. So when I started my job at Humber River in 2008, it was very exciting for me to ‘come home.’ In fact, my childhood home was just down the street from the hospital. My siblings, cousins and other family members and friends were born here and some of them have also passed away at Humber. Working at Humber River has brought back a lot of memories of waiting for births and praying for miracles. Where we live has changed but there has always only been one hospital to speak of in our family, both immediate and extended, and it has been Humber.
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SOCIAL WORKERS
COMMITTED CHOCOHOLICS…SOCIAL WORKERS AT HUMBER MEMORIAL HOSPITAL LOVE THEIR CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE BROWNIES. FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: ELISA CURCIO, PAULA ABRAMCZYK CAZES, RAYNIA CARR, DONNA HICKEY, SUZANNE WADDAMS, STAN WOLOFSKY, CARLA CRONIER AND JEAN SMITH
HRRH DRAGONBOAT TEAM
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History
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History
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History
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SUPPORT FOR NORTHWESTERN
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NURSES STATION
OPERATING ROOM
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DICAPO DONATION I
N 2010, Humber River’s Nephrology Program received a generous gift from Pasquale and Jennifer DiCapo who made a substantial donation in honour of Vito DiCapo, Pasquale’s father – a long-time dialysis patient of Humber River. Thanks to the donation, The Vito DiCapo Dialysis Centre was announced as the new name for Humber River’s Inpatient Dialysis Centre, which helps Humber River patients with extraordinary medical excellence, compassion and respect every day.
(L-R) DR. SANDY SHULMAN, LETIZIA DICAPO, VITO DICAPO, PASQUALE DICAPO
(L-R) DR. ANDREAS PIERRATOS, PASQUALE DICAPO, DR. DAVID MENDELSSOHN
MARCELLA DICARLO I
STARTED working at the Church Site. When I came to Keele it was surreal for me. In 1968 my baby sister was born here. At that time, children were not allowed in the hospital. I remember wanting to see my mom so much that my dad brought me here and we walked on the grass by the side of the hospital and my mom was at the window and I saw her waving at me and blowing kisses to me.
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Then as I was older, I was 22 and my 21 year old cousin had Hodgkin’s disease and was being treated here. Her name is Frances Cianco. Dr. Quant was her oncologist and Joanne Macaluso was her nurse. But I learned that she worked in ER at the Church site after this. Then a year after being diagnosed she died here. Joanne was amazing as well, She showed up for the funeral and kept in touch with my aunt.
I remember when I left the hospital after she died, walking down the long corridor here at Keele from the East wing to the West wing on Level 2 I could barely walk and I fell in the hallway and a nurse was walking by and I will never forget how good she was with me. I will miss working at the Keele site as it keeps my memories alive.
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CATHY WATTS
ACK IN THE SUMMER OF 1972, when many of my girlfriends were starting first jobs at fast food restaurants, I was very excited about starting my first job at York Finch General Hospital. My starting hourly rate was $2.28, which at the time was more than fifty cents above minimum wage. My position was at the front desk in the laboratory where I worked most Saturdays and Sundays as well as covering holidays in the summer. Looking back I see how far we have come, medically, technologically as well as logistically within the hospital. The lab reception area was located where the Surgical and Fracture Clinics registration desks are now. There was the constant sound of typewriters going as the outpatient lab was extremely busy in those days! Back then, we didn’t have blue cards or label machines; actually computers had not yet been implemented in the hospital! The GI Unit was tucked behind the lab reception area and was about the size of an examination room. Dr. Ptak performed all his gastroscopies and colonoscopies in operating room 7, formerly known as “The Fracture Room”. Originally Day Surgery was on the main floor by the Emergency Department and in those days every patient travelled to the OR on a surgi-frame, even if they were only having a five minute local procedure! Back then, the PACU was home to the Recovery Room as well as the ICU, and the PATT department didn’t even exist. All inpatients were admitted the day before their surgery so they could have pre-op testing done. In April 1989 I transferred to the Operating Room Bookings. The booking office was located behind the OR reception area which is now the Clinical Co-ordinators’ office. Oh, how far we have come from those pioneer
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days! Every OR booking was called in from the surgeon’s offices where I would handwrite them into the Operating Room schedule book; which was the size of the entire desk! I would then type the OR list for the next day and Lou the hospital mailman would stop by to photocopy it. The operating room statistics were calculated manually and arranged by service and length of operating time. A major case was over thirty minutes long while a minor case was considered to be any that took less than thirty minutes to perform! As the years passed there was much advancement in surgery. I was there for the birth of “laparoscopic” surgery, the new kid on the block! Thanks to the
evolution of laparoscopic surgery at the Finch Site we are now a very successful Bariatric Centre. The sixteen year old girl who first walked through the doors of York Finch General Hospital forty-three years ago will soon be very excited to walk through the doors of North America’s first fully digital hospital, Humber River Hospital! I am now a grandmother who is very proud to have been a member of the Finch family from the beginning. I am looking forward to the next chapter as we all prepare to move into our new home!
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DR. KEITH BENNETT
MURRAY MAKIN
MRS. BENNETT
FERGY BROWN
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N 1989, Northwestern General Hospital dedicated two units in memory of Dr. Keith Bennett – family practitioner – in recognition of his 35 years of dedicated service to the hospital and its community. Thank you to the Bennett family for sharing this memory and for highlighting Dr. Bennett’s wonderful contributions in our look back at history. Northwestern Hospital (c. 1973) DR. KEITH BENNETT
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FRIENDS FOR LIFE
Northwestern Hospital (c. 1973)
I
T ALL BEGAN in the 80’s at the previous “Northwestern General Hospital”, now known as Keele site. Five young, single women met and the rest is history. Silvana and Ada were the first to meet and quickly bonded over discussions of their future wedding plans. Along came Pina, then Clara and finally Rosalba. Although we worked in different departments, we made it a point to meet every day for coffee at 10:30 a.m., and then lunch. This was our “catch up time”, to discuss what was going on in our family lives, plan our next girls night out, and of course, our next shopping spree adventure to Buffalo (never a dull moment). As time moved on, all of us became married women, but life was about to change.
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(L-R) (BACK) CLARA, ADA, SILVANA, (FRONT) ROSALBA, PINA As we merged and became Humber River Regional Hospital, the group was separated. One going to Finch site, two going to Church site, one staying at Keele site and worse of all one moving away to Montreal. Even though we were no longer under the same roof, it made our friendship even stronger and gave us more reasons to go out socially. Eventually, four of us were reunited under one roof again at “Church site.” With years passing us by, we have celebrated each other’s weddings, welcome the birth of our children, and mourned the loss of family members. We have shared a lot of advice, laughter and tears together. Although two of our friends have moved on from Humber River, this did not break us up, but just made us more determined than ever to stay together.
Finally, like a fine aged wine, our friendship has only become better and stronger. We have shared a lot of memories in good times and bad, and have become sisters and “Friends For Life”! THANK YOU TO HUMBER RIVER HOSPITAL FOR BRINGING US ALL TOGETHER.
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WENDY
COELLO I continued working at Humber as a clerical associate, and tried to learn as much as I could while working in the various clinical settings. Humber was my emotional support, as I always felt welcomed and loved by my fellow volunteers, by patients and coworkers, and this helped me to adjust to my new life away from my home country. When I finished my nursing degree and became a Registered Nurse, I decided that I would continue to work at Humber for the loyalty and gratitude I felt toward the hospital that opened its doors to me many years before. Since then I have had the privilege and pleasure of being part of the HRH healthcare team and now I can help care for the patients, many of whom are from other parts of the world with the same fears I had. Currently I work in Diagnostic Imaging where I enjoy helping my patients with their tests or interventional procedures, and helping to relieve their fears. I feel proud of being a nurse in such a welcoming Hospital, where we honour our patients by providing excellent care.
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UMBER RIVER HOSPITAL opened its doors to me when I first arrived in Canada. I was a teenager full of dreams and plans of starting a new life in this welcoming country that was previously unknown to me. At the time I arrived I was looking for the perfect community hospital where I could provide my time to others. Humber became my second home
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when I started volunteering in the gift shop and clinical areas such as the Finch site Emergency department, Dialysis unit, Fracture Clinic and the Ultrasound department. As the years went by, I decided to pursue Nursing, as I always wanted to help and take care of others. While studying Nursing at York University,
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Al Palladini
Humber River Hospital - Special Edition
AL
PALLADINI
A
L PALLADINI was a longtime friend of Humber River Hospital. Palladini’s support of our hospital began in 1988 following care for a heart attack. He served as York-Finch Hospital Foundation Board Chair from 1990-1996 and was also a strong supporter of many hospital events. He gave financially, but also lent a great deal of time, optimism and drive to make Humber River a better place for its patients and community. In 2001, the HRH Foundation announced the creation of a $500,000 endowment in Al Palladini’s name. Interest generated from the fund goes toward an annual scholarship that awards HRH staff and children of staff members who are pursuing further education.
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Endoscopy
BERNIE HERMAN
IN JUNE 2006, HUMBER RIVER CELEBRATED THE OFFICIAL OPENING ITS ENDOSCOPY SUITE AT THE FINCH SITE, ENABLING OUR HOSPITAL TO OFFER PATIENTS THE LATEST IN DIAGNOSTIC AND TREATMENT SERVICES.
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ON THE SAME DAY, HUMBER RIVER CELEBRATED BERNIE HERMAN’S 95TH BIRTHDAY, HONOURING BERNIE FOR HIS LONGTIME DEDICATION TO OUR HOSPITAL.
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Dedication
ERANE
BOCKING
Humber River Hospital - Special Edition
“I FEEL VERY PRIVILEGED AND HONOURED. I ARRIVED IN CANADA FROM GREECE WHEN I WAS NINETEEN YEARS-OLD AND I DID THE BEST WITH WHAT I HAD. I’M STILL TRYING TO DO THE BEST I CAN BY GIVING MY TIME AND EFFORT TO HUMBER RIVER – MY HOSPITAL. IF EVERYONE GIVES A LITTLE BIT IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE.” -ERANE BOCKING
E
RANE BOCKING has been caring with extraordinary kindness at Humber River Hospital for almost 50 years. Bocking is one of the longest serving volunteers in the Hospital’s and has lived in the HRH community – in the same house – since 1964. She remembers Humber River Hospital at Hwy 400 and Finch Avenue (then, the former York-Finch Hospital) being built in the late 1960s. After so many years, Bocking’s contributions continue to shine. She has served in many executive positions on the executive Board of Directors of the Volunteer Association, including a four-year term as President in the 1980s. Currently, Bocking is the leadership convener and trainer for Humber River’s Emergency Department – a role she’s held for close to 40 years and a role that showcases her commitment to teamwork, empathy and compassion for patients of all ages.
ERANE BOCKING
As an outstanding fundraiser, Bocking spends her free time knitting sweaters, slippers and blankets that she sells at the Humber River’s annual craft sales – sales she organizes and runs every year with determination, enthusiasm and pride. She also initiated and still coordinates an infant isolette fundraiser which donates 100 per cent of its earnings toward the purchase of medical equipment for the hospital. In February this year, Bocking’s longtime commitment to caring was honored when she received The Governor General’s Caring Canadian Award.
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Looking Back
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YORKFINCH
GENERAL YEARS
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Humber River Hospital
LINA ROSPO I STARTING WORKING at Northwestern right out of school in 1974 and I’ve been here for my entire career. It’s been a very rewarding journey starting in Paediatrics then moving to Mental Health in 1995. I have enjoyed working with wonderful people from all three sites with whom I’ve developed many life-long relationships. Living and working in this community has meant a lot to me and having Italian as a second language has really made a difference in helping to serve that part of the community in particular. I’ve helped reduce patients’ anxiety when
they were not able to speak English, reaching out to their families and helping translate for doctors and staff.
People Care
Program. It puts a smile on my face when students from years ago reach out to me now for guidance.
I love this organization, I’ve worked with great teams and doctors and I have been enriched by every experience, including the changes over the years. I treat people the way I want to be treated – with respect, dignity, and a warm and caring attitude. One of my passions is mentoring students and I’ve enjoyed working with many great students over the last 5 years in the Mental Health Mentoring
LINA ROSPO
DIANA AVGERINOS T HE BEST MEMORIES I have of working at Humber River for the last 34 years come from the people. We are a big family that grows together and shares many emotional experiences together.
When I started in my new current role, I was pleasantly surprised that Sharon Metz was on the same team – Sharon and I started here at the same time, right out of school. We were the first group of graduate nurses to participate in the New Grads Mentorship program in the Medical/Surgical Department on the fifth floor at York-Finch back in 1980. It’s great to be working with her again after all these years. For me, moving into our new fully digital hospital is extra special because
SPECIAL EDITION
in 2007 I was seconded as a frontline staff member for the Emergency Department’s electronic documentation project. This was one of HRH’s first ‘digital’ projects making triage, offload, blood work, DI results, and assessment and treatment notes digital and eliminating paper from nursing documentation in the ED. I spent 24 years working in the ED, the last five years as Manager. During my time as manager, I was most proud of the work we did as a team to improve the patient satisfaction score from the second percentile up to the 25th and exceeding the GTA average. As a result staff satisfaction increased as well. It was all the little things day to day that helped us improve and learn how to work better as team.
DIANA AVGERINOS
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History
Humber River Hospital - Special Edition
IRVING PAISLEY
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People Care - At Humber River
Humber River Hospital
History
IRVING & ADELE PAISLEY O NE THING’S FOR SURE: when my husband started something he would always follow through to the end. When it came to the YorkFinch hospital, Irving had a vision. The north part of Toronto needed a hospital and highway 400 and Finch Avenue was the perfect location. And so he began, with Murphy Hull and a great group of people to make York-Finch hospital a reality.
WHEN I LOOK BACK, SOME DAYS I DON’T KNOW HOW WE DID IT, BUT WE DID. IRVING’S DETERMINATION GOT US THROUGH AND HE INSTILLED THAT IN HIS CHILDREN – IN ALL OF US. WE MISS HIM DEARLY BUT WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER HIS WONDERFUL CONTRIBUTIONS. -ADELE PAISLEY
For 10 years they worked hard to raise money to build the hospital and came in under budget. Brigadier Claude Dewhurst was overseeing the project and gave it the perfect touch. Over the years, I feel so fortunate that I was standing alongside side my husband in whatever ventures he undertook. From the hospital, to his involvement in politics and even in his insurance business, we were a great team and always together. At YorkFinch, I started the first ladies auxiliary and designed the gift shop. I insisted on having a desk there so that when people bought gifts they could sit down and write a card. Opening day at York-Finch Hospital is my favourite memory; opening the front door to let the patients come. I remember being so proud of my husband and what he accomplished. Three of my grandchildren – Melissa, Amanda and Zachary – were all born at York Finch. Amanda is carrying on a tradition and will be working as a physician at the new Humber River Hospital at Keel and Wilson. If Irving was here today he would be so proud of her. ADELE PAISLEY
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IRVING PAISLEY
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History
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Humber River Hospital - Special Edition
People Care - At Humber River
Humber River Hospital
History
OUR
ROOTS
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Early Years
Humber River Hospital - Special Edition
AN EXCERPT
FROM OUR HMH 1951 ANNUAL REPORT
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People Care - At Humber River
Humber River Hospital
Early Years
EXCERPT FROM OUR FIRST ANNUAL REPORT 1951
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Looking Back
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Humber River Hospital
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Looking Back
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People Care
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KATHY CASPER “ MY FIRST RECOLLECTION of Humber River Regional Hospital (previously York-Finch General Hospital) was a very long time ago when I remember going on a tour on the open-house weekend with my Mom and sister. We were very impressed with all the new shiny futuristic equipment, the bright patient rooms, the new hospital plan and thinking, wow, we are so lucky, we have a great new community hospital!
BARB AND DON TAYLOR WITH DAUGHTER KATHY CASPER
It wouldn’t be long before we would see our new community hospital in action with the occasional visit for stitches, broken bones, sprains (we were a young neighbourhood with plenty of young children needing medical assistance of some sort). It was also in these early days that our emergency saved my father’s life on several occasions due to his cardiac problems. This was when I realized that this was not just a community hospital but there was also a community within the hospital. I joined this community
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as a volunteer (long before volunteer community service became mandatory in order to graduate high school) and the paid staff in 1984. As I worked part-time, I was able to get a rather broad perspective by picking up shifts in a variety of areas/shifts to the point that I think there may only be 3 or 4 departments that I haven’t worked in.
myself and my family and their many friends and colleagues. Our community was quite like that of a family, celebrating each other’s milestones (both professional and personal) from marriages, births, graduations, promotions, retirements, to even birthdays! We also supported each other through difficult times.
My parents, Barb & Don Taylor, feeling their need to give back, both joined the volunteer association and our community hospital now really did have a family feeling! They spent many years helping were they were needed, fundraising, promoting the hospital, boosting morale (with many bus trips and casino trips), looking after and directing the patients and their families as they came through our doors and making a great many friends from all parts of our hospital community including physicians and administration.
There have been very sad times, losing family members here, but also times of joy (all three of my children being born here).
They always had a smile and kind word (and in my dad’s case a candy in his pocket – therefore the nickname of ‘The Candyman’) for everyone. They have left a wonderful legacy here at HRRH for
To pick one memory in particular would be impossible, as there are many right down to being ‘pranked’ on a Halloween night shift by interns (that are now well respected physicians), patients that remember you, by name, from one visit to another as a friend you haven’t seen in awhile. As we look forward to a new era in healthcare as well as our new home I know that our ‘community’ will follow us and continue to thrive. “
People Care - At Humber River
Humber River Hospital
People Care
MARIA SHAO
more clarified as a nutrition expert in translating scientific, medical, and nutrition information into practical nutrition practices, as well as being part of the health care team to manage nutrition in acute and chronic diseases. Dietitians are rarely referred to “dietary” anymore these days! The merging of the three hospitals in the mid 90’s along with new programs initiation has given us more opportunities to grow from two to three dietitians at each site, now to almost 30 RDs working at HRH. When HMH brought in Meditech in the early 90s, along with computerizing the Dietary Department, the dietitians were the first to start electronic documentation.
J
ULY 1980, I had no idea what I got myself into when I walked into Humber Memorial Hospital to start working as a temporary dietitian to cover for the two full time dietitians who went on extended vacations at the same time. Then, one of the dietitians decided to extend her vacation indefinitely, so I got to stay on....and HMH has become a big part of my life.
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The role of clinical dietitians as evolved in many ways. The old school has referred to dietitians and anything relative to nutrition and food service as “dietary” for many years. The College of Dietitians founded in the early 90’s as a regulatory body to enforcing standards for safe, ethical and competent dietetic practice in Ontario. Our role as a Registered Dietitian has since been
There were many good memories at HMH. People come and go, there has not been a dull moment all these years. Changes are good for everyone. I am looking forward to the new hospital where we can start making history all of again!
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Looking Title Here Back
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Humber River Hospital - Special Edition
People Care - At Humber River
Humber River Hospital
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Looking Title Here Back
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History
Humber River Hospital - Special Edition
DR. ROBERT C. LAIRD
FIRST CHIEF OF STAFF D R. ROBERT C. LAIRD was the first Chief of Staff at York-Finch Hospital. Born in Brockville, ON, and a graduate of the University of Toronto, Dr. Laird served in the Royal Canadian Air Force during World War II, treating pilots who were injured overseas. After his retirement 1972, he spent time developing medical care in Nigeria, where he established a medical school. Dr. Laird died in December 1990.
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History
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People Care
JANE
HARRIS
F
OR THE PAST 15-20 years I have been struggling with morbid obesity, and by Summer 2014 had reached the point where my body was no longer ‘forgiving’ of the damage done and failed weight loss attempts.
Humber River Hospital - Special Edition
“MY FIRST EXPERIENCE AS A VOLUNTEER WAS IN FLOWER DELIVERY AT HUMBER WHEN IT WAS STILL KNOWN AS YORK FINCH HOSPITAL IN 1985. I REMEMBER LOADING UP THE TROLLEY AND GOING AROUND TO THE FLOORS DELIVERING THE FLOWERS AND PLANTS THAT HAD BEEN SENT TO PATIENTS. I WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT EXPERIENCE FONDLY. EVERY TIME I GO THE BARIATRIC CLINIC, I AM REMINDED OF THAT TIME AND FEEL THAT LITTLE ‘CONNECTION’ FROM THE PAST.” -JANE HARRIS
At the age of 42, I began relying on a cane, in constant pain from marked Osteoarthritis that had developed in both knees, as well as aching and swollen ankles, legs, and whole body, in general. I felt terrified, helpless, and defeated; until one day in the office of a local pain clinic, it was highly recommended that I look into the programs offered at Humber River Hospital’s Bariatric Clinic. The fabulous, fun, and dedicated Interprofessional Team at the Humber Bariatric Clinic exemplify what the ‘care’ in healthcare is all about. With their guidance and support from the weekly education sessions and dedicated personal care throughout my journey with the non-surgical Medical Optifast Program, I feel like I have been given the chance to save my own life. I have lost just over 130 lbs since Fall 2014, and feel incredible!
(L-R) SUZAN MCKENZIE, JANE HARRIS, NISHA GONSALVES
I want to especially thank Jennifer Charney (Kinesiologist), Suzan McKenzie (Dietitian), Nisha Gonsalves (Social Worker), and Barry Neville (Nurse Practitioner), for their professionalism, knowledge and constant care throughout my journey-in-progress towards optimum health and wellness. My experience at the Humber Bariatric Clinic has been truly life-changing and I will be forever grateful!
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People Care
DIALYSIS PROGRAM
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A New MRI
Humber River Hospital - Special Edition
A NEW MRI AT
HUMBER RIVER REGIONAL HOSPITAL
DR. GIUSEPPE TARULLI SPEAKS WITH MEDIA
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N 2000, Humber River enhanced care for its community by partnering with General Electric Medical Systems to add a new Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) System to its lineup of equipment at the Finch site. No door was large enough for the machine to fit through and so a portion of the side of the building had to be removed order to put the machine in place, where it still stands today. The GE Signa 1.5 Tesla MRI system garnered great attention from media and the community and is known for its ability to allow physicians to see very small anatomical structures very quickly, reducing the need for sedation. The system also allows state-of-the-art advanced applications for Total Body Imaging and diagnosis. The official ribbon cutting ceremony took place on Wednesday, April 5, 2000.
DR. ED KORB AND BERNADETTE DICKSON DR. ED KORB AND BERNADETTE DICKSON
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SARS 2003
SARS 2003
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Our New Home
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GROUND BREAKING
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DECEMBER 2, 2011
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Humber River Hospital
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Our New Home
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Looking Back
Humber River Hospital - Special Edition
OVER THE YEARS
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Humber River Hospital
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Looking Back
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Early Years
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Humber River Hospital - Special Edition
People Care - At Humber River
Humber River Hospital
Early Years
SPECIAL MEETING
WITH FOUNDING CHAIRMEN YORK - FINCH GENERAL HOSPITAL
York - Finch Hospital Board with Provincial Government Representatives.
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Gift Shop - 1963
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GIFT SHOP - 1963
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People p Care
A PHOTO SHOWING THE LAND OF OUR KEELE SITE (FORMER NORTHWESTERN HOSPITAL) IN 1950
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In Memory
Humber River Hospital - Special Edition
LANNY GOLUBOFF
DR. LANNY GOLUBOFF DR. GOLUBOFF WITH FORMER BOARD CHAIR SABI MARWAH
D
R. GOLUBOFF came to Toronto in the early 1970s to do his residency before joining the medical staff of Northwestern General Hospital. He held numerous leadership roles, including President of the Medical Staff Association, Chief of Department, Chief of Medicine and ultimately Chief of Staff at Northwestern. In 1997, Dr. Goluboff was selected as the first Chief of Staff at the new Humber River Regional Hospital.
I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF KNOWING LANNY FOR OVER 30 YEARS. WHAT STRUCK ME INITIALLY WAS HIS DESIRE TO PROVIDE THE BEST CARE FOR HIS PATIENTS. HE WAS A STRONG ADVOCATE FOR OUR NEW HOSPITAL AND DEDICATED COUNTLESS HOURS IN ITS EARLY STAGES. HE WAS ALWAYS THERE AS A SOUNDING BOARD, ADVISOR, MENTOR AND GREAT FRIEND AND SUPPORTER TO HIS COLLEAGUES, MYSELF, HIS BELOVED WIFE AND CHILDREN AND THE HOSPITAL. HE WILL BE SORELY MISSED. - DR. JACK BARKIN DR. GOLUBOFF OR DR. ‘G’ AS COMMONLY KNOWN BY THE STAFF THAT WORKED WITH HIM WAS GREATLY RESPECTED AND LOVED. HE ALWAYS GAVE HIS TIME TO LISTEN AND APPRECIATE ALL THAT WAS DONE FOR HIM. HE TREATED EVERYONE AS EQUAL, NO MATTER WHAT POSITION THEY HELD BUT ALWAYS EXPECTED THE BEST WHICH RESULTED IN LOYALTY AND DEDICATION. WE WILL MISS HIM DEARLY! - DINA LONGO
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Humber River Hospital
Excellence
BARIATRIC EXCELLENCE
DR. JOHN HAGEN IN 2007, THEN MINISTER OF HEALTH AND LONG TERMCARE GEORGE SMITHERMAN, ANNOUNCED HUMBER RIVER REGIONAL HOSPITAL AS ONTARIO’S FIRST MEDICAL CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE FOR LAPARASCOPIC BARIATRIC SURGERY.
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DR. LAZ KLEIN
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York-Finch
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People Care - At Humber River
Humber River Hospital
Grand Opening
YORK-FINCH
GRAND OPENING SPECIAL EDITION
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New Site Announcement
Humber River Hospital - Special Edition
NEW SITE ANNOUNCEMENT AUGUST 31, 2007
(L-R) JACK KAY, RUEBEN DEVLIN, MONTE QUINTER, NORM NAUMOFF, MARIO SERGIO
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People Care - At Humber River
Humber River Hospital
Looking Back
BLOOD DONOR CLINIC CAFETERIA DISHWASHING
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Humber River Hospital - Special Edition
Our New Home
PORTALS OF CARE
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DIALYSIS DEPARTMENT
ED SATELITTE X-RAY ROOM
People Care - At Humber River
Our New Home
Opening October 18, 2015
WE’RE
ALMOST THERE NURSING STATION
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PACU
LABOUR & DELIVERY PATIENT ROOM
CANCER CARE CLINIC
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Heritage Display
Humber River Hospital - Special Edition
HUMBER RIVER HOSPITAL’S
HERITAGE DISPLAY T HE HISTORY of our hospital is as rich and diverse as that of the community we serve. From the first days as small neighbourhood hospitals, generations of men and women – bound by a sense of civic duty; of service to others – strove to make lives better for patients and families. Theirs is a story of compassion and dedication; a tradition of which we are all proud, and one we are honoured to inherit. As a tribute to that legacy – and the men and women who created it – our new hospital will feature a Heritage Display prominently on the main floor north-south corridor. This absorbing and inspiring interactive display – with photos; artifact exhibits; and historical timelines – will stand as a testament to those who came before us: acknowledging that they will always be part of the Humber River Hospital story.
Lockable storage - possible storage in corners, details tbd
Fixed seating - exact locations tbd
Did you know? - flip-up heritage quiz
Together We Are Humber River Hospital - large interactive touch table to include People Stories content and provision for image tagging Lockable storage - exact location & size tbd
HERITAGE DISPLAY
MAIN ALLEE - LOOKING NORTH
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Welcome - welcome text & gallery name incorporated into exterior wall graphic treatment
INTERACTIVE TOUCH TABLE
People Care - At Humber River
Humber River Hospital
Heritage Display
MILESTONE DISPLAY FLIP-UP HERITAGE QUIZ
GRAPHIC BACKDROP
Milestone Display - key stories told through artefacts, historical images & text Graphic Backdrop - atmospheric visual wall display wrapping perimeter or room composed of large scale graphic imagery and historic quotes
Our Legacy Timeline - table based graphic timeline divided into 5 historic periods - made up of text, historic images & digital photo frames
OUR LEGACY TIMELINE Changeable Object Displays - 2 movable display cases
Serving Our Community Mural - graphic mural with selection of historical images, quotes & artefacts (if available)
COMMUNITY MURAL
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1949-2015 Title Here
Humber Building River For Hospital The Future - Title Here
1949
1966
HUMBER MEMORIAL HOSPITAL
YORK-FINCH GENERAL HOSPITAL
NORTHWESTERN HOSPITAL
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Patient Care Reinvented
1949-2015 Title Here
2011 HUMBER RIVER HOSPITAL
HUMBER RIVER REGIONAL HOSPITAL
1997 SPECIAL EDITION
THE NEW HUMBER RIVER HOSPITAL
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ON OCTOBER 18, 2015 WE LOOK FORWARD TO
JOINING WITH OUR COMMUNITY
AS TOGETHER WE OPEN THE DOORS TO
THE FINEST HOSPITAL FACILITY
ONTARIO HAS EVER SEEN.