The Maternity Centre at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) provides prenatal care for the residents of Thunder Bay and surrounding region. Our team is committed to providing evidence-based maternity care that is safe, respectful and culturally sensitive.

Self-referral can be made to be seen by a Nurse Practitioner, Family Medicine Physician, Social Worker, Kinesiologist, Dietician, and Lactation Consultant.

To be seen by an Obstetrician, a referral is needed from your primary health care provider or midwife.

During pregnancy, you are welcome to call the Maternity Centre to schedule an appointment with one of our prenatal care providers. All of our programs are accessible with your Ontario health card.

TBRHSC’s Maternity Centre welcomes the 124 babies born at our Hospital during the month of June. Congratulations on the new bundles of joy!

Find out more about our services by visiting https://bit.ly/TBRHSC-Maternity-Centre-info

Stephane Herbert visited the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre as part of his incredible journey biking across Canada from Vancouver to Montreal.

As a proud living donor who donated a kidney to a friend four years ago, Stephane’s mission is to show that amazing things can still be accomplished after donation! He aims to raise awareness about organ donation, reminding us that every signature on a donor card can save lives.

He’s also raising funds for the Maison des Greffés Lina Cyr, an outstanding organization that provides critical housing and support for patients awaiting or recovering from a transplant. Since 1994, they’ve helped over 43,000 patients in Quebec.

Currently, there are not enough registered and available deceased donors to provide organs and tissues for all patients waiting on the transplant list. Living kidney donation presents a beneficial alternative for those needing a kidney transplant, as it allows recipients to avoid the long wait often associated with deceased donor lists. By opting for a pre-emptive living kidney transplant, patients can completely bypass dialysis. Additionally, the average lifespan of a kidney from a living donor is approximately 15-20 years, compared to 12-15 years for a kidney from a deceased donor. This means patients can enjoy a more normal life after their transplant.

To register to be an organ and tissue donor, click here.
To find more information regarding living kidney donation, click here.
Residents in the region who are interested in living kidney donation can also email Stacy Heerema at stacy.heerema@tbh.net for more information. 

The next phase of terrazzo repair work will be completed in three separate sections:

Area A is the middle section of the cafeteria.  Please refer to the below attached map P7A. This Section of work will take place from July 7-12.

Area B will be of the East Cafeteria Entrance. Please refer to below attached map P7B. This work will take place between July 10-13.

Area C will be the area in front of Elevator 1, and the patient entrance to Forensics. Please refer to below attached map P7C. This work will take place between July 11-16.

Work will begin the evening of Monday, July 7 and continue through to Friday, July 18.  As previously, work will occur overnight from 8:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. and fencing will be placed around the work area for the duration of the timeframe to protect the area and equipment, and to ensure the safety of staff, patients and visitors.  

IMPACTS:

• Access will be detoured around for staff entrance to I stair well door, from July 10-13
• Access to Elevator 1 will be detour to elevator 4 during the period of July 11 – 16
• Access for Forensic Patients and Staff will be detour to another entrance of the unit during the period of July 11 – 16

If you have any questions, please contact Darin Preto at Darin.Pretto@tbh.net or Kristi Judge at Kristi.Judge@tbh.net.

We would like to extend our sincere thanks to all staff for the continued patience, support, and understanding throughout the recent construction activities for the CVS expansion.

Your cooperation has been key in helping us move through this phase as smoothly and efficiently as possible. We’re excited to share that the piling work has now been completed — marking the achievement of a major milestone for the project.

While this marks significant progress, there will still be ongoing construction noise and vibration impacts. These will be a lower magnitude and will include masonry removals, ground compaction, and structural steel installations.

We understand that any disruption can be challenging, and we are committed to keeping these impacts to a minimum. Your ongoing understanding and flexibility are greatly appreciated as we work to improve our hospital and community.

Thank you again for your remarkable support!

Throughout the month of June, our team of 53 logged an impressive 550 commutes, covering 4,085.77 km and helping to save 836.59 kg of greenhouse gas emissions as part of the Active Commute Challenge.

Thanks to your efforts, we placed first in our workplace size category (Extra Large).

Here’s how we got moving:

• 271 bike commutes
• 164 walks or runs
• 2 e-bike rides
• 53 carpool trips
• 32 public transit rides
• 28 other creative ways to commute

Your commitment to healthier, more sustainable commuting is something to celebrate.

A special shoutout to Shannan-Lee Power, the lucky winner of a brand-new bike lock in our prize draw.

Don’t forget: five new bike racks have been installed near the cafeteria entrance, with more on the way near Labour & Delivery.

Thanks again to everyone who participated and helped make this challenge a success!

We are heartbroken to share the sudden and unexpected passing of our colleague and friend, Erin Osesky, Social Worker on the Transitional Care Unit (TCU).

Erin was a deeply valued member of our team whose compassion, warmth, and dedication made a real difference in the lives of the patients and families she supported. She was a calm, kind presence and a strong advocate for those in her care. Erin’s work went far beyond her role — she touched many lives with her empathy and integrity, and her absence will be profoundly felt across our hospital community.

Erin was also deeply committed to building strong connections with community supports to ensure our patients received the care and services they needed beyond our walls. Her collaborative efforts helped bridge transitions in care and supported some of our most vulnerable individuals through complex and challenging circumstances. She was respected by community partners and known for her unwavering focus on what was best for the people she served.

We extend our deepest sympathies to Erin’s loved ones and all who had the privilege of working with her. Erin will be dearly missed — as a colleague, a caregiver, and a friend.

To view the obituary and share online condolences, visit the online tribute.

We’re excited to share that five new bike racks have been installed at the Cafeteria entrance.

We hope this makes it easier for staff to choose active commuting options like biking. Whether you’re arriving for a shift or heading out for a quick break, there’s now more spaces to securely park your bike. More bike racks will be added soon – stay tuned!

Shared on behalf of Nicole Moffett, Manager, Emergency Preparedness, Switchboard, and Security

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We understand that the ongoing construction has affected parking on our campus. Thank you for your continued efforts in supporting our shared goal of bringing cardiovascular care closer to home. Please see below general parking reminders.

Patient and Visitor Parking

• A1 Eagle (some exceptions apply for staff, i.e. afterhours and weekends)
• A3 Fish,
• B1 Bear (temporarily closed),
• B2 Moose,
• C1 Squirrel,
• C2 Coyote, and
• D Deer
• Staff are not authorized to park in the above lots. Staff found parking in these lots will be subject to ticketing, and/or loss of parking privileges, and/or Policy HR-t-04 – Discipline.

Staff Parking

• All staff members are required to park in their assigned staff parking lots. Lots are assigned on a departmental basis.
• If your parking lot is full, please park in Lot I –Turtle (the designated alternate lot for all staff).
• If you have circumstances where you park on site very rarely, i.e. you bike to work most days and would like to purchase a daily rate pass ($7/day) instead of registering for a parking account and pre-purchasing exits ($3/exit), you are to park in I (Turtle) lot only.
• If there has been a change to your vehicle information (e.g. license plate number) you must update Security by submitting an SC-38 Parking Application-Change Form.
• Park within the lines so that we can ensure we utilize our full parking capacity.

 Staff have two options to pay for parking:

1. Payroll deducted, unlimited parking ($49-$52/month, based on lot assignment).
2. Purchase and apply exit credits directly to your ID card at one of the five ‘pay on foot’ terminals located across the Hospital campus ($3/exit, existing lot assignments still apply). Exit credits do not expire, and can be purchased in any quantity (up to $300, 100 exits maximum purchased at one time).

Pay on Foot terminals are found in the following locations: main (west) entry; emergency department entry; 1040 Oliver Rd (Health Services Centre) entry; 984 Oliver Rd (Medical Centre) entry.  

Please visit the Parking page on the intranet (https://informed.tbrhsc.net/departments/emergency-preparedness-and-security/parking) for Parking Application-Change and Parking Cancellation forms, FAQs, and visual instructions on how to use the Pay on Foot terminals to purchase parking credits. 

If you have any questions about your account, please connect with Ashley Hindman, Assistant, Security and Parking, by email at Ashley.hindman@tbh.net or by phone at extension 6534.

Thank you to those who have completed the HSO Global Workforce Survey and congratulations to this week’s prize winners:

• Kyla, Adult Mental Health – $50 Gift Card to Gear Up for Outdoors
• Cynthia, Financial Services – $50 Gift Card to Waterfront District
• Danielle, Endoscopy – $50 Gift Card to Cheese Encounter 

Don’t miss your chance to win one of our weekly prizes, including 6 months free parking

To complete the survey click here.   

Once you have completed the survey, use the following link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/HSO to enter into the prize draws. Once entered, your name will stay in for the remaining draws. 

A reminder that the survey closes July 18, 2025 or until a minimum response rate of 50% is achieved.

A big thank you to all those who participated in Pride Month Trivia this year. We hope that this was a fun and engaging opportunity to learn more about the 2SLBGTQQIA+ community. Below you will find the answers the final week’s questions.

Question 1: Which Canadian Physician and their husband won The Amazing Race Canada! in season 7?

Answer: Dr. James A. Makokis. Dr. James A. Makokis and his husband Anthony Johnston formed the team “Team Ahkameyimok,” which means “Never give up” in the Plains Cree language, for the seventh season of The Amazing Race Canada! Dr. Makokis is a Nehiyô (Plains Cree), and Two-Spirit Family Physician, from Saddle Lake Cree Nation in Alberta. Dr. Makokis’ practice focuses on Trans health. You can learn more about Dr. Makokis on his website at:  https://www.drjamesmakokis.com/  

Question 2: Which Canadian city was the first in North America to host WorldPride?

Answer: Toronto. Toronto hosted WorldPride in 2014, becoming the first city in North America to do so. WorldPride was developed by the InterPride organization, to generate visibility and awareness of the 2SLGBTQQIA+ community.

Question 3: What are some ways that you can be an ally to the 2SLGBTQQIA+ community? (Check all that apply).

Answer: There are many ways to demonstrate allyship with the 2SLGBTQQIA+ community. You can:

1. Access education opportunities by attending workshops and local events, including Thunder Pride
2. Advocate on behalf of the 2SLGBTQQIA+ community, for example, by intervening when you witness discriminatory behavior
3. Respect the lived and living experiences of 2SLGBTQQIA+ individuals by listening to their stories and perspectives
4. Use inclusive language, for example, by addressing a group of people with “Hello, everyone!” instead of “Hello, ladies and gentlemen,” and using gender-neutral terms such as “firefighters” instead of “firemen”