This October, in honour of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we’re inviting you to make a difference while being a part of a collaborative work of art.
Join us in the lobby, across from Season’s Gift Shop, on Friday, Monday, and Tuesday from 10:00 a.m.- 3:00 p.m. to add your personal touch to a stunning paint-by-number masterpiece designed by artist Vik Wilen and created by Paintillio.
For just $20 per tile, you can paint your piece of the puzzle and watch the artwork come to life, one tile at a time. Every dollar raised will support breast cancer. Once the final tile is in place, the finished artwork will be auctioned, raising even more for the Northern Cancer Fund.
This initiative is part of our Luncheon of Hope celebrations – and the art piece will be brought to the event on October 16. Whether you’re an artist or haven’t picked up a brush since grade school, everyone is welcome.
Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) would like to recognize our September Hand Hygiene Champion.
Jaime Huston works as a Housekeeper on 2C In-Patient unit and says that her hand hygiene practices have became part of her routine. She does not see any barriers to completing proper hand hygiene as it protects patients and staff from the spread of infections.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and Prevention and Screening Clinical Services invites staff to help raise awareness about the importance of breast screening.
Wear Pink Day on October 8. Show your support by wearing pink on October 8 and snapping a photo with your colleagues. Share your photos via email to lexie.williamson@tbh.net to help us celebrate across TBRHSC.
Book Your Mammogram Online. Eligible people, including staff, can now conveniently book their screening mammogram online at the Linda Buchan Centre.
Mirror Decals. Local businesses are getting involved by displaying breast screening reminder decals throughout the month of October. See if you can spot one!
Together, we can help spread awareness and encourage more people to make breast screening a priority.
Every person has a story, and listening to those stories can help change the way we understand substance use and addiction.
In a new series of educational videos, individuals share their personal experiences and perspectives on stigma, substance use, addiction, and health care. Their stories offer an important opportunity to listen, learn, and better understand how our words, actions, and assumptions can affect those seeking care.
These videos also honour those who have been lost to substance use and addiction-related harms and acknowledge the grief experienced by their families, friends, and loved ones. By sharing these experiences and perspectives, we can deepen our understanding of the impact of stigma and recognize the importance of approaching every person with compassion, dignity, and respect.
At Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, we recognize that stigma can create real barriers for patients and families. Outdated language, stereotypes, and misconceptions can influence how people are treated and whether they feel safe and supported when accessing care. By listening to and learning from people with lived and living experience, we can challenge these assumptions and help create a more compassionate, inclusive, and welcoming environment.
Developed as part of the Patient Experience pillar of Strategic Plan 2026 and our ongoing work to reduce stigma associated with substance use and addiction, these videos reflect our collective resolve to do better and to move forward with greater compassion, understanding, and respect for those seeking care.
We invite you to watch, listen to the stories and perspectives being shared, and reflect on how each of us can help reduce stigma and make a positive difference.
Every October, Canada celebrates Women’s History Month, a time dedicated to recognizing and honouring the achievements, contributions, and resilience of women and girls throughout the nation’s history.
This month-long observance highlights the achievements of women in all areas of life, including politics, the arts, education, health care, and community leadership. It’s also an opportunity to reflect on the ongoing work needed to achieve gender equality and create a more inclusive future for all. Women’s History Month also encourages Canadians to learn about the diverse experiences of women, including those from marginalized communities whose stories are often overlooked. By amplifying these voices, the month fosters a deeper understanding of how gender intersects with race, culture, and identity, and why inclusive approaches to equality are vital.
During Women’s History Month, the National Day of Action for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two Spirit People is observed on October 4. On this day, communities across Canada gather to honour the lives of Indigenous women, girls, and Two Spirit people who have been taken by violence.
Women’s History Month is both a celebration and a call to action. It challenges us to acknowledge the past, confront the present, and shape a future where every woman and gender-diverse person can thrive in safety, dignity, and equality.
For over 25 years, Excellence Canada has been supporting Canada’s workplaces build healthier culture, and we continue to expand the Canada’s Healthy Workplace Month program. This year’s theme is all about taking a personalized approach to wellness to ultimately create a healthy lifestyle that feels authentic, and exciting.
By putting personal choice front and centre, we’re helping individuals and organizations own their wellness journeys. This year you’ll find enhanced support for managers and organizations in addition to great participant resources you’re accustomed to.
Staff throughout our Hospital wore orange shirts today as a display of remembrance, respect, and commitment to Reconciliation.
Orange Shirt Day honours Indian Residential School Survivors, the children who never made it home, and recognizes the ongoing impacts of the Residential School system on Indigenous Peoples, families, and communities.
As health care providers and staff, our participation is especially meaningful. The legacy of Residential Schools continues to affect Indigenous Peoples’ experiences with health care. Creating culturally safe health care environments begins with understanding this history and recognizing the responsibility we all share in building relationships based on respect, dignity, and trust.
We encourage everyone to take a few moments today to reflect on the meaning of this day and how people in our region have been, and continued to be, impacted.
Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) is observing the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation by releasing its third annual report detailing the Hospital’s ongoing responses to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action.
“We are pleased to share this year’s report, which demonstrates our ongoing commitment to implement the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action. This year, our focus is on increasing Indigenous representation and supporting Indigenous health professionals at every stage of their careers,” said Dr. Rhonda Crocker Ellacott, President and Chief Executive Officer of TBRHSC and Chief Executive Officer of Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute. “As part of this work, we are ensuring all staff receive cultural safety training so that every patient, family, and team member feels respected, valued, and supported. Our progress is grounded in strong partnerships, accountability, and the invaluable guidance of Indigenous voices. While there is still work to be done, I look forward to bringing continued updates on this important work.”
This year’s report highlights TBRHSC’s focus on Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action #23, which calls for increased recruitment and retention of Indigenous professionals in health care and cultural safety training for all health care professionals.
“Call to Action #23 is about more than workforce numbers. It challenges us to imagine the health care system we want to build. It means asking who is represented, whose voices are valued, and ensuring Indigenous staff have opportunities for meaningful, lasting careers at our Hospital,” said Dr. Miranda Lesperance, Vice President, Indigenous Collaboration, Equity and Inclusion at TBRHSC. “Our goal is a culture where every staff member is prepared to provide Indigenous patients and families with care that is safe, respectful, and free from racism or discrimination.”
To honour National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, TBRHSC’s Miskwaa Biidaaban department (Indigenous Collaboration) organized a series of events throughout September. These initiatives included an opportunity for staff to hear the firsthand experiences of Indian Residential School Survivor, Elder Peter Sackaney. Hearing directly from a St. Anne’s Residential School Survivor provided a rare and valuable opportunity to listen, learn and engage. To mark the launch of the report and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, staff were encouraged to wear orange shirts to honour Survivors and remember those who never made it home.
“Advancing Reconciliation at our Hospital means fostering inclusion, equity, and compassion in all that we do”, said Christine Bates, TBRHSC Board Chair. “We know Indigenous Peoples can face unique barriers accessing health care and we are committed to removing these obstacles and supporting cultural safety. Our latest report highlights the progress we’ve made and our ongoing dedication to this important work.”
