During National Indigenous History Month, Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre has partnered with Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) to showcase a community building panel display on site. This project, developed by the NAN Education Department, was funded by the Ontario Ministry of Education in response to the Seven Youth Inquest in 2016, and is aimed to address racism experienced by students in Thunder Bay schools.
The purpose of the display is to combat myths and misunderstandings that lead to racism and to provide an opportunity for respectful dialogue about Treaty relationships. The display aims to encourage truthful and respectful discussions while discouraging false and derogatory statements about Indigenous Peoples.
The panels will be on display across from Seasons Gift Shop until Friday, June 19.
On Friday, June 26 from 9:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. EST there will be an outage for the Work Order submittal system. This affects both the Biomedical and Physical Plant work orders.
For urgent maintenance requests during this time, call the Operator at 807-629-7005.
For urgent biomedical issues during this time, call the Maintenance Supervisor On Call.
For any nonurgent issues, please wait until the outage is over and then submit the work order.
Congratulations to Ron Lamothe, our inaugural Preceptor of the Month recipient!
Ron was nominated by his colleague Deb, in recognition of his outstanding dedication to mentoring and supporting new staff in the orthopedic operating room. With more than 25 years of orthopedic experience, Ron’s calm demeanor, extensive knowledge, and steady guidance help learners build confidence in a highly specialized and demanding environment.
Respected by both colleagues and surgeons, he has helped shape countless skilled orthopedic nurses throughout his career. His humility, professionalism, and unwavering commitment to teaching have made a lasting impact on our team and exemplify the qualities of an exceptional preceptor.
Thank you, Ron, for the difference you make in the learning experiences of new staff and for your ongoing contributions to your team.
Members of the Miskwaa Biidaaban team (Red Dawn Indigenous Collaboration department) at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre.
Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) is committed to moving beyond symbolic gestures and advancing deep, structural transformation in health care for Indigenous patients, families, and communities. Grounded in our core values of diversity, compassion, innovation, and accountability, this commitment ensures we deliver exceptional care to every patient, every time.
TBRHSC recognizes that Indigenous Peoples, especially First Nation Peoples from remote Northwestern Ontario communities, face significant barriers and inequities in accessing health care. TBRHSC is committed to addressing these challenges by providing equitable, culturally safe care in a welcoming environment, increased Indigenous representation, and the integration of Indigenous perspectives guiding all efforts to advance meaningful change.
To enhance culturally safe care, TBRHSC has established dedicated frontline positions to support Indigenous patients and families. Indigenous Care Coordinators (ICC) work with inpatients to provide advocacy, navigation, discharge planning and access to community resources. Additionally, ICCs work with the Traditional Wellness Lead to help Indigenous patients with physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual comforts. The Traditional Wellness Lead facilitates access to traditional and spiritual care by working with Elders and Knowledge Keepers to foster a culturally safe environment. These roles are part of Miskwaa Biidaaban (Red Dawn Indigenous Collaboration department), which was named through a traditional ceremony led by an Ojibwe Elder to symbolize respect, reclaiming traditional names and meaningful partnership. Together, these roles ensure Indigenous patients and families feel respected, supported, and safe throughout their health care journey.
While these frontline roles provide direct advocacy, it is equally important that organizational strategy and decision-making are informed by Indigenous voices. To align frontline patient care with Hospital policy, TBRHSC established the Indigenous Partners Steering Committee.
Comprised of representatives from Indigenous organizations, and guided by Elders, the Committee meets quarterly to provide best-practice guidance and uphold accountability. This structure helps Miskwaa Biidaaban align with service commitments and formal partnerships, supporting culturally appropriate care for Indigenous patients, families, and staff. The Committee also provides valuable feedback on Indigenous initiatives developed within Strategic Plan 2026, demonstrating a commitment to meaningful community engagement.
Building on the Committee’s guidance, the Indigenous Health Framework was developed to set shared expectations for advancing equity and belonging for Indigenous peoples, clarifying accountability at all organizational levels. The priorities of the Framework are: partnerships, cultural well-being and education, addressing Indigenous-specific racism, recruitment and retention as well as embedding a way to measure and evaluate progress. Shaped by both local and provincial perspectives, the Framework embeds Indigenous ways of knowing throughout governance, strategy, and everyday work.
Engagement during the development of TBRHSC’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Framework revealed synergies with EDI concepts, but also highlighted the need for a distinct, rights-based approach to Indigenous health sovereignty. In response to these findings, the Indigenous Health Framework was developed separately from other EDI and anti-racism frameworks to ensure the unique priorities of Indigenous communities are recognized and guided with cultural safety. Ongoing leadership from the Committee shapes how this Framework is applied in practice, ensuring Indigenous ways of knowing remain foundational to ongoing improvement.
This dedicated focus sets the stage for broader structural change in how care is delivered and governed. True health care equity requires a shift in perspective. By honouring structural sovereignty alongside compassionate frontline care, TBRHSC ensures that every Indigenous patient can receive exceptional, culturally safe care.
At TBRHSC, reconciliation is not just a policy; it is an ongoing journey that shapes every decision and action. TBRHSC’s commitment to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action is brought to life through transparent public reporting, active collaboration, and a willingness to keep learning. By centring Indigenous voices, the goal remains to build lasting trust and genuine equity for patients, families, and communities.
One year ago, we officially unveiled the construction of our new Cardiovascular Surgery Program. Today, significant progress has been made, bringing us one step closer to providing patients and families across Northwestern Ontario with access to life-saving cardiac surgery closer to home.
Construction has reached a major milestone, with structural work on the new wing now complete, revealing the full scope and scale of the expansion. Throughout the summer, crews will continue installing roofing and exterior walls as work advances toward a fully enclosed, weathertight building envelope.
Preparatory mechanical and electrical work is also underway on Level 3 and the penthouse floor, supporting the future development of the new Cardiovascular Hybrid Operating Room, Coronary Care Unit beds, and Cardiovascular Surgery Inpatient Beds. Interior fit-out is scheduled to begin later this year, marking another exciting step forward in bringing advanced cardiac care to our region.
Patients in Northwestern Ontario with certain retinal detachments can now receive treatment in Thunder Bay, avoiding emergency travel to Winnipeg or southern Ontario.
Patients with retinal detachments no longer need to travel out of the region for emergency treatment, after a new procedure was introduced at the Regional Health Sciences Centre.
The hospital has now treated about a dozen patients locally using pneumatic retinopexy, a minimally invasive procedure that can repair specific types of retinal detachments.
“When I started here, I noticed all the patients were being sent out to Winnipeg or Southern Ontario because we lacked the specialized equipment here,” said Dr. Alex Pisig, a retinal specialist who joined the Thunder Bay ophthalmology team last summer.
He said the need for local treatment became clear shortly after arriving in the city, noting that retinal detachment is a time-sensitive condition that can lead to permanent vision loss if untreated.
“Retinal detachment is a serious eye condition that, if not recognized early, can potentially cause blindness,” he said.
Pisig said patients were often forced to travel long distances for care, sometimes under difficult and risky conditions.
“I can’t imagine how difficult it is for patients to travel to Winnipeg just to have specialized eye care,” he said.
Bob Campbell was the first patient treated locally after arriving at the emergency department with concerning vision changes.
“I wouldn’t say I was super concerned at the beginning,” he said. “But when it didn’t go away, you start to investigate what this could be, and I quite quickly discovered that this was something that was an emergency.”
He underwent treatment the same day.
“I went into emergency on that Thursday morning and came out at 7 that night with the procedure completed,” Campbell said.
He said he was surprised to learn patients in the region had routinely been sent out of Thunder Bay for the same treatment.
“I couldn’t believe that people were sent away from a world-class facility here to get what I thought was a relatively simple procedure,” he said.
That reality became clearer when he considered what travel could mean for patients needing urgent care.
“I rolled the highway for 30-something years in the energy sector, and I know the carnage that happens out there in the winter,” he said. “For somebody to be on their way to a procedure and have travel be the riskiest part made no sense to me.”
Pisig said early detection is critical.
“The three Fs of retinal detachment are floaters, flashes and field of vision loss,” he said. “If you see those symptoms, go to your optometrist or the emergency room.”
The procedure works by injecting a small gas bubble into the eye, which helps reposition the retina before it is sealed with laser or freezing treatment.
“The bubble will float up and push the retina back into place,” Pisig said.
Pisig said the program was made possible through support from hospital administrators and the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation, which helped secure specialized equipment.
While the service now handles simpler cases locally, more advanced retinal surgery still requires additional equipment and training.
“At this point, we are able to treat only the simple cases,” he said. “But for more complex cases, we will need full equipment capable of doing more advanced retinal surgery.”
He said expanding the service remains a long-term goal.
“Hopefully we’ll be able to acquire that specialized equipment in the next couple of years,” he said, adding that training staff will be just as important as equipment.
“We also need to train very competent nurses and technicians,” he said. “That’s how we build this service properly here in Thunder Bay.”
Left to right: Dr. Alex Pisig and patient Bob Campbell, who was the first to receive a new retinal detachment treatment.Dr. Alex Pisig presents on the new retinal detachment treatment now being offered at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre.
On May 14, 1969, Canada decriminalized homosexuality, following the introduction of Bill C-150 by then Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau. The bill received royal assent the day before the Stonewall Uprising began in New York City, on June 27, 1969.
The Stonewall Uprising was a significant turning point for 2SLGBTQQIA+ rights in the US, but Canada has its own unique Pride history. The first gay liberation march, known as the “We Demand” March, was held on Parliament Hill on August 28, 1971, the second anniversary of the enactment of Bill C-150. This was followed in 1973 by Canada’s first Pride events, which were held in several Canadian cities.
Over the proceeding decades, Canada continued to make strides toward 2SLGBTQQIA+ rights. From amendments to the Canadian Human Rights Act, and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms the Canadian to include protections for sexual orientation and gender identity and expression, to becoming the fourth country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage.
Despite this progress, 2SLGBTQQIA+ individuals continue to face inequities and discrimination that impacts their health and wellbeing, which is why it remains critical to continue to advocate for change.
To learn more about the history of Pride in Canada, please see the attached timeline, and go to: http://www.queerevents.ca/queer-history/canadian-history-timeline
What does the 2SLGBTQQIA+ acronym stand for?
Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning, Intersex, Asexual, as well as other A identities, such as Aromantic, and Agender. The plus sign represents all other gender and sexually-diverse individuals who may describe their identity using other terminology. Below are definitions for each identity represented in the 2SLGBTQQIA+ acronym.
2S
Two-Spirit
A culturally-specific identity describing Indigenous individuals whose gender, spiritual, or sexual identity includes both male and female spirits. The term honors gender and sexual diversity and emphasizes the ability of Two-Spirits to navigate both worlds and hold male and female responsibilities in their communities. While the concept of Two-Spirit individuals has existed among Indigenous Peoples for generations, the term niizh manidoowag, meaning “two spirits,” was first proposed in 1990 by Elder Myra Laramee.
L
Lesbian
Refers to women or non-binary individuals who are attracted to people of the same or similar genders
G
Gay
A person who is sexually and/or romantically attracted to people of the same sex or gender identity
B
Bisexual
A person who experiences attraction to individuals who share their gender identity, as well as individuals whose gender is different from their own
T
Transgender (Trans)
Refers to individuals with gender identities or expressions that differ from the gender socially attributed to the sex assigned to them at birth
Q
Queer
An umbrella term used to describe one’s identity in the 2SLGBTQQIA+ community, including more complex experiences of gender identity and expression, sexuality, and attraction
Q
Questioning
The process of learning about one’s gender identity and sexual orientation. This process may occur over a single period, episodically, or throughout one’s lifetime
I
Intersex
Individuals for whom chromosomes, hormones, or anatomical sex characteristics fall outside of the conventional classifications of male or female
A
Agender, Aromantic, Asexual
Agender: A person whose gender identity is experienced as being neutral, or having no gender Aromantic: A person who experiences little to no romantic attraction to others Asexual: A person who experiences no sexual attraction and/or interest in sexual activity. Asexual can also be used as an umbrella term to describe those with varying degrees of sexual attraction and desire, including demisexual and graysexual
+
Other sexual and gender identities
Inclusive of people who identify as part of sexual and gender diverse communities, who use additional terminologies
To learn more about the history of Two Spirit folks, please go to: https://www.theindigenousfoundation.org/articles/the-history-of-two-spirit-folks
To learn more about 2SLGBTQQIA+ identities, please go to Egale Canada at: https://egale.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/2SLGBTQI-Terms-and-Definitions-2.0.pdf
As Pride Month encourages us to address discrimination towards the 2SLGBTQQIA+ community, the 2SLGBTQQIA+ Subcommittee and Pride Working Group, on behalf of the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Steering Committee invite you to celebrate Pride, and work towards a more inclusive future for 2SLGBTQQIA+ patients, families, staff, and community members. To see what events are taking place throughout the month, check out the poster below:
Shared on behalf of Jessica Logozzo, VP, Strategy and Regional Transformation
I am pleased to announce that Sandra Calver has joined the Informatics team as Interim Director, Clinical Informatics.
Sandra is a Registered Nurse and accomplished clinical informatics leader with more than 15 years of experience advancing digital health strategy, electronic health record transformations, and care pathway integration across Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States.
She brings extensive leadership experience from her previous roles as Senior Nursing Information Officer at University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust and Chief Nursing Information Officer at Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust in the UK, as well as consulting experience across Canada and the United States with Accenture. Sandra is recognized for her commitment to patient and family centred care and has a proven ability to translate strategic priorities into operational outcomes through collaborative leadership, effective change management, and strong partnerships with clinical, operational, and technical teams.
Her experience working alongside clinicians, patients, families, health system partners, and government will be a tremendous asset as we continue to advance our electronic health record renewal and pursue our regional digital health priorities.
Please join me in extending a warm welcome to Sandra as she transitions into this important leadership role.
A+ Employee Travel Perks Hotel Booking engine on the Travel Discount site has been updated. This includes not only an improved user interface, but also better discounted rates (in particular at Canadian hotels).
Note: One change is that phone numbers for customer assistance during the booking are now dynamic (presented in real time on each property page), and post-reservation support is now available at 1-800-497-2175 (presented in email confirmations).
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