From May 30 – June 5, employees are encouraged to leave their car at home as part of the Commuter Challenge. The Commuter Challenge is a weeklong, national challenge between work places to motivate employees to think about their usual commute to work. Trying new modes of getting to and from work, other than driving alone, promotes sustainable transportation and reduced air pollution.

There are many options to take part in the Commuter Challenge. Try cycling, walking, inline skating, skateboarding, running, or other activities. Choosing active ways to commute has benefits including increased cardiovascular fitness; muscular strength and endurance; and reduced risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes and cancer. If you are working from home, you are helping the environment by skipping the commute all together, but you can still get active and participate in the Challenge. The fresh air can also be an excellent way to clear your mind before you start or end a long work day.

Commuter Challenge Sign-Up Instructions:

1. Go to https://commuterchallenge.ca/
2. Select “Employee” on the right hand side
3. Location: Fill in Ontario and Thunder Bay
4. Individual Details: scroll down to Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. Do not register as a new workplace
5. Create a log in name and password you will remember
6. Log in every day and select the day, mode of transportation, and distance on the right to track your progress!
7. Check out other individuals and workplaces around town to see how you compare!  

Sent on behalf of Ontario Health North Communications

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Please be advised that as of June 4, 2021 Ontario Health North staff will begin using new Ontario Health email addresses.

For most people this will mean their email will look something like this:

Firstname.lastname@ontariohealth.ca

Staff may reach out to you in the coming days to ask that you update your contact list with the correct email. They may also request that for pre-existing reoccurring meetings, you resend an invite to their new Ontario Health email otherwise they will lose these meetings from their calendar.

Please Note: This change will not affect Home and Community Care Support Services North East or North West staff. Staff working in home and community care will continue to use their LHIN email address (firstname.lastname@lhins.on.ca ) for the time being.

Thank you kindly for your patience with this change!

May 27th is recognized as Emergency Medicine Day. Today we celebrate the specialty of Emergency Medicine, and we salute all the amazing people that work in our Emergency Department, and those all across the world. These dedicated health care professionals are always there to provide emergency care for us no matter the circumstances. Thank you for your commitment to caring for patients, their families and the community.

To everyone working within the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre community:

We see you. We salute you. We once worked in partnership alongside you, and we know more than many how difficult this pandemic is on each and every one of you. No matter what department you work in, you have our gratitude and respect.

THANK YOU!

We know it has been, and continues to  be, unbelievably challenging with PPE, cleaning routines, overtime, and constantly shifting policies and procedures as the COVID-19 science evolves. We know you have faced many uncertainties, frightened patients, personal risk and concerns for your own families. We know.

We know that TBRHSC and its staff community resemble an iceberg. We only see the tip of what is going on, but below the surface and behind the scenes, there is a great deal of very necessary activity. As retired nurses, we know that our jobs caring for the patients were not possible without the contributions of every single employee at TBRHSC.

We know it’s been harder than we can even imagine. We know that you really didn’t have a choice but to face the unknowns of the unexpected pandemic directly.

Thank you for all that you have done and continue to do. We know that you must be tired. Your community and region owe you a great debt for these selfless efforts.

We have been joined in this recognition of TBRHSC employees by a local business. We are especially grateful to them for their generosity during these challenging COVID-19 times.

Thank you to Paulusma’s Greenhouse who have generously donated the plants that have been delivered to cheer up many of your work spaces.

Thank you TBRHSC employees!

With respect, retired nurses,

Alexis Bone, Carol Brunton, Joanne Diakow, Karen McPhail, Laurie Sherrington, Melody McGregor, Patricia Mintenko, and Patti Lee

For 17 years, Northern Hearts, a local non-profit organization has been organizing a “Walk with Doc” program during the month of June to encourage healthy and active lifestyles by walking in the evenings with a featured physician. Unfortunately, due to the rapidly evolving situation surrounding COVID-19, it was in the best interest of participants, volunteers and the community to cancel the public event as the health and safety of everyone became the utmost priority. To maintain the original objectives of the Walk with Doc and encourage individuals to keep active, especially during this time, Northern Hearts has created a “Virtual” Walk with Doc program.

The “Virtual” Walk with Doc program will run throughout the month of June and will include all of the elements that made the Walk with Doc program a success, such as physician participation, daily walks, and chances to win prizes!

To participate in the “Virtual” Walk with Doc program Northern Hearts has established three virtual platforms (Facebook, email, and phone Messaging) where participants can comment and post pictures featuring the walk they went on.

To receive a featured prize from the day, participants will have to demonstrate they have walked that day either by posting a photo or comment on the Northern Hearts Facebook page @NorthernHeartsThunderBay, or emailing a photo and commenting on their walk to northernhearts@tbaytel.net, they can also call and leave a message on the Northern Hearts phone line; (807) 345-2008. Winners will be selected at random throughout the month.

Northern Hearts mission is to promote healthy lifestyles in an attempt to decrease the incidence of heart disease through education and research. It is their hope that the “Virtual” Walk with Doc program will encourage active participation and spread awareness of the physical and emotional benefits of exercise while keeping the health and safety of everyone in mind.

Keep Calm and Walk On. … Virtually!

Sent on behalf of Health Records

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With the implementation of the new Cisco digital phone system, one of our transcription lines was eliminated. If you need to contact the Transcription Department regarding a dictation, please call (807) 684-6646 and we will be happy to assist you.

It’s that time of year – time to cruise. Registrations for the Tbaytel Cruise for Dad are now open!

If you are looking for a family-friendly event that you can do at your own pace this is the event for you!

All ages will enjoy testing their memory or learning a bit about some fondly remembered landmarks. The Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation in support of the Northern Cancer Fund for Prostate Cancer has created this event that will not only get you outdoors but send you on a historic trip in and around Thunder Bay. Grab your bike, car, truck, motorcycle or walking shoes and make a day of it – or do it at your own pace until July 5th.

With gathering restrictions still in place, the Tbaytel Cruise for Dad was created as a self-guided version of the annual Tbaytel Motorcycle Ride for Dad. However unlike the Ride, any vehicle can take part.

“It isn’t June without a cruise around Thunder Bay.” Says John Pascuzzo, who has participated in the Tbaytel Motorcycle Ride for Dad since inception. “I’m proud to fundraise to support prostate cancer care here at home!”

How does it work?

We’ll send you 10 historical photos of locations in and around Thunder Bay. Figure out where they are, cruise there, take a photo of yourself and post it on the Tbaytel Cruise for Dad Facebook Page or email them to us. For every 5 locations you visit you’ll earn an additional ballot in the prize draw.

How do I register?

The event will take place from June 1^st to July 5^th. Registration is $50 per person, and kids 12 and under are free! Each $50 registration will include a digital route booklet and a mailed package including: a paper route booklet, an A&W lunch coupon, a coupon for free novelty ice cream, a form to collect pledges for the cause. We’ll also enter your name into a draw for tons of great prizes.

Prizes!

We want to thank the many local businesses and restaurants who’ve generously supported this new event by becoming sponsors and donating prizes.

You can earn ballots for these prizes a number of ways:

• One ballot for your $50 registration
• One ballot for every 5 locations you visit & post
• One ballot for every $50 you fundraise

Plus the top 3 pledge earners will win their own fabulous prizes.

Fundraising for Local Prostate Cancer Care!

The Tbaytel Cruise for Dad encourages each participant to create an online fundraising page where they can share their Cruise for Dad progress with their family & friends and collect pledges for the cause.

For every $50 you raise you will earn another ballot in the draw for fabulous prizes. There will be special prizes for the top 3 pledge earners.

Dr. Walid Shahrour, Urologist at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, is encouraging participation, “Your support will help fund surgical equipment I need to eliminate blockages for men who’ve had prostate cancer.”

Consider participating in this newly created event and enjoy a trip down memory lane while supporting a great cause.

Register at www.healthsciencesfoundation.ca/cruise