Link: https://comms.tbrhsc.net/stratvideo/douglas-semple/

Administrative Professionals Day (April 21st) recognizes and celebrates the work of secretaries, administrative assistants and other office professionals for their contributions to the workplace. Thank you to all of the amazing administrative professionals at our Hospital, Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute and Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation for your dedication and hard work.

After 13 years in the Information Technology department, Bruce Bogacki is retiring on April 28, 2021.

Bruce started his career with Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre by supporting the newly emerging video conferencing world and the recently formed research arm of our Hospital, the Thunder Bay Regional Research Institute in 2008. Bruce has been an integral part of the Information Technology team and we are going to miss him.

This is an exciting time in Bruce’s life and we wish him all the best. In his retirement, Bruce hopes to spend his days on the deck out at his camp with his wife Kathy.

We’re compiling congratulatory messages for Bruce, so if you’d like to contribute please send yours to Marlee Pradal at pradalm@tbh.net.

Volunteering during Pandemic: A Meaningful Experience

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When Casey Kuoppala applied to become a volunteer at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, no one could have imagined that a pandemic was about to radically change all of our lives.

Shortly after Casey completed all of the volunteer application, screening, orientation, and training requirements in early 2020, the Hospital announced that it would be restricting on-site volunteer involvement. Like so many other hospitals across North America and beyond, ours wanted to take every possible precaution to keep everyone in our Hospital and our community safe.

The absence of volunteers since March 19, 2020 had serious impacts on the functioning of various departments, services, and programs that have come to rely on volunteer involvement, including the Main Information Desk Greeter service.

Fortunately, the Hospital’s Incident Management Team approved a new Wayfinding Volunteer service beginning in August 2020. Based at the Main Entrance, Way-finding Volunteers have been helping to create a positive and welcoming first impression at this Hospital to all Patients and Care Partners by:

• greeting out-patients, visitors, and staff;
• giving directions to out-patients or visitors, personally escorting them, if needed;
• transporting out-patients or visitors by wheelchair, as required;
• delivering items for patients to the Nursing Stations;
• locating, sanitizing, and returning wheelchairs to the main lobby.

The Volunteer Services department recruited for this role from among the existing volunteer team and then among newer volunteers like Casey. “I am happy to help out and give back to the community,” he says.

“It’s very fulfilling and rewarding to be helping people. Even small things make a big difference, and I’m happy to be helping out our health care heroes in the Hospital.”

After 21 years at our Hospital, Esther Kettridge is retiring on April 30, 2021.

Esther started her 21 year career in health care as an Accounting clerk with Cancer Care Ontario – Northwestern Ontario Cancer Program in 2000. She then transitioned from that role to an Accounting Clerk at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre when the cancer program integrated with hospital in 2004. In 2006, she began with the Prevention & Screening Clinical Services team and since then has held a number of roles there. She is retiring having spent the last 6 and 1/2 years as the Diagnostic Assessment Program (DAP) Assistant.

In her retirement, Esther is looking forward to spending more time with her grandson, at camp, and on her many hobbies.

Please join us for a virtual retirement celebration:

Date: Friday, April 30, 2021
Time: 2:00pm – 3:00pm with a formal presentation beginning at 2:15pm
Location: https://tbh.net/retirement

You are welcome to sign a virtual guest book that is being complied for Esther. If you would like to do so, please email Ann-Marie Cline at clinea@tbh.net.

If you would like to contribute to the gift being arranged for Esther, or if you have something for Esther, please call Muddasir Ahmed at extension 7320 to make arrangements.

Link: https://comms.tbrhsc.net/stratvideo/jos-de-blok/

2021 National Volunteer Week (April 18 – 24): Thank You Volunteers!

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We are all in this together! So goes the saying that has become synonymous with the COVID-19 pandemic. It also ties in well with Volunteer Canada’s theme for this year’s National Volunteer Week: the value of one, the power of many.

Prior to the pandemic, hundreds of volunteers stepped up in countless ways to support patient and family centred care at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre and Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation, as Hospital and Foundation Volunteers and Patient Family Advisors. Fortunately, for our Hospital, a few of those volunteers have been able to continue volunteering on-site, remotely, or virtually. Many volunteers found new ways to support the Hospital, creating greeting cards for patients, sewing masks to be sold in the gift shop, or making blankets and slippers for Pediatric patients.

We also recognize those who stepped back from volunteering this year to protect themselves and others, either due to personal choice or in large part because our Hospital, like most in Ontario, limited most or all volunteer activity during the pandemic. As Volunteer Canada says, “The value of one person staying home helps protect their network, the power of many people keeping their distance helps protect the community.” 

At this time of year, we make a special effort to recognize volunteer contributions. Hundreds of volunteers give generously of their time in departments and services throughout the Hospital: the Patient Clothing Cupboard, Information Desk, OR Family Waiting Area, Pacemaker Clinic, Rehabilitation Transport, Healthy Lifestyles Rehabilitation, Seasons Gift Shop (including the Jewellery Gallery), Volunteer Association, Regional Cancer Care Northwest, Surgical Day Care, Pre-Admission, Renal Services, Emergency Department, Bariatric Centre, the Courtyard Gardens, Endo, Wayfinding Service, and the Hospital Elder Life Program (HELP), to name just a few.

They come to give back to the Hospital; learn about a career in health care; meet new people and make new friends; support their community’s Hospital in an advisory capacity, or by helping out with fundraising.

While the Volunteers represent a wide array of ages and backgrounds in our community, they all have one thing in common – they make a tremendous impact on the experiences of patients and families from all over Northwestern Ontario.

Visit www.tbrhsc.net and go to the section ‘Join our Team’ to find more information or e-mail volunteering@tbh.net or call 684-6266.

Patient Family Advisors volunteer to share their valuable insights and first-hand knowledge of how the Hospital’s services impact patients. Patient Family Advisors help us meet the needs and priorities of our patients, families and community. They have direct input and influence the policies, programs and practices that shape the care and services that people receive. Visit the website www.tbrhsc.net and go to the section ‘Join our Team’ to find more information or contact: (807) 684-7322 or e-mail: PFCC@tbh.net.

Volunteers are also critical to the success of the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation. They help make a healthier Northwestern Ontario by providing administrative assistance, assisting with special events, and selling raffle tickets at various locations throughout the region. At this time we currently are unable to have our volunteers on site, and unable to host in person events but we cannot wait to have everyone back! Volunteers can help make a healthier Northwestern Ontario by assisting with one of our many special events or selling raffle tickets at various locations throughout the region, to name just a few opportunities.

To sign up as a volunteer with us at call 345-4673 or email volunteers@healthsciencesfoundation.ca.

Volunteers are the backbone of any organization, and they are an essential link to the community. We value what they do to make the patient experience better.

As we celebrate National Volunteer Week 2021, we want to thank all of the Volunteers who help make a difference for all of our patients and families.

During National Volunteer Week, and all year long, we say THANK YOU VOLUNTEERS!