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).
Skip the all staff email. Post your message on the Daily Informed Newsletter instead.
The Daily Informed Newsletter is published Monday to Friday and distributed to all Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre and Thunder Bay Regional Health Research Institute staff via email (tbh.net accounts).
Why should I post my message in the Daily Informed Newsletter?
It’s the most effective way to reach all staff, professional staff, learners and volunteers electronically. It can also support a variety of content formats.
Please include a high resolution photo (.jpg or .png) to accompany your item. A member of the Communications and Engagement team would be happy to take the photo for you if needed.
Indicate both the preferred date to start posting and the expiry date.
Submissions about events include any education, information or awareness raising initiatives and activities happening in the community that support TBRHSC and TBRHRI’s Strategic Plan.
Please ensure that content intended for the Daily Informed Newsletter has been endorsed by your department’s Manager/Director/VP prior to submitting.
(L-R): Dr. Alex Pisig, MD, Ophthalmologist who led bringing simple retinal detachment repair to TBRHSC and Bob Campbell, first patient to receive treatment locally.
Until recently, patients in Northwestern Ontario experiencing simple retinal detachment faced urgent trips to Winnipeg or Southern Ontario for treatment. The long journeys and the requirement of patients to travel by car after treatment were made even more difficult by winter highway conditions.
Now, Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) can perform simple retinal detachment repair locally.
This important advancement means patients can receive timely care closer to home, reducing travel burdens, and helping protect vision when every moment counts.
This achievement was made possible through the collaboration of Dr. Alex Pisig, TBRHSC ophthalmologist and vitreoretinal surgeon, the TBRHSC Lions Vision Care Centre team, Hospital administration, and the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation, whose donor-funded surgical gas canisters helped bring this service to Northwestern Ontario.
“I want to help people here so they don’t have to travel to Winnipeg or elsewhere – especially in winter,” said Dr. Pisig.
The first patient to receive the treatment in Thunder Bay, Bob Campbell, was extremely grateful to Dr. Pisig and everyone who made it possible to receive this treatment locally.
“Without Dr. Pisig and those first gas canisters the Foundation funded two weeks earlier, I would have had to drive to Winnipeg and back,” Campbell said. “Thank you to everyone involved in expanding access to specialized care and improving patient experiences across our region.”
Shared on behalf of Allan Korol, Manager Facilities & Biomedical Services
I am pleased to announce that Scott Fraser has accepted the position of Assistant Manager Physical Plant & Mechanical effective June 9, 2026.
Scott will contribute with over 20 years of private sector experience including team leadership, staff Supervision, equipment diagnostics, repairs and preventative / corrective maintenance.
Prior to joining TBRHSC, Scott’s employment included Toromont CAT Thunder Bay Heavy Equipment Technician and Lead Hand, Heavy Equipment Technician (Mining Division).
Scott’s training includes Canadian Red Seal Certification for Heavy Duty Equipment Technician, various Health and Safety and First Aid Courses.
Scott Fraser will be training with the current Assistant Manager of Physical Plant & Mechanical (Arnold Bylund will retire on June 26, 2026).
Please join me in congratulating Scott on his new role. He can be reached at Scott.Fraser@tbh.net and by calling extension 6356.
Clinical placements play a vital role in a health care learner’s journey, bridging academic learning with real-world practice and helping students build confidence, competence, and professional identity. Through hands-on experience, learners develop essential clinical skills, teamwork, and an understanding of patient-centred care.
As an academic health sciences centre, our Hospital is proud to support learners by providing a safe, supportive, and enriching placement environment where future professionals can learn, grow, and contribute meaningfully to patient care.
We want you to meet some of the learners at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) who are currently on that journey — such as Molly Kunnas.
Hometown – Thunder Bay, ON
Program – Speech-Language Pathology at Western University.
What does an average day during your placement look like?
Our day typically begins with reviewing patient charts and any new swallowing assessment referrals that have come in. My preceptor and I then discuss our caseload and prioritize patients we’d like to see that day. One aspect of my placement that I have particularly enjoyed is the opportunity to work within the cancer centre, where we see head and neck cancer patients for swallowing assessments and follow-up appointments during and after radiation therapy. Much of our day involves conducting swallowing assessments, determining whether patients are swallowing safely, and developing recommendations to support safe and efficient oral intake. We work closely with registered dietitians and other members of the interdisciplinary team to ensure patients are not only eating and drinking safely but are also able to meet their nutritional needs. We also assess and treat patients with speech, language, and cognitive-communication difficulties.
Is there a mentor or faculty member who has significantly impacted you?
I’ve been really fortunate to have such amazing support from my preceptor Emily Hill. As a student entering an acute care placement, there is a learning curve, and Emily has been consistently supportive and encouraging throughout my placement. It’s been great to watch and learn from her as well as the other amazing speech-language pathologists at TBRHSC. I feel very grateful to have had this as my final placement working alongside such wonderful clinicians!
What is one interesting fact others might not know about you?
I’m a former student athlete and played for the women’s hockey team at University of Manitoba.
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