April marks BeADonor Month in Ontario, a time dedicated to encouraging individuals who haven’t yet signed up to consider organ and tissue donation. In Ontario, 1,400 people on average are waiting for a lifesaving organ while thousands more are in need of a transformative tissue donation. Increasing the number of registered donors enhances the likelihood of saving lives for those needing transplants. It takes two minutes to register at beadonor.ca, and by doing so, you can offer hope to those who are waiting for a critical transplant.
On April 7, World Health Day kicks off a year-long global campaign centered on Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures. Observed annually by all member states of the World Health Organization (WHO), this initiative highlights the importance of ensuring equitable access to high-quality care for birthing people and newborns.
As the northern hub for maternity care, Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) supports over 1,300 births annually. Our level 2C perinatal and special care nursery units provide comprehensive, expert care, ensuring families receive vital support during critical moments. We are deeply committed to strengthening the health outcomes of both infants and birthing individuals, and in alignment with national efforts to improve perinatal and newborn care, we continuously strive to provide a foundation for lifelong health. This commitment is reflected through initiatives such as expanded access to the Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) antibody administration and the reintroduction of prenatal education programs in collaboration with the Thunder Bay District Health Unit and Anishnawbe Mushkiki.
In addition to direct care services, TBRHSC is a key partner in advancing maternal and newborn health through research and system-wide collaboration. As an active participant in the Northern Maternal Child Network, TBRHSC contributes to creating an integrated system of care across the region, identifying and addressing gaps in the northern health system while advocating for improved coordination and support. To further enhance access to care, TBRHSC introduced the Paediatric Emergency Transport Team (PETT), a service dedicated to ensuring critically ill paediatric patients in remote areas receive timely, specialized transport and care. Central to these initiatives is the Maternity Centre, a dedicated space at TBRHSC that fosters comprehensive, interdisciplinary care for pregnant individuals. This space is staffed by a team of physicians, nurse practitioners, lactation consultants, dieticians, kinesiologists and social workers, all working together to support the health and wellbeing of parents/caregivers and their children.
World Health Day serves as a reminder that a unified commitment to improving health outcomes from the very beginning lays the foundation for hopeful futures. At TBRHSC, we remain steadfast in our dedication to perinatal and newborn health, striving for excellence in clinical care, advancing research and advocating for the evolving needs of our community. Through innovation and collaboration, we continue to shape a future where every birthing person and newborn has access to exceptional care, unwavering support, and the opportunity to thrive.
The 2025-2026 schedule is now live! To register for a session, click HERE.
We are pleased to invite all staff to take part in our new cultural safety training session titled, “Repairing the Sacred Circle: An Indigenous Cultural Awareness and Education Primer”.
The session will introduce participants to an insightful way of thinking about truth and reconciliation. It will be a reflective pathway for cross-cultural discussion and an entry point to create the necessary change for awareness and inclusiveness within Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre.
Participants will be introduced to concepts such as colonization, race and racism, common stereotypes, and how these contribute to health inequities for Indigenous Peoples within the current healthcare system.
This is a free training session, there is no cost to attend. The session is 3 hours long and takes place in-person. We encourage all staff (including students, residents, volunteers, and PFAs) to participate and look forward to seeing you there.
Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (the Hospital) is committed to providing patient and family centred care (PFCC). Based on the principles of PFCC and continuous quality improvement, all compliments and concerns are taken seriously and regarded as an opportunity to improve the service provided, through collaboration with patients, families and the community.
The Hospital complies with the Excellent Care for All Act (2010) by allowing the opportunity for patients and families to provide feedback regarding the care received. Compliments and concerns are received by the Quality and Risk Management (QRM) Department by phone, email, letter, mail, comment boxes (paper feedback form) or online feedback form.
All Hospital staff, professional staff, learners and volunteers can enter a compliment or concern on behalf of patients, families or visitors (with their consent) regarding their experiences in our Hospital. Visit the website at https://tbrhsc.net/home/information-services/feedback/ or navigate to the electronic feedback form by clicking on the Compliments and Concerns icon on the Novell applications page. QRM will acknowledge compliments and concerns within five business days if received by phone, email, mail, feedback form or as requested.
For more information on compliments and concerns resolution, please refer to policy QM-50.
The next phase of terrazzo repairs will begin on Wednesday, April 9 until Friday, April 18. The work area will span from the Foundation office door (next to the Information Desk) and down to the fireplace at Robin’s (please see map attached below).
As previously, work will be occurring overnight from 8:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. and fencing will be placed around the work area for the duration of the work to ensure the safety of staff, patients and visitors.
Impacts
The Foundation’s Donor Office will be relocated to their Main Office, adjacent to the Information Desk.
The public washrooms and water fountains adjacent to Robin’s will NOT be accessible.
Access to Elevator-02, Regional Cancer Care and the administrative areas in behind Robin’s will be via the main corridor beside Volunteer Services.
Patient access to the Telemedicine department will be via the corridor beside Volunteer Services.
The tables and seating across from the Cashier’s Office will be relocated within the Main Lobby.
Signage will be posted for all detour routes.
There are no impacts to the following:
Robin’s will remain open via their new entrance.
The Foundation Main Office (Special Events & Major Gifts office) will remain open and accessible.
Security and Information Desk will remain fully accessible
If you have any questions, please contact Capital Planning – Kristi Judge at extension 7031 or kristi.judge@tbh.net or Darin Pretto at extension 6205 or darin.pretto@tbh.net.
Shared on behalf of Infection Prevention and Control
An enteric outbreak has been declared on the Transitional Care Unit (TCU) as of April 6, 2025. All restrictions are in place.
Outbreak # 2262-2025-00045
Please share this information with the appropriate staff.
As always, our number one priority is the safety of patients and their families, staff and visitors. All patients identified as having an exposure to this outbreak will require isolation with appropriate additional precautions.
The department of Infection Prevention and Control encourages everyone to keep applying the routine practices of hand hygiene, proper use of PPE, equipment cleaning, and the appropriate admission screening of all patients.
Please set an example for staff and students and assist us by maintaining compliance and due diligence.
Michelle Opaski, Mammographer, stands by the Screen for Life Coach which will be visiting over 35 rural, remote, and Indigenous communities across Northwestern Ontario.
The Screen for Life Coach is hitting the road to bring cancer screening closer to home for over 35 rural, remote, and Indigenous communities across Northwestern Ontario.
The Screen for Life Coach (Coach) is a mobile cancer screening bus that delivers breast, cervical, and colon cancer screening services in one convenient place. The Coach’s first stop will be in Dryden at the Dryden Regional Health Centre on April 10th, kicking off a 7-month regional tour.
“The Coach makes cancer screening accessible in communities where these services are limited or non-existent,” says Tarja Heiskanen, Manager of Prevention and Screening at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. “In Northwestern Ontario, getting to the nearest cancer screening site may mean long travel times. By bringing these services closer to home, it’s easier for people to prioritize their health and detect cancer early, when it’s most treatable.”
Cancer screening on the Coach is a proactive way of detecting cancer for individuals that do not have symptoms or a family history. “Regular screening is an important part of maintaining good health,” says Caitlund Davidson, Prevention and Screening Coordinator. “Cancers in the early stages don’t often show symptoms. If you feel fine, it’s a perfect time to get screened.”
Who should get screened?
Anyone who is eligible for breast, cervical, or colon cancer screening can visit the Coach.
In Ontario, the screening guidelines for average risk individuals are as follows:
Women, Two-Spirit, trans and non-binary people between the ages of 40 and 74, should have a breast screening mammogram every two years. New for this travel season, individuals who are 40-49 years of age can now access breast screening on the Coach.
Anyone with a cervix between 25 and 69 years, who has ever been sexually active, should have a cervical screening test every five years.
Individuals, between the ages of 50 and 74, who have no first-degree family history of colon cancer, should complete a take-home colon screening kit every two years.
Screening on the Coach is available at no cost for those with a valid OHIP card. A doctor referral is not required for average-risk individuals within the recommended screening age range.
Where to find the Coach
The Coach screens communities across Northwestern Ontario throughout the summer months and screens the Thunder Bay area during the winter months. A full list of dates and locations is available at tbrhsc.net/screenforlife.
How to make an appointment
Those looking to book a breast, cervical or colon cancer screening appointment on the Screen for Life Coach should call (807) 684-7777. For those eligible for all three types of screenings, all appointments can be scheduled for one visit. Flexible scheduling options, including morning, afternoon, evening, and weekend appointments, are available. A physician referral is not required.
On March 12, the HELP Program (Hospital Elder Life Program) celebrated World Delirium Awareness Day! World Delirium Awareness Day is an annual event that is held in March to raise awareness about delirium and its impact on patients, families and health care systems. It is intended to bring attention to the importance of early recognition and intervention of delirium as well as highlight the latest research, guidelines and best practice for the field.
Thank you to those staff that stopped by and signed in for a chance to win a $25 gift card for Robins Donuts. We are pleased to announce that our winner is Leanne Baird from the Simulation Lab!
Congratulations! You can come and pick up your gift card in the HELP office located within Academic Affairs on the 3rd floor of the main Hospital.
