Shared on behalf of Dr. Adam Exley, Vice President, Medical and Academic Affairs
I am pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Simon Sun to the role of Medical Director, Thoracic Surgery and Lung Screening Services.
Dr. Sun will provide strategic and clinical leadership to both the Thoracic Surgery and Lung Screening programs at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. As a collaborative leader, he will work closely with administrative and medical leaders across departments, including Oncology, Cardiology, and Diagnostic Services to drive high-quality, patient and family-centred care for individuals with thoracic conditions.
In this role, Dr. Sun will be responsible for providing expert medical oversight of Thoracic Surgical Services and the Lung Cancer Screening Program. He will lead operational and physician workforce planning in alignment with evolving clinical and community needs, while overseeing clinical performance indicators, quality metrics, and the professional development of advanced practice providers within the program. Dr. Sun will also strengthen interdisciplinary partnerships and contribute to the development of an Alternate Funding Plan (AFP) in collaboration with Medical Affairs. In addition, he will support innovation in thoracic care and advance education and research initiatives that align with the Hospital’s strategic goals.
Dr. Sun brings a strong track record of clinical excellence, interprofessional collaboration, and leadership experience. His vision and dedication to high-quality thoracic care will be instrumental in supporting our Hospital’s mission and regional priorities.
Please join us in congratulating Dr. Sun on his new appointment and in offering your support as he transitions into this important leadership role.
Staff from the Northwestern Ontario Regional Stroke Network are often on hand to support schools in celebrating their FAST Hero graduates.
Stroke remains one of the leading causes of death and disability in Canada, disproportionately affecting older adults. The key to reducing the impact of stroke is rapid recognition and immediate action. Yet too often, warning signs are missed, delaying treatment and reducing the chances of recovery.
Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre’s Northwestern Ontario Regional Stroke Network has been leading the FAST Heroes campaign since 2019. FAST Heroes is an innovative, school-based health education stroke awareness program that bridges generations by engaging children to share lifesaving knowledge with their grandparents. Developed internationally with endorsement from the World Stroke Organization and gaining momentum in Canada, FAST Heroes turns primary grade students into ambassadors of stroke awareness, teaching them to recognize the signs of stroke summarized by the acronym FAST: Face, Arms, Speech, and Time, time to call 9-1-1.
But the impact goes beyond education. The program directly advances hospital mandates to the community, particularly for older adults. Grandparents are the primary target audience of this initiative; by equipping them (through their grandchildren) with the ability to identify the early warning signs of stroke, hospitals and health systems can help ensure that older adults receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time.
Ontario hospitals are increasingly focused on developing care models that prioritize prevention, integration, and partnership with families. While advanced stroke units, telestroke networks, and rehabilitation services remain critical, earlier activation of emergency care remains the single most effective way to improve outcomes. FAST Heroes Canada received endorsement from the Ontario Association of Paramedic Chiefs, in which all EMS services across Ontario are able to support this program through classroom engagement.
The FAST Heroes model contributes to a new way of caring for older adults by:
Empowering families: Children become health champions, fostering intergenerational learning within households.
Promoting timely care-seeking: Older adults who internalize FAST are more likely to activate emergency services immediately, arriving at stroke-ready hospitals within the treatment window.
Strengthening community-hospital connections: Stroke Networks across Ontario are continuing to endorsing FAST Heroes and exploring ways to integrate this awareness campaigns into their community outreach. Staff become FAST Heroes ambassadors and collaborate with school boards and schools to incorporate FAST Heroes into the primary educational settings. Evaluations show that children not only learn and retain the information but are eager to share it with their grandparents, multiplying the program’s reach.
These kinds of initiatives represent an important stride in caring for older adults. By meeting patients and families outside of hospital settings, health systems can help reduce stroke-related disability, preserve independence for seniors, and lessen the long-term burden on hospitals and long-term care facilities.
As Ontario hospitals continue to reimagine services for our aging population, the FAST Heroes program is a strong example of how creative partnerships and community education can complement traditional models of care. By empowering the next generation to safeguard their grandparents’ health, we are not only raising stroke awareness but also building a culture of shared responsibility that ensures older adults receive timely, lifesaving care.
Sent on behalf of Ryan Sears, Code Red Executive Sponsor
We recognize Fire Prevention Week™ annually. This October 5–11, the National Fire Protection Association® theme is “Charge into Fire Safety™: Lithium-Ion Batteries in Your Home.” It highlights how important it is to buy, charge, and recycle lithium-ion batteries safely. If not used correctly or if damaged, lithium-ion batteries can overheat, start a fire, or even explode. For more information about Fire Prevention Week and lithium-ion battery safety, visit the iNtranet here or the dedicated website www.fpw.org.
This is also a good time of year to remember fire safety in general here at the Hospital.
Actions Required:
1. Read this memo and the attached Code Red Safety Huddle.
2. Managers to ensure that the most up to date Code Red – Fire (EMER-30) policy and departmental sub plan are in their area’s emergency binder.
Code Red Reminders:
·Always follow REACT:
R – Remove persons in immediate danger
E – Ensure doors are closed to confine fire or smoke
A – Activate the fire alarm by pulling the nearest pull station
C – Call Switchboard at 55 to report the location of the fire
T – Try to extinguish the fire if trained or continue to evacuate
Code Red sub plans provide important department specific instructions to supplement the policy that must be reviewed at least once annually by the department manager.
If you have any immediate fire safety concerns, please contact Nicole Moffett, Manager, Emergency Preparedness, Switchboard & Security. For Maintenance or equipment concerns, please contact Allan Korol, Manager, Facilities & Biomedical Services. For general questions, please contact me.
Thank you,
Ryan Sears, Director, Capital & Facility Services (Code Red Executive Sponsor)
Connie Gray-McKay, former Chief of Mishkeegogamang First Nation and a breast cancer survivor.
In 2012, Connie Gray-McKay received a letter from the Ontario Breast Screening Program (OBSP) inviting her to book a mammogram. At the time, she was a busy mother and Chief of Mishkeegogamang First Nation, and admits that personal health appointments were not her first priority.
“When that first letter came, and the ones after it, I just put them aside,” Connie recalls. “There were always other responsibilities. Getting to a screening appointment outside the community wasn’t easy, and it didn’t feel urgent at the time.”
Life moved quickly, until five years later in June 2017. Sitting on her couch, reviewing the Chief nomination forms and debating whether to run for re-election, Connie felt a lump.
“Within a couple of days I was sent to Sioux Lookout Meno Ya Win Health Centre for a mammogram, followed by a biopsy a week later,” she says. By early July, she was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Connie’s story reflects a broader reality in Northwestern Ontario, where access to cancer screening can be challenging. For many remote, rural and Indigenous communities, travel, scheduling, and limited availability of healthcare providers often stand in the way of timely appointments.
To help bridge those gaps, the Screen for Life Coach (Coach), a mobile cancer screening bus, hits the road each year for a seven-month regional tour. The Coach delivers breast, cervical, and colon cancer screening services directly to communities in Northwestern Ontario where these services may otherwise be limited or non-existent.
“Improving access to cancer screening is our goal. By bringing services closer to home and providing culturally safe care, it’s easier for individuals to prioritize their health and detect cancer early, when treatment works best,” explains Tarja Heiskanen, Manager of Prevention and Screening Clinical Servicesat Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. “This travel season, we’re proud to say we’re on-track to screen 14 Indigenous communities in Northwestern Ontario.”
Recent updates to Ontario’s screening programs are further expanding access and opportunity. “Last fall, the Ontario Breast Screening Program lowered the recommended starting age for breast screening mammograms from 50 to 40,” says Heiskanen. “opening the program to many more people who could benefit from early detection.”
Colon cancer screening is also becoming more accessible through the FIT Kits-on-Hand initiative. Building on its success in the Sioux Lookout area, the program launched in the Treaty #3 territory in July 2025. Now, eligible individuals in participating communities can pick up a Fecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) from their local nursing station rather than waiting for it to arrive by mail.
“FITs are convenient and can be completed entirely at home,” Heiskanen adds. “This means people can take the test without leaving their community. Time is of the essence when it comes to screening, so reducing wait time is very important when considering potential outcomes.”
Stories like Connie Gray-McKay’s highlight why timely access to screening matters. For Connie, her breast cancer diagnosis marked a turning point. She chose not to run for Chief again so she could focus on her health and family. Now cancer-free, Connie uses her voice to encourage other Indigenous people to put screening first, even when life feels busy or travel feels overwhelming.
“In our communities, we are used to putting others first: our families, our Elders, our children. But screening is how we take care of ourselves so that we can stay present for our loved ones,” she says.
This Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Connie’s message is simple but powerful: “Don’t wait. Cancer doesn’t care how busy you are. Screening gives us a fighting chance, and our people deserve that chance.”
For information on cancer screening in Northwestern Ontario, as well as the Coach’s current regional and Thunder Bay schedules, visit tbrhsc.net/cancerscreening. Planning for the Coach’s 2026 travel season is currently underway.
Who should get screened
In Ontario, the cancer screening guidelines for average risk individuals are as follows:
Breast cancer: Women, Two-Spirit, trans and non-binary people between the ages of 40 and 74 should have a breast screening mammogram every two years.
Cervical cancer: Anyone with a cervix between 25 and 69 years, who has ever been sexually active, should have a cervical screening test every five years.
Colon cancer: 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.
Cancer screening 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.
The Maternity Centre at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC) provides prenatal care for the residents of Thunder Bay and surrounding region. Our team is committed to providing evidence-based maternity care that is safe, respectful and culturally sensitive.
Self-referral can be made to be seen by a Nurse Practitioner, Family Medicine Physician, Social Worker, Kinesiologist, Dietician, and Lactation Consultant.
To be seen by an Obstetrician, a referral is needed from your primary health care provider or midwife.
During pregnancy, you are welcome to call the Maternity Centre to schedule an appointment with one of our prenatal care providers. All of our programs are accessible with your Ontario health card.
TBRHSC’s Maternity Centre welcomes the 121 babies born at our Hospital during the month of September. Congratulations on the new bundles of joy!
Recently, Chef Sykes (from St. Francis Xavier University) brought fresh flavours from Nova Scotia to Thunder Bay!
Guests at Confederation College and Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre enjoyed dishes like Sesame Char Tuna, Nova Scotian Donair, and Mint & Coriander Porchetta.
One attendee shared:
“At today’s event with Chef Sykes, the meals were incredible… they were so tasty, beautifully plated, and generous in portion. My favourite part was watching a student’s face light up as Chef Sykes plated her porchetta meal.”
National Health Care Supply Chain Week (October 5-11) is an opportunity to recognize the importance of the health care supply chain professionals and honour them for their exceptional contributions to patient care and the innovative ways in which they support their health care organizations and communities.
The theme this year, “Confidence in every decision, care in every step”, celebrates the dedication of health care supply chain professionals who ensure quality, safety, and value at every turn, making informed choices, strengthening patient outcomes, and advancing the mission of care – the true embodiment of advancing health care through supply chain excellence. Here are some of the ways supply chain professionals at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre have contributed to organizational goals this year:
Navigated supply chain challenges due to newly imposed tariffs by sourcing contracts with Canadian businesses.
Collectively, Purchasing and Stores placed 17,107 purchase orders over the past year, which included 1,226,497 products, to over 852 suppliers.
The Stores department orders, picks, and delivers out of four warehouses, which store over 1,538 unique products.
Stores has topped up 3,501,274 individual stock items in the last year.
Purchasing placed 239 capital purchases orders in the last 12 months.
Purchasing currently manages over 1,400 contracts to ensure compliance and to deliver best value for money.
This year Purchasing and Stores have serviced 219 functional cost centres.
During Health Care Nutrition & Food Services Staff Appreciation Week, we would like to acknowledge the valuable contributions of the Nutrition and Food Services team in keeping our staff and patients well-nourished and healthy.
Preparing healthy meals for patients with diverse backgrounds and health needs and nutritious meals for staff and visitors is an integral part of health care. Nutrition is a form of care, and our team at TBRHSC delivers it with skill, compassion, and heart.
This week, let’s take the time to thank the hardworking and dedicated Nutrition and Food Services team.
Pictured: Dr. Joseph Del Paggio (Chief of Oncology), Tarja Heiskanen (Manager, Prevention and Screening Clinical Services), and David McConnell (Director, Regional Cancer Care North West)
In recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the lighting at Thunder Bay City Hall will glow pink until October 10. The pink lights serve as a visible reminder of the importance of breast cancer awareness, early detection, and support for those affected by the disease.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in Ontario, but when detected early through regular screening, it’s often easier to treat. This October, take a moment to learn about your screening options and encourage loved ones to do the same.
Mental Illness Awareness Week (October 6-10), is an annual, national public education campaign designed to help Canadians better understand the reality of mental illness.
At Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, the Mental Health Awareness Committee was formed with one goal in mind: to raise awareness of mental illness, mental health, and substance use and addictions, while working to break down the stigma.
Please join the Mental Health Awareness Committee at any or all events listed throughout the week. Everyone is welcome; no registration is required.
