After more than 30 years of dedicated service in the field of Occupational Therapy, Laura Swancar is retiring.

Laura began her OT journey in 1994 after graduating from McMaster University with a Bachelor of Health Sciences in Occupational Therapy. Her path to this profession was sparked by a formative summer job in her hometown of Kenora, Ontario, where she worked with individuals living with mental illness. That experience inspired a deep respect for people’s stories and a desire to be part of a team that makes a meaningful difference in others’ lives.

Over the course of her remarkable career, Laura has brought compassion, professionalism, and a sharp sense of humor to every role she’s taken on. She began her career in pediatrics at the George Jeffrey Children’s Treatment Centre in Thunder Bay, working with children with learning disabilities. From there, she took on a wide variety of roles in Thunder Bay’s healthcare system, including:

• Acute Neurosurgery and Medicine/Geriatrics at McKellar Hospital
• Acquired Brain Injury, Hospice, and Complex Care at St. Joseph’s Hospital
• Outpatient Neuro, Orthopedics/Hands, and the Foot Clinic
• Acute Stroke Team and Regional Stroke Unit at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre
• Professional development and OT education through NOSM (formerly Health Sciences North)
• Presenter at Canadian Stroke Congress (2016) on Post-stroke Depression
• Presenter at the Canadian Physiotherapy Association Congress (2006) on Communities of Practice as a Model for Promoting Best Practice
• Clinical presenter and preceptor for the McMaster NSS (northern studies stream) and NOSM

Laura is perhaps best known for her long-standing role as the Occupational Therapist on the Acute Stroke Team and Regional Stroke Unit at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. She dedicated many years to this work and concluded her distinguished career as a valued member of this team.

Committed to continuous learning, Laura also earned a Graduate Diploma in Stroke Rehabilitation from the University of Alberta in 2014, further deepening her expertise in the field.

Throughout her career, Laura has been known for her deep commitment to treating the whole person, her collaborative spirit, and her belief that Occupational Therapy is about helping people return to what matters most in their lives. And of course, her colleagues will miss her warmth, her insight, and her contagious laughter.

In retirement, Laura looks forward to spending more time doing the things she loves:  cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, swimming in lakes, hiking, gardening, reading, traveling, and spending time with her family, friends, and beloved dogs.

Please join us in celebrating Laura’s incredible career and wishing her all the best in this exciting new chapter!