Good morning, TeamUHN!
It is a pleasure to connect with you across care, research, and education through this weekly CEO update – all in service of A Healthier World.
Key reminders and updates
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We begin by acknowledging that yesterday was Mother's Day and salute the moms, stepmoms, grandmothers, and maternal figures working across TeamUHN. Mothers nurture and guide children to become their best selves, an often thankless job that never really ends and one that benefits our entire society. UHNWomen – a group focused on advancing equity – continues to show leadership in advocating for women and mothers across UHN. The group's Working Moms Mentorship Program provides education and advocacy for women before, during, and after maternity leave, including one-on-one support from a mentor. UHNWomen was also instrumental in UHN's having designated lactation rooms to give new mothers a clean, private space to express and store milk during work hours. To learn more about UHNWomen, including how to become a mentor or mentee, visit the People & Culture Intranet page (Corporate Intranet > Departments > People & Culture > Working Moms Mentorship) or reach out to PeopleConsultants@uhn.ca.
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Congratulations to all UHN nurses celebrated during Nursing Week 2024 and to the winners of the inaugural DAISY Awards and the 2024 Annual Nursing & Health Professions Staff Scholarships & Awards, presented by UHN Foundation. The DAISY Awards, which honour the exceptional clinical skills and compassionate care demonstrated by UHN nurses each day, with nominations submitted by patients, families, and staff across UHN, were presented last Monday at a ceremony in the DeGasperis Gallery at Toronto General Hospital. Forty-eight TeamUHN members were also honoured at an event at the Windsor Arms Hotel last week with 35 awards and scholarships worth $100,000 – made possible thanks to the remarkable generosity of UHN donors. Finally, five nurses were celebrated with 2024 Sprott Surgery Recognition Awards last week – stay tuned for more communications! As Chief Nurse Executive Pam Hubley said: “Nurses are at the heart of all we do at UHN" and the specialized skill sets of these dedicated professionals are needed more than ever. Read UHN News for a full list of DAISY Award winners and recipients of scholarships and awards.
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More good news: UHN is opening the UHN Reactivation Care Centre. As you may recall, last fall, UHN was asked to explore the feasibility of leveraging existing infrastructure to support broader health system needs. In partnership with the Ministry of Health, we have determined that West Park's former site, located at 82 Buttonwood Avenue, could offer a significant opportunity to improve access to care and support the health demands of the local community. Through a collaborative approach with health system partners, the former site will be reopened as the UHN Reactivation Care Centre (RCC) effective June 1st, 2024. Preparations to convert the former site have already begun, and we will continue to keep you updated as we move forward. I'd like to extend my gratitude to members of TeamUHN who are stepping up to make this tremendous opportunity a reality for patients.
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I recently wrote a column for TheFutureEconomy.ca on why the future of the Canadian economy can and must be research-based. With a storied history of punching well above our weight, nothing is stopping this country from becoming the best nation in the world for science and medical research. The key, in my view, is to leverage the exceptional people and institutions in Canada – including Canada's #1 hospital, UHN – and fund them with clear accountability to compete on the global stage. Read more at TheFutureEconomy.ca.
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The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation (PMCF) is once again breaking new ground with The Princess Margaret's Cricket to Conquer Cancer, North America's premiere street cricket fundraiser. The PMCF made a splash last week by unveiling that this event will be hosted on May 31, 2025 in Mississauga, with dozens of co-ed teams comprised of rookies, ringers, celebrities, national and international cricket stars, and players of all ages and skill levels expected to come together to raise funds for the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in a dawn-to-dusk tournament. Cricket is one of the most popular sports in the world and one of the fast-growing sports in Canada. As Carlos Brathwaite, a renowned cricket player and former captain of the West Indies National team said last week, this event will be “a celebration for survivors and an inspiration for all those during their (cancer) journey." For more information or to register for the event, visit Cricket2Conquer.ca.
Video of the Week
And now… our
video of the week. In this clip, UHN nurses open up about how they make an impact in the lives of patients and their families.
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Have a good week,
Kevin
