RVH Vitalsigns Annual Report 2018

Together We Grow and Transform Cover artwork created by young patients in RVH’s Simcoe Muskoka Child and Youth Mental Health Program

Vitalsigns 2018 | Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre

Results Focused Treatment from head to toe by highly qualified Physiotherapists.

Mandi Hayes, owner of Resolution Physiotherapy & IMS Clinic, knows her team of highly experienced and postgraduate trained Manual Physiotherapists makes her clinic unique. This uniqueness and the quality of treatment from Resolution’s team is reflected in their winning of the 2017 Reader’s Choice Award, as well as the 2017 and 2018 Consumer’s Choice Awards.

“We hire only highly qualified, experienced Physiotherapists and are proud to have numerous Physiotherapists who have Canada’s highest Manual Physiotherapy and Sports Physiotherapy Certifications. We all love what we do and are continuously taking courses to ensure we are using the most advanced, research validated treatment techniques available.” says Mandi, who herself is considered an FCAMPT Physiotherapist, indicating she is a top Canadian qualified Manual Physiotherapist.

Resolution’s love of working with athletes and active people of all ages is obvious as their walls are covered with photos of appreciative clients including Canadian National team athletes, firefighters, police officers, track stars, swimmers, wrestlers, volleyball players, basketball athletes, rugby players, dancers, and hockey players.

“When I opened my clinic 8 years ago, my goal was to build a team of highly motivated and qualified physios like myself,” says Mandi. “It makes me happiest when I hear that people know of Resolution as a great clinic and have no idea who I am. I am confident that clients of all ages and ability levels can see any of our highly-qualified Physiotherapists and receive excellent care.”

Resolution is always looking for ways to improve client care and uses a wide variety of advanced, research-based treatments to accelerate recovery for their clients.

Gunn Intramuscular Stimulation (IMS), a unique dry needling treatment available at Resolution, treats neuropathic dysfunction,

2017

which is common with longstanding athletic injuries and chronic pain and causes otherwise unresolvable muscle pain. Gunn IMS helps the nerves heal, allowing clients to finally find relief from their pain and get back to activities they love.

Resolution Physiotherapists also have post-graduate training in Concussion Rehabilitation. They treat clients with sports and non-sports related concussions, using a combination of research supported ImPACT concussion testing, upper cervical spine

11 Victoria Street Suite 218, Barrie 2

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treatment, and advanced neck strengthening, to maximize recovery and help reduce the risk of future concussions.

Resolution is also excited to offer TMJ & Headache treatment, Shockwave Therapy, Active Dermomyofascial Cupping, Acupuncture, Vestibular rehabilitation, Active Myofascial Release, Running assessments, Custom Orthotics, and Custom Bracing.

No matter your injury, Resolution can help.

For more information please visit us at ResolutionClinic.com.

705-252-5200

resolutionclinic.com

Vitalsigns 2018 | Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre

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Vitalsigns 2018 | Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre

Left: Katie Elliott, recreation therapist, Simcoe Muskoka Regional Child and Youth Mental Health Program, holds the original artwork.

Art therapy transforms pain into beauty UNLOCKING POTENTIAL IN YOUTH WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES Community Based Centre Delivering a Social Development Program for Youth with Intellectual Disabilities including Autism Spectrum Disorder Ages 18-29

(705) 722-5627

RVH’s vitalsigns cover, Together We Grow and Transform, was created by the children and youth in RVH’s Child and Youth Mental Health Inpatient unit. During their time with us, each young person contributed a butterfly to this therapeutic art piece to symbolize their uniqueness and individuality.

In this piece, butterflies are used to symbolize strength and transformation. The movement of the butterflies’ fluttering wings within the artwork reflects resilience, healing and growth through experiences.

Creating the artwork provided an opportunity to reflect on how we can restructure, reinvent and develop over time.

It is a piece of hope!

Proudly produced by

director@checkered-door.com www.checkered-door.com

in partnership with

What's inside 5

Message from RVH

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By the numbers

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Planning the future, with YOU

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Opening a place of HOPE

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12 He’s just an ordinary Joe 13 Transforming hospitals into research centres 14 A home away from home 15 Supporting patients to find meaning 18 Heart program gets grounded pilot up in the air 20 Our ‘Blue Brigade’ by the numbers 21 Message from the RVH Auxiliary 22 Not your ordinary coffee shop 23 A soft snuggle during a time of sadness 24 Volunteering renews Brian’s purpose 26 There is no safe street drug!

28 Helping keep the budget balanced 29 Her opinion matters – and so does yours!

30 Heart & Minds is a huge success 31 Message from the RVH Foundation 32 A family that keeps on giving 33 Couple maintains an attitude of gratitude 34 Our donors are part of the RVH team

Vitalsigns 2018 | Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre

A message from Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH) Healthcare is ever evolving and to ensure RVH continues to meet this rapid pace of change we must always be looking to the future. Before we look to the future though, it’s important to pause and celebrate our achievements over the past year.

We’ve brought more kidney care services closer to home for Barrie and Alliston-area residents. In addition to the opening of a six-chair, in-hospital dialysis clinic in 2016, RVH nurses now provide dialysis treatments to critically-ill patients in our Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and Cardiac Care Unit (CCU). RVH is also now designated as a regional hub by the Ontario Renal Network which allows greater flexibility to respond quickly to our patients’ unique needs.

Janice Skot and Michael O’Keefe

RVH Board of Directors Michael O’Keefe (chair) Charlotte Wallis (1st vice chair) Doug Frost (2nd vice chair) Janice Skot (secretary) Directors: Shawn Binns Linda Collins Jim Gerhart Michael Gleason Douglas Jure Barbara Love Kimberly Matheson Wendy Miller Jason Teal Dr. Jeffrey Tyberg, chief of staff, RVH Treva McCumber-Doehn, vice president patient programs, and chief nursing executive, RVH Lise McCourt, president, RVH Auxiliary RVH medical executive:

It’s also been a year of significant celebrations with the opening of the Simcoe Muskoka Regional Heart Program and the Simcoe Muskoka Regional Child and Youth Mental Health Program – services previously not available anywhere in our region.

There have been challenges too. On most days our health centre is over 110 per cent capacity, resulting in patients being cared for in untraditional spaces such as hallways and waiting rooms. We know this is not optimal patient care and it places a burden on healthcare providers. We continue to work closely with the provincial government on solutions. One solution was the opening of a 40-bed Transitional Care Unit for patients with complex needs who have a firm discharge date, but face a temporary obstacle, such as needing additional physiotherapy before they can be safely discharged.

RVH needs to plan further into the future. With no room left to build on RVH’s current 40-acre Georgian Drive site, we’re developing a long-range plan which includes a second campus to serve rapidly-growing Innisfil, south Barrie and Bradford West Gwillimbury, where services are limited.

Charting RVH’s course for the future is a complex and lengthy process.

That’s why our plan takes a graduated approach to developing facilities and services to meet the needs of area residents for the next 10 to 20 years and beyond. As a first step, RVH will provide some services in the Rizzardo Health and Wellness Centre when it opens next year in Innisfil.

Good planning takes time and we want to hear from you as we Plan our Future. Together.

Dr. Emily Chan, president, RVH Medical Staff Dr. Dave Boushey, vice president, RVH Medical Staff Thank you to outgoing RVH board member Harry Hughes and outgoing president, RVH Medical Staff, Dr. Rob El-Maraghi for sharing their time and expertise with us.

Michael O’Keefe, Chair RVH Board of Directors

Janice M. Skot, MHSc,CHE President and CEO RVH

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Vitalsigns 2018 | Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre

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Vitalsigns 2018 | Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre

Planning the future, with YOU! Quick access to quality healthcare is a top priority for you and your family.

That’s why RVH is imagining a bold future for healthcare in south Simcoe County; a future that includes a new south campus to meet the needs of rapidly-growing Innisfil, Bradford West Gwillimbury and south Barrie.

Why now?

In 2012, RVH doubled in size and introduced new services and advanced technology, including a regional cancer centre, advanced cardiac program, child and youth mental health and expanded kidney care. Since then, patient volumes have surged and RVH has no room to build on its current 40-acre Georgian Drive site.

much sooner than that. That’s why the plan takes a graduated approach to developing a south campus. As a first step, RVH will begin providing some outpatient services in Innisfil’s Rizzardo Health and Wellness Centre when it opens in early-2019, while we plan and advocate for the south campus.

RVH wants to ensure your voice is heard in this process. Earlier in the spring, RVH conducted a number of community listening Meanwhile the population of Innisfil, Bradford West Gwillimbury sessions, focus groups and surveys. All this information, as well as, and Barrie is predicted to exceed 415,000 people by 2041. And it’s a real-time discussion forum can be found at RVHPlanOurFuture. a unique population too; aging like the rest of the province, but ca.

RVH is your regional health centre so it’s important you share with an influx of young families. your thoughts on this exciting project.

The planning process is being overseen by the RVH Board of Directors’ Capital Planning Committee, chaired by the board’s 2nd vice chair, Doug Frost. The committee includes hospital and RVH Foundation board members, hospital executives, a representative from the North Simcoe Muskoka Local Health Integration Network, municipal representatives from Barrie, Innisfil, Bradford West Gwillimbury and the County of Simcoe and the community.

Data collection and analysis, as well as significant consultation, is underway to determine healthcare needs, service gaps and opportunities. A Site Selection Committee, which includes two community representatives, is working with technical expert consultants to recommend two preferred sites based on a transparent, fair process, clear, detailed criteria and broad community engagement.

“Planning for an additional facility is a 10 to 20 year process. To meet the healthcare needs of our region in the future, we must begin the planning now,” says Doug Frost, committee chair.

“RVH already provides exceptional specialized and inpatient care at its Georgian Drive facility. However, we need to bring outpatient, urgent care and additional care space closer to south Simcoe County,” says RVH president and CEO, Janice Skot.

“Good planning takes time.

So, let’s do it together.”

RVH wants to expand healthcare to south Simcoe residents

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Vitalsigns 2018 | Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre

Opening a place of HOPE Shelley Hofer spent much of her childhood in tears. But, she didn’t even know why she was crying.

raised more than $110,000 for this program by running, walking and biking from RVH in Barrie to Parliament Hill in Ottawa. The Zach Makes Tracks campaign was a huge success, raising not just funds for the new program, but raising awareness too.

Years later, as an adult, she was diagnosed with depression and sought professional help. Yet, she wonders how different her life would have been if this help was available to her when she was a child.

“We know one in five young people suffers from mental illness yet, until now, North Simcoe Muskoka was the only region in Ontario without a hospital-based child and youth mental health program,” says Janice Skot, RVH president and CEO. “A child’s mental health is just as important as their physical health and they deserve the same quality and access to support.”

Hofer shared her story at the opening of RVH’s Simcoe Muskoka Regional Child and Youth Mental Health Program.

“The opening of this mental health program for young people is a dream come true,” says Hofer. “I’ve struggled with mental illness my whole life. Sometimes at school I would hide in a closet and just cry. I didn’t even know why. I knew I didn’t feel right, but I didn’t know what was wrong. I spent my entire childhood trying to figure out why I was so sad and my young adult life masking my pain and ignoring how I really felt.

Sometimes I was so sad I wanted to die.”

Hofer says her journey to wellness was met with many challenges which is why her family was so committed to seeing the child and youth mental program up and running.

In fact, running is exactly what they did. Hofer’s son Zach,

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The new regional program, which opened in December 2017, features an eight-bed inpatient unit to care for 300 troubled young people each year.

The young people in the inpatient unit are facing a mental health crisis and referred through emergency departments from across the region. In its first four months (December 20, 2017 to end of March 2018) 108 children and youth received care in the inpatient unit.

A comprehensive day program provides an additional 3,000 outpatient visits annually. RVH has partnered with the Simcoe County District School Board and the Ministry of Education to support youth attending the day program with their academic studies beginning in the 2018/19 school year.

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Left to right: Zach Hofer, ‘Zach Makes Tracks,’ was joined by Innisdale Secondary School students at the opening of RVH’s Simcoe Muskoka Regional Child and Youth Mental Health Program.

Shelley Hofer received a warm thank you from Janice Skot, RVH president and CEO. Below: The inpatient unit features a youth friendly design.

HOPE

“Seventy per cent of mental health issues emerge in childhood or adolescence. Youth in our region suffering acute mental health issues, such as suicidal behaviour, psychosis and severe depression, now have quick access to specialized inpatient services for stabilization and treatment,” says Dr. Eric Mulder, RVH chief of psychiatry.

The RVH Foundation funded the unit’s $5 million construction and equipment costs through its highly-successful $25 million Hearts & Minds campaign.

“I’m so happy there is help available for children and teenagers. I now know that I have a flaw in my chemistry, but not my character. I wish I’d known that when I was crying in the closet as a small child. Things would have been a lot different for me,” says Hofer. “And that is why the opening of the Simcoe Muskoka Regional Child and Youth Mental Health Program is so totally amazing. Now, things will be different for children and youth who need this care.”

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Vitalsigns 2018 | Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre

It’s all about building relationships Alone, scared and lost.

That’s how Bill Nasogaluak felt as he entered RVH. Large government-run institutions, like hospitals, are historically not places where he feels safe. But the Inuit man, originally from Tuktoyaktuk, NWT, had no choice. His son was critically ill and needed immediate medical attention at RVH. “Just being here was traumatic in itself. This is white man’s territory,” says Nasogaluak, a stone carver and artist now living in Alliston. “I felt like I was alone on an island surrounded by hundreds of people who didn’t understand or connect with me.”

Nasogaluak’s experience greatly improved when he found someone who could make that connection, Leah Bergstrome, the Aboriginal Patient Navigator in RVH’s cancer program.

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Vitalsigns 2018 | Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre

“She was the bridge for me.

She filled in the gaps and helped me get the answers I needed for myself and my son,” he says.

“When I met her I knew I’d found somebody who understood my issues and that’s important to me – it’s everything.”

Bergstrome, who herself identifies as a Métis woman, says “Indigenous patients carry with them the burden of intergenerational trauma caused by colonization and oppressive government policies. To come to a hospital, a large institution, is to be forced to relive that burden. When we create a safe and collaborative environment by respecting and addressing the holistic, unique needs of Indigenous patients, we can start to rebuild relationships and alleviate those fears.”

Understanding

the

importance

of

respectful

relationships, RVH’s Simcoe Muskoka Regional Cancer

Last year Bergstrome walked with many Indigenous patients through their cancer journey in addition to holding workshops on cancer screening, prevention and advanced care planning within Indigenous communities in North Simcoe Muskoka.

While she primarily works with cancer patients, Leah does not ignore any knock at her door from First Nations, Métis, or Inuit patients or family members visiting RVH. “I stand in the middle – a bridge – between Bill and his cultural perspective, and Western medicine as an institution. I can use my understanding of both to build relationships and in turn reduce the anxiety Bill is facing,” says Bergstrome. “I’m able to connect with him by respecting the trauma Indigenous people carry and how they respond. We deliver medical care here at RVH, but the root of that medicine is relationship and how we connect. It makes the world of difference.”

Nasogaluak enthusiastically agrees.

“This resource is so essential, every hospital in Canada should have it – it’s a magic wand we can go to. Leah was a bright light for my journey here. Every Aboriginal person who comes to RVH should know Leah is here. This will change everything.”

Program worked in partnership with the Aboriginal Health Circle and Indigenous communities to create the Simcoe Muskoka Aboriginal Cancer Plan. The plan aligns with Cancer Care Ontario’s provincial Aboriginal Cancer Strategy III. Together, these documents guide work toward equitable access and culturally competent care for Indigenous patients and their families in the region.

At RVH, staff participation in cultural safety training has been the first step forward in cultivating an atmosphere of deeper understanding and increased respect for the people, their history and worldview.

Recognizing the value of Indigenous healing practices

Bill Nasogaluak and RVH's Leah Bergstrome

and supporting their use in treatment is an important part of Canada’s process of reconciliation. RVH supports this goal by working with communities to ensure traditional healing practices, such as the smudging ceremony, are available to all RVH patients.

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Vitalsigns 2018 | Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre

He’s just an ordinary Joe – and he couldn’t be happier

Joseph Gallant’s world has completely changed.

He used to be Joe with diabetes. Then he became Joe with kidney failure.

Then his phone rang and it was the call that changed everything – a kidney and pancreas were available for transplant and the organs had his name on them.

Now, after a successful transplant operation, he’s just an ordinary Joe. “I’ve had diabetes most of my life and if that wasn’t enough, six years ago I was diagnosed with kidney failure. To be honest, I knew it was coming – it was just a matter of time,” says the 46-year-old Barrie man. “My best chance for a new life was a kidney-pancreas transplant. The Kidney Care team at RVH not only kept me alive through constant monitoring and dialysis they also kept my dream alive. They were truly on my team – right along with my own family. When the call came for my transplant operation I felt as if they were just as excited as me.”

That’s exactly the kind of team Sharon Sheard wants.

“Our goal is to support our clients in whatever stage of their health journey they are in. We work with them and their family for the best care plan – one that fits their lifestyle and health needs,” says Sheard, manager, Kidney Care, RVH. Assisting clients through the transplant journey is just one of the many services the Kidney Care team offers to support the kidney patient population.

Simcoe Muskoka’s kidney patient population is growing in both number and complexity and currently almost half the region’s patients live in the Barrie-Alliston area. At the

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same time RVH’s patient volumes continue to grow as kidney patients come to the health centre to access other specialized services. In response to that growth, renal services have expanded significantly at RVH. The team at the Dialysis Clinic on Wellington Street provide dialysis to 172 patients a year totalling over 14,000 dialysis treatments; and home dialysis education and support to another 28 patients. In addition, kidney care nurses at the RVH campus provided in-centre dialysis to 340 patients during their inpatient admission at the health centre last year.

To further enhance care to a growing number of kidney patients in Simcoe Muskoka, the Ontario Renal Network has determined kidney care in the region will be coordinated by two regional renal program hubs; the RVH Regional Renal Program and the Regional Kidney Care Program-Simcoe Muskoka led by Orillia Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital.

“This is just the latest step in improving access to kidney care. Two years ago RVH opened a six-chair, in-hospital dialysis clinic for inpatients from the Barrie-Alliston area who previously were transported to Orillia for their dialysis.

And in September 2017, RVH nurses began providing dialysis treatments to critically-ill patients in our Intensive Care Unit and Cardiac Care Unit. It’s all about bringing high-quality kidney care closer to home. It’s what our patients need and deserve,” says Sheard.

As for Joe, he’s getting used to his new norm and loving every minute of his ‘ordinary’ life.

Photo above: Joe Gallant credits RVH’s Kidney Care team for keeping him and his dreams alive.

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Vitalsigns 2018 | Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre

Transforming hospitals into research centres RVH’s culture of inquiry inspires great ideas to improve clinical practices and better patient care Since accepting its first two students to the Royal Victoria Hospital School of Nursing in 1897, RVH has helped to shape the next generation of healthcare providers by sharing its medical expertise.

Continuing its passion for lifelong learning, RVH’s Centre for Education and Research (CER) has built on this academic legacy by creating a space within the health centre dedicated to learning and investigation.

Dr. Giulio DiDiodato, chief research scientist, speaks to the significance of building an academic centre inside RVH. “Our Centre for Education and Research is a place where medical professionals with study, design and analytic expertise’ support research activities. This is critical if we want to transform our health centres into places that, not only deliver care, but also improve care through research.”

More than an official designated space for education and research, CER is a multifunctional home for care teams to learn together as they practice together. Housing a high tech simulation lab, mock training rooms and classrooms, these spaces encourage collaboration, helping researchers to test, validate and improve healthcare best practices. Here, care teams throughout the region can practice medical scenarios to ensure the highest quality of care.

Dr. Chris Martin, medical director of education, explains,

“We have this wonderful space where learners, clinicians, and medical professionals can come from throughout the region to simulate difficult cases, certify in a wide variety of courses, research important questions and become better at caring for patients in our community.”

Above: Ribbon cutting for the Centre for Education and Research opening in May 2018 with Dr. Giulio DiDiodato, chief research scientist; Janice Skot, RVH president and CEO; Dr. Christopher Tebbutt, vice president academic and medical affairs; Dr. Chris Martin, medical director of education; and Treva McCumber-Doehn, vice president patient programs, and chief nursing executive.

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Vitalsigns 2018 | Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre

Truly a home away from home It might not be what you expect, but at RVH there’s a place with hotel-like accommodations that patients are calling their home away from home.

The place is Rotary House, nestled on the second floor of Rotary Place, adjacent to RVH’s main entrance and named after a significant donation from area Rotary Clubs.

“I am so grateful RVH offers such a beautiful space to patients who are undergoing cancer treatment at the hospital,” says Tina Viance, a cancer patient from Victoria Harbour, who has been calling Rotary House her weekday home for the

convenience of staying on site. I feel relaxed here and it feels like home. I sleep great in the rooms and I’m impressed with the spaciousness, cleanliness and the design of the space.”

Rotary House features 20 semi-private rooms, a shared kitchen, laundry facilities, lounge, outdoor patio, a business centre equipped with computer, and Wi-Fi. “The kitchen is great, I can make my own food,” says Viance.

“And we get recipe ideas from each other,” chimes in Carol Wight, another Rotary House guest.

One of the biggest benefits of staying at Rotary House is the community that naturally develops amongst the guests at the lodge.

“I’ve kept in contact with many of the people who have come

past four years.

Rotary House is available to Simcoe Muskoka Regional Cancer Centre patients for just $15 per night. Priority is given to patients who live more than 40 kilometres away.

For patients like John Zych the accommodation makes a huge difference while he is receiving treatment. John’s wife Brenda, who is his caregiver, is able to stay with him at no charge.

“If we had to drive back and forth to appointments it would

and gone through the lodge,” says Viance. “If it wasn’t for this opportunity I would spend most of my days at home alone and isolated. Here I am part of a community and have developed lasting friendships. We stay in contact and visit each other.”

Zych is planning on doing just that as he has invited all of his new friends to his house in Tobermory this summer.

For more information on Rotary House and how to become a guest call (705)739-5662 or visit www.rvh.on.ca

mean 500 kilometres and over six hours of driving per round

Above: John and Brenda Zych check out the pumpkin pie they brought to share

trip,” says Zych, a Tobermory resident.

with their fellow Rotary House guests.

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“It’s not just the

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Vitalsigns 2018 | Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre

Supporting patients and finding meaning “When you think of a reverend, you likely think of an older grey-haired man with a white collar,” laughs Reverend Dr. Dwight Biggs, “not a pony-tail clad, motorcycle-driving guy like me.”

With a Master of Divinity, a Doctorate in Spiritual Counselling and Psychotherapy with a focus on end-of-life care, Rev. Dr. Biggs brings experience, education and personality to the Spiritual Care leader role at RVH. Rev. Dr. Biggs joined RVH in October 2017 and in a short time has already gotten to work re-imaging what spiritual care looks like at a hospital.

“I want RVH to be a spiritual care centre of excellence” says Rev. Dr. Biggs.

That includes continuing to host students as part of RVH’s Clinical Pastoral Education course, which is certified through the Canadian Association of Spiritual Care as well as educating staff and leaders about the significance of spiritual care in patients’ health journeys and their own. He is creating a training program for members of the local faith communities so they can support their community members while they are receiving care at RVH. “Whatever is going on, what is important to us, what gives our lives meaning can sometimes be thrown into chaos as people walk through the doors of a hospital,” says Rev. Dr. Biggs. “Spiritual care isn’t just about religion or faith-based

practices. It’s about supporting patients, families, caregivers, and even staff as they face the struggles and challenges and help them to find meaning in what is happening.”

The Spiritual Care Centre, located on the first floor of RVH, is open 24/7 and offers a quiet space for patients, families, caregivers, and staff to come and reflect or use some of the faith-based materials. Although the doors are always open, Rev. Dr. Biggs has taken up a practice he has dubbed as ‘creative loitering’.

“I like to walk around the halls and common areas to connect with people who might be out there looking for support and remind them that spiritual care is available.”

Rev. Dr. Biggs is already making an impact on the lives of staff and patients.

“We are fortunate that Dwight has chosen to join RVH,” says Dr. Matt Follwell, chief of oncology. “He brings an inclusive and compassionate approach to spiritual care. We have provided care to several mutual patients at end-of-life and his compassion, care and empathy has been instrumental not just in the celebration of their ‘good death,’ but in support of their extended family, our staff and myself. We are so thankful he is part of our team.”

Above: Rev. Dr. Dwight Biggs is RVH’s new Spiritual Care leader.

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Vitalsigns 2018 | Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre

Anna Small

, B.A.

Sales Representative

Direct: 705.790.9898 Office: 705.720.2200 Serving the Residents of Simcoe County for over 19 Years

THE REALTOR WHO UNDERSTANDS CHANGE...

IN YOUR HEALTH AND LIFESTYLE AnnA SmAll of Keller WilliAmS experience reAlty, BroKerAge hAS Been Serving the BArrie And Simcoe county AreA for more thAn 20 yeArS. Anna’s expertise, experience and market knowledge makes her the ideal choice as a sales representative, but it is her focus on the client that truly sets her apart. “For me, in 20 years, the client is number one. It’s not about me, it’s about the service that I can bring to my client,” Anna explained, noting she particularly enjoys working with first-time homebuyers and those nearing, or in retirement. With a focus on selling single-family residential, condominiums and Lifestyle properties, Anna is a sales representative and realtor who pays attention to detail and truly listens to the client. Making sure a home inspection is done, even on a relatively new home, ensuring information from the mortgage provider is complete and won’t bring surprises, and using a trusted network of trades for landscaping, plumbing, electrical and interior work, are just some of the ways in which Anna improves the home buying 16

process. Lifestyle properties are designed for those nearing retirement or in retirement, and may include high-rise condominiums, townhouse condominiums or independent retirement lifestyle communities with purchase and life lease options. At a complementary planning meeting, Anna goes over a life plan with clients, to help them positively and effectively plan for the future.

“We sit down and we go through what their plans are for the next five, 10, 15 years,” Anna said.

“Are they where they want to be at this point and do they know where they want to go?

Really it’s a conversation at the kitchen table asking what are they looking for and how can I help?

In the process we can sell their home and then give them a good idea what is out there, whether it’s in the immediate area here, somewhere else in the province, in Canada or in the United States.”

Through a company that she participates in for ongoing professional development, Anna has a global realtor network of colleagues to whom she can refer local clients who may wish to settle down outside of Simcoe County, Ontario, or even Canada. “The real estate

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professionals in my network are very knowledgeable in their marketplace and will represent you with professionalism and due diligence on your behalf. I know these realtors personally and have a strong professional relationship with them.” When moving to locations with different real estate legislation the process can be quite difficult, but Anna’s knowledgeable real estate connections educate clients and make sure they understand everything necessary to purchase in a new jurisdiction.

“It does take planning, it doesn’t happen overnight,” Anna said, emphasizing she always takes the time to really let a client’s vision emerge. “I’m not the kind of realtor who tries to put a square peg in a round hole.”

Anna is a sponsor and patron of several community organizations including Theatre by the Bay, Talk is Free Theatre and the Barrie Theatre Lab Association.

“I look forward to helping with your real estate plans. I can be contacted as below.” to contAct AnnA cAll or text 705-790-9898 or emAil her At AnnA@AnnASmAll.cA

Vitalsigns 2018 | Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre

IN ADDITION TO CARDIOLOGY CONSULTATIONS, PACE OFFERS A FULL ARRAY OF NON-INVASIVE CARDIAC TESTING PACE offers a Cardio Metabolic Clinic to help in the management of Type 2 Diabetes in patients with documented vascular disease. Our physicians work collaboratively with the patient’s GPs and/or endocrinologists. PACE offers Ontario Telemedicine Appointments (OTN) for patients with mobility issues, quick follow ups and for those who live far away from our clinics.

Including • Adult and Pediatric • 24/48/72/hour as well as Electrocardiography 7 and 14 day Adult and (12 Lead ECG) Pediatric Holters • Exercise Stress Testing • Event Loop Recorder (ELR) • Adult and Pediatric • 24 Hour Ambulatory Blood Echocardiography (ECHO) Pressure Monitoring • Stress Echocardiography Little Lake Medical Centre

Many PACE Barrie cardiologists are affiliated with Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre and Southlake Regional Health Centre.

Unit 302, 11 Lakeside Terrace, Barrie 1-888-662-0680

To access the clinic, patients need a referral from their family doctor, the emergency room, nurse practitioner, or an urgent care/walk-in clinic physician. Along with the Barrie location, PACE Cardiology also has cardiac clinics in Newmarket, Tottenham (Echo and Holter lab only) and Orillia (echo site only).

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter @pace_cardiology P: 705-721-4422 F: 705-721-5577

www.pace-cardiology.com info@pace-cardiology.com

We have a CliniC near you is Medical Marijuana right for you?

Our Medical Staff will help yOu Make Safe infOrMed deciSiOnS

Call now 1-800-730-8210 • 22 loCations in ontario • bodystream.ca www.rvh.on.ca | Like our Facebook Page: Team RVH | Follow us on Twitter: @TeamRVH

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RVH’s new heart program gets grounded pilot up in the air again Watch RVH’s first angiogram https://youtu.be/XinxpHejBwk 18

All Rolland Desjardins wanted to do was fly again.

The 58-year-old pilot was grounded due to unexplained chest pain. He needed a clean bill of health to get back up in the air and that required an angiogram - a test to detect blockages in the heart’s arteries.

And that angiogram required the Phelpston resident to travel out of the region, something he wasn’t looking forward to.

“Then my doctor told me that RVH was going to soon provide these services and I said, ‘Great I’m in.’”

Not only was Desjardins ‘in’, he became the first patient to undergo an angiogram in RVH’s newly opened Cardiac Intervention Unit (CIU), part of the Simcoe Muskoka Regional Heart Program.

“I was surprised at how fast I got into RVH and I’m so happy to not have to drive outside the region for care. After the procedure it was a quick 20-minute trip home to recover,” says Desjardins. “I actually didn’t feel a thing and was wondering when it was going to start and then I looked up and there was a picture of my heart

already on the screen. Everything my nurse told me was going to happen - happened - and exactly how it was told to me. This team was awesome.”

www.rvh.on.ca | Like our Facebook Page: Team RVH | Follow us on Twitter: @TeamRVH

And so is the fact that advanced cardiac care has begun to be available in North Simcoe Muskoka, ensuring heart patients have the same quick access to lifesaving heart services as people throughout the rest of Ontario. The program was developed with invaluable feedback from RVH’s hospital and paramedic partners, as well as, the important perspective of the Cardiac Patient Family Advisory Council and in partnership with Southlake Regional Health Centre in Newmarket.

“Having advanced cardiac services available at RVH – a success built on collaboration with so many people and partner organizations - will not only be a game-changer for heart patients in our region, it will be lifesaver,” says Nancy Savage, executive vice president Patient and Family Experience and regional vice president for Cancer Care Ontario.

The new CIU a 16-bed, 14,300 square-foot space which includes two procedure rooms featuring first-in-Canada technology to perform cardiac angiograms and angioplasty. In the program’s first four months of operations RVH’s heart team performed almost 300 angioplasty procedures and 70 per cent of the patients were from outside Barrie.

“It’s important to note that not all cardiac services will be available to all patients right away. RVH has always planned for a cautious, phased ramp-up of these complex cardiac services to ensure patients throughout the region receive safe, high quality care. Complex cases will continue to be referred to other cardiac centres, primarily our partners at Southlake Regional Health Center,” says Janice Skot, RVH president and CEO. This fall, RVH will expand its cardiac services to include angioplasty, a non-surgical procedure that uses a thin flexible tube with an inflatable balloon to open a clogged heart artery.

“In 2020 the heart program will operate 24/7 and Simcoe County paramedics will begin transporting heart attack patients directly to RVH,” explains Dr. Mark Kotowycz, RVH medical director, Interventional Cardiology. “By 2022 most patients in North Simcoe Muskoka will be able to get lifesaving intervention within 90 minutes of a heart attack.”

As for Desjardins– he’s gone flying again!

Above: Rolland Desjardins with the Cardiac Intervention Unit care team.

www.rvh.on.ca | Like our Facebook Page: Team RVH | Follow us on Twitter: @TeamRVH

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Vitalsigns 2018 | Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre

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www.rvh.on.ca | Like our Facebook Page: Team RVH | Follow us on Twitter: @TeamRVH

Vitalsigns 2018 | Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre

Blue Brigade marches forward in its commitment to patient care Excited!

That was how I felt when I was asked to take on the role of president of the RVH Auxiliary. It was my chance to lead the amazing 750 members of the ‘Blue Brigade,’ as we have become affectionately known, as we make a difference in the lives of the people who work at RVH and the people who trust this health centre for care.

It was an easy decision as the Auxiliary already enjoys a very long history of success with more than 120 years of supporting RVH, both through volunteering in almost every area of the hospital and by our Auxiliary members rolling up their sleeves and raising much-needed funds to improve patient care.

This year we were so pleased to present RVH with a cheque for $400,000 which brought our $2 million pledge to the Simcoe Muskoka Regional Heart Program and the Simcoe Muskoka Regional Child and Youth Mental Health program to a grand total of $1.4 million.

And so, with our remaining pledge to fulfill and the knowledge that as the population keeps growing and the number of patients coming through our door increases, the Auxiliary has no time to rest on its laurels.

Once again, the Auxiliary will take its fundraising efforts out to the community.

During the summer months, we will hold a Battle of the BBQ’s on the health centre’s campus; Tag Days with our ‘Blue Brigade’ collecting change at various locations in the Barrie and surrounding areas will take place in late-September, and then we will end the year with the Christmas Bazaar in November.

Lise McCourt, president

Our two on-site businesses, the Café Royale and Victoria’s Gift Shop, continue to offer wonderful products and services to all hospital patients and visitors.

In fact, the proceeds from these two businesses are instrumental in helping us achieve our campaign goals for the health centre.

2017-2018 RVH Auxiliary Board of Directors

As RVH continues to grow and expand services to provide excellent patient care to an ever-growing population in North Simcoe Muskoka, the Auxiliary will be there to answer the call for new equipment, supplies and for contributions towards new units.

Pat Ummels, vice president

I look forward to my work with the Auxiliary in the coming years – and to making a contribution towards RVH’s success.

Dan Fyshe, director

Lise McCourt, president Janice Williams, past president Wayne Hubbard, secretary Craig Bemrose, director Tony Togwell, director

See you out in the community.

Susan Turner, director

You will easily recognize us, we are the ones with the bright blue vests!

Sharon Partridge, community director

Lise McCourt President, RVH Auxiliary

www.rvh.on.ca | Like our Facebook Page: Team RVH | Follow us on Twitter: @TeamRVH

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Café Royale is open Monday – Friday 6:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Left: Deb Scharf, Café Royale manager, shows off her best selling pastry, the cinnamon swirl.

Below: Bill Roncken, a Café Royale volunteer, serves up hot coffee and warm smiles.

It’s not your ordinary coffee shop Deb Scharf can’t wait to get up in the morning and pour a hot cup of coffee.

And it’s not even for herself.

As manager of the RVH’s Auxiliary’s Café Royale since 2000, she comes to work every day with a smile on her face because she knows every cup she pours raises funds used to improve patient care.

“I love what I do,” says Scharf. “I could work at any coffee shop, but I love that my job at Café Royale has purpose beyond serving up great coffee or meeting a company’s bottom line.

Every day we’re raising funds for patient care which means we’re making a real difference here.”

Café Royale and Victoria’s Gift Shop are businesses owned and operated by the RVH Auxiliary, and in the last five years more than $750,000 has been generated by this café.

Of course, Scharf doesn’t do the job on her own. She has six part-time staff and 45 members of RVH’s ‘Blue Brigade’ volunteering their time in the café serving delicious coffee, breakfast sandwiches, light lunches and treats.

“It’s different from a usual coffee shop where there’s only paid employees behind the counter,” says Lise McCourt, 22

president, RVH Auxiliary. “The volunteers at Café Royale are so critical to ensure things run smoothly and the full-time staff are so appreciative of the extra help they get from those volunteers. By having volunteers behind the counter, the RVH Auxiliary is able to donate even more funds to RVH. Patrons can feel good about their purchase from Café Royale knowing every dollar earned stays at RVH and goes back to patient care.”

Conveniently located in the main lobby across from the cancer centre, Scharf and her staff go to great lengths to meet the needs of their customers.

“Most of the entrées you see on the menu at Café Royale are made in-house,” says Scharf. “We’re always happy to customize a meal or even make something that’s not on the menu. As long as we have the ingredients to do so, we’ll make it happen!”

With custom menus for every event and flexible delivery times, Café Royale has steadily grown its catering business as well. In fact, an expansion is in the works to create more preparation space for the staff and volunteers.

From cappuccinos and fresh baked muffins to butter chicken dishes and stuffed peppers, Café Royale has certainly become a go-to spot for patients, visitors and staff alike.

www.rvh.on.ca | Like our Facebook Page: Team RVH | Follow us on Twitter: @TeamRVH

Vitalsigns 2018 | Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre

A soft snuggle during a time of sadness When feeling overwhelmed by a great loss sometimes all a child needs at the moment is a little snuggle with a teddy bear.

At RVH these bears are called Forever Bears.

These special bears are dressed in outfits created out of clothing from a loved one who is terminally ill or who has died.

The unique nature of these stuffed toys bring a sense of security to a child at times of sadness and loneliness.

“The Forever Bears gave my boys a little piece of their dad to hold onto. The volunteer turned my husband’s Scouts Canada shirt and Star Wars pajamas into the sweetest vest and bow tie outfits,” says Candace, last name withheld, “The bears are kept close to their beds and are snuggled often when the boys need a bit of comfort or a reminder of the wonderful father who left us too soon.”

The Forever Bear program started at RVH in May 2008 and

since then 187 bears have been created for children.

“When you ask people what scares them most about dying, their biggest fear is almost always about leaving their loved ones behind. The program helps our patients tell their story. It gives them the opportunity to contribute to their sense of meaning and value by being able to leave something behind for the people they love,” says Monique Voorn, social worker in the Simcoe Muskoka Regional Cancer Program.

There is no cost to patients and families requesting a Forever Bear. The clothing is sewn by a team of five RVH volunteers.

“They sew the clothing for the bears with so much love. They are very aware that they’re creating so much more than just clothing for a teddy bear, they know it’s something that’s going to help someone in their saddest of moments. And I think that’s why it’s so rewarding for them.”

A Forever Bear is a teddy bear that is clothed using material from the belongings of a loved one who is terminally ill or who has died. www.rvh.on.ca | Like our Facebook Page: Team RVH | Follow us on Twitter: @TeamRVH

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Vitalsigns 2018 | Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre

Volunteering has given Brian Welch renewed purpose in his life

Brian Welch spent a lifetime building his orthodontic supply business from a small grassroots ‘mom and pop shop’ in his own home to a successful Canadian supplier.

Then one day the company was sold and after eight years of service with new owners, they didn’t want him anymore.

“It was my baby,” says Welch, a 69-year-old Barrie man. “The new owners told me they were going in a different direction. It totally caught me by surprise. I mean seriously, I had just bought two new suits for work and a brand new car.”

Welch was numb with shock.

“The fact they didn’t want me anymore was so painful. I was on an emotional roller-coaster as I had no plan to retire. I was no longer ‘the guy.’ I felt like I had no purpose to get up in the morning anymore,” says Welch.

Depression settled in and was quickly followed by anger.

It wasn’t as if Welch didn’t have interests outside of his work.

He’s always been active. He’s an avid golfer and even played hockey at the NCAA collegiate level and then had a short lived

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semi-professional career, but as Welch says, ‘you can only play so much golf’.

And yet it was on the golf course that Welch found his new passion – volunteering.

“Some of the friends I golf with suggested I volunteer at RVH. And you know what, I’d never even thought about that,” he says.

That was a year ago. Now Welch is a passionate member of the ‘Blue Brigade’, RVH’s volunteer team which is over 750 strong.

Each year this group of dedicated people give more than 100,000 hours of their time in more than 80 different services.

In addition to helping out with patient care, as members of the RVH Auxiliary, they also raise funds to help bring new and expanded services to patients. They’re out across Barrie on Tag Days, they coordinate the vendor sales table in the health centre, run the Nevada lottery, organize the annual bazaar and manage the Auxiliary’s two businesses - Café Royale and Victoria’s Gift Shop.

“Our volunteers bring their heart and soul to work every day.

www.rvh.on.ca | Like our Facebook Page: Team RVH | Follow us on Twitter: @TeamRVH

Vitalsigns 2018 | Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre

Want to Volunteer?

Join RVH’s ‘Blue Brigade’ by visiting www.rvh.on.ca.

You must be willing to commit to a minimum of six months of service.

People interested in volunteering must participate in phone pre-screening or attend an in-person interview. For more information call 705-739-5650.

We constantly hear from our patients, staff and physicians how the Blue Brigade are so caring and kind. From helping families navigate to their loved ones and assisting patients at the bedside, they live our values helping us achieve our vision to Make Each Life Better. Together,” says Val Smith, RVH’s chief transformation officer. “We have said it time and time again, but it is worth repeating. We just couldn’t do what we do here at RVH without our valuable volunteers.”

And Welch was right to join the ranks of more than 13 million Canadians who volunteer because research shows volunteering can help you live a longer and happier life. A 2012 study reported in the journal Health Psychology that adults over 50 who volunteer were less likely to develop high blood pressure, which is an indicator for heart disease, stroke and premature death.

Volunteering connects you to other people which reduces stress, combats depression, keeps you mentally stimulated and provides a sense of purpose.

To see that in action visit RVH’s Atrium entrance on any Tuesday and Wednesday and you’ll find Welch’s smiling face at the volunteer desk. Giving directions, portering patients and delivering specimens to the lab are his duties, but his real joy comes from interacting with people.

“As soon as I got here it just felt right. It was like I needed to be here and that this was what I was supposed to do with this time in my life. Wish I could do this full time,” says Welch. “Volunteering helped to fill the void that was left in my life when I had lost the contact with people my career provided. I now feel useful and proud to be part of a selfless team which represents RVH’s culture.”

Photos left to right: Brian Welch brought his own hockey jersey (circa 1972) to show support for the Humboldt Broncos; Brian Welch says, RVH volunteering is the best retirement gig; Welch still plays hockey Monday nights and golfs when he can.

www.rvh.on.ca | Like our Facebook Page: Team RVH | Follow us on Twitter: @TeamRVH

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There is no safe

street drug!

Dr. Chris Martin, an RVH Emergency physician and medical director of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), warns that people who use recreational drugs are playing a deadly game.

New clinic addresses the alarming spike in drug overdoses in region Jorden knows what it’s like to hit rock bottom.

The 35-year old Barrie man also knows how amazing it feels to come back from the bottom and start over.

Jorden credits the team at RVH’s Addiction Services for helping him emerge from darkness into the light of a second chance.

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www.rvh.on.ca | Like our Facebook Page: Team RVH | Follow us on Twitter: @TeamRVH

Vitalsigns 2018 | Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre

“My addictions took me to a dark place and without the help from this team I’m not sure I’d be where I am today,” says Jorden.

RVH is addressing the opioid crisis and helping others like Jorden with the opening of the Rapid Access Addiction Medicine (RAAM) Clinic, with funding and support from the Simcoe Muskoka Local Health Integration Network (LHIN).

“When someone is ready to conquer their addiction they can’t wait. It’s now or never. The tragedy is, if people have to wait for treatment it is all too easy to get trapped back in the cycle of addiction. Now, with fentanyl in almost every street drug that step backward is killing people,” says Jorden.

The Barrie Clinic, located at RVH’s Addiction Services at 70 Wellington Street West, is one of three opening in the region.

The second clinic will be offered in Orillia at the Common Roof at 169 Front St. S. and the third clinic will open in Midland at the Chigamik Community Health Centre located at 845 King St. “We need to eliminate as many barriers as we can to make getting help easy for people dealing with substance abuse.

They simply cannot wait for treatment,” says Melody Boyd, operations director of Simcoe Muskoka Regional Cancer Program and the Mental Health and Addiction Program at RVH. “We will provide a non-judgmental safe place for people to begin their recovery journey, and we will work with their primary care provider to support their recovery goals,” says Angela McCuaig, manager, Addiction Services.

This new clinic comes at a time when RVH is seeing a startling spike in opioid drug overdoses. The number of opioid overdoses has spiked in the past year and has increased five-fold over the past five years. Between April 2017 and March 2018 RVH treated 360 opioid overdoses compared to 67 in 2013-’14. Six people have died of opioid drug overdoses at RVH this past year, compared to only two deadly overdoses in 2013-’14.

“It’s alarming and we’re seeing young people die,” says Dr. Chris Martin, an RVH Emergency physician and medical director of the Intensive Care Unit.

For more information about RAAM Services call 1-833-797-3095 Clinic Hours: Orillia: Tuesday, 1 – 3:30 p.m.

Midland: Wednesday, 9 -11:30 a.m.

Barrie: Thursday, 9 – 11:30 a.m.

Above: Nancy Armstrong, addictions counsellor, at the new RAAM clinic greets a client.

McCuaig says there has also been a gap in services for addiction treatment for a long time, and in particular for clients who have gone through withdrawal management services and want to pursue counselling for their substance use problem.

“These clients are at high risk of relapse when they leave us because they have to wait so long to get into treatment. Now they can also receive support from the RAAM clinic while waiting for other services. It will be something to keep them on track until they can enter a more long-term treatment,” she says.

And no one knows better than Jorden how important it is to, not only get on track, but stay there.

“Using drugs is like Russian Roulette because so many – from cocaine to marijuana – are being laced with synthetic fentanyl.

It’s not just hard-core drug users who are overdosing. This is impacting recreational drug-users, even first-time users. There is no safe street drug.”

www.rvh.on.ca | Like our Facebook Page: Team RVH | Follow us on Twitter: @TeamRVH

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Vitalsigns 2018 | Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre

Revenue generation helps keep RVH balanced Hospitals are required to balance their budgets - they cannot run a deficit. RVH has worked hard to achieve eight consecutive balanced budgets.

But it’s not always easy.

Supply costs and expenses continue to rise and so do patient volumes. Government funding doesn’t cover all costs and hospitals must look for ways to raise money for patient care.

From parking to a retail pharmacy, vending machines and advertising, RVH has developed important partnerships to contribute to the health centre’s bottom-line.

“Having experienced tremendous growth over the past

few years we – like all hospitals in Ontario – face constant financial pressures,” says Ben Petersen, vice-president Corporate Services and chief financial officer.

“We have to look for alternative sources of revenue in order to achieve a balanced budget year after year.”

In addition to revenue from bedside entertainment systems, automated bank machines and parking gate advertising, RVH also has a vendor food court which is home to Druxy’s, Tim Hortons, Jugo Juice, Subway, and Gino’s Pizza and Wings. The health centre also leases retail space to PureHealth Pharmacy, a full service, 6,000 square foot pharmacy.

For Joan McKee, director, Business Development and Supply Chain, these partnerships do more than support RVH’s operating budget.

“A lot of what RVH is doing to generate revenue is unique to hospitals in our area,” says McKee. “The partnerships we’ve built with our vendors and advertisers will remain an important contributor to achieving a balanced budget.”

Retail services and advertising revenue generate approximately $6 million per year. But it’s not only about raising funds.

“By providing conveniences such as our food court and a full service pharmacy on-site, we are improving the patient and visitor experience and generating revenue which helps to contribute to RVH’s bottom-line,” says McKee. So next time you pick up lunch in RVH’s vendor food court or purchase an entertainment card to watch TV or browse the Internet at the patient bedside, rest assured that you’re helping generate much-needed funds for patient care.

Patients and visitors can enjoy a meal or a cup of coffee in our brightly lit food court knowing the funds they spend support patient care.

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www.rvh.on.ca | Like our Facebook Page: Team RVH | Follow us on Twitter: @TeamRVH

Vitalsigns 2018 | Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre

Her opinion matters – and so does yours!

Carolyn Forgie-French has a powerful voice. It’s not the volume that makes it so, it’s the passion, experience and obligation behind her voice.

bring an important perspective to a broad range of discussions and issues and are invaluable to RVH.”

She has experience from both a patient and family member perspective - as a cancer survivor and through her brother’s heart attack and recovery.

People who have had a recent experience (within two years) either as a patient or as a family member of a patient, are eligible to be a Patient and Family Advisor, providing they are at least 18 years old. No special qualifications are required, but what is most important is their experiences and the willingness to share them in a constructive way.

And she believes she has an obligation to share the stories she has heard from other patients and families she met along both of these journeys.

“When I’m at the PFAC meetings it’s not just my voice – I’m there to represent the people I’ve met who haven’t had this opportunity. It is so rewarding,” says Forgie-French.

Forgie-French found a place where her voice is heard and respected as a member of RVH’s Patient and Family Advisory Council (PFAC) and chair of the Cardiac Patient and Family Advisory Council (CPFAC). These close-knit teams participate in health centre initiatives as partners by providing input to positively shape the patient experience.

If you are interested in becoming a member of the Patient Family Advisory Council (PFAC), please call 705728-9090 ext: 42319.

She’s passionate about making sure the patient experience at RVH is always a top priority.

“I love it. I always leave these meetings feeling good about what I’ve been able to contribute and especially from the things I have personally experienced,” says the Orillia resident.

In fact, it was her cancer journey at RVH that inspired her to write a letter to Janice Skot, RVH president and CEO, which opened the door to joining PFAC. “I had to tell Janice Skot what an amazing job her team does, as they plow through the daily grind with happiness, professionalism and kindness,” says Forgie-French. “I had forgotten about sending my letter and then I got a phone call from Janice. It was pretty cool. She said my letter was amazing and that she would love for me to join PFAC and continue to share my story, and those of other patients. I was honoured and I’ve been a member of PFAC for the past four years.”

During that time Forgie-French was involved in projects such as removing traditional visiting hours, wayfinding, the patient information guide, accessibility and medical assistance in dying.

“The most important voice in healthcare is that of the patient and their family,” says Nancy Savage, executive vice president Patient and Family Experience and regional vice president for Cancer Care Ontario. “It is only when we see healthcare through their eyes that we can further improve their experience and ensure they are at the centre of all we do. Patient Family Advisors

Right: Carolyn Forgie-French, Patient and Family Advisory Council

www.rvh.on.ca | Like our Facebook Page: Team RVH | Follow us on Twitter: @TeamRVH

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Vitalsigns 2018 | Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre

Hearts & Minds is a huge success thanks to community support Donors from across Simcoe Muskoka raised $25.2 million to support the Hearts & Minds campaign. Your donations make a difference!

Simcoe Muskoka Regional Heart Program NOW OPEN

Simcoe Muskoka Regional Child and Youth Mental Health Program NOW OPEN

Your donations helped to equip RVH’s Cardiac Intervention Unit which now provides vital diagnostic angiograms. In the fall of 2018 RVH will expand its services to include angioplasty for some patients.

Children and youth in crisis now will find the help they need. The new regional program features:

This progress ensures heart patients have the same quick access to lifesaving services as people throughout the rest of Ontario.

•

Eight-bed unit cares for 300 young people each year

•

Comprehensive day program to provide an additional 3,000 outpatient visits annually

•

Partnership with the Simcoe County District School Board and the Ministry of Education to support academic studies

Friends of RVH made the heart program possible.

Equipment

Centre for Research and Education

100 per cent of new equipment is purchased through community fundraising.

NOW OPEN

By investing in the latest technology, donors help us to equip medical teams with the right tools to provide high-quality care. In 2017, your generous donations helped us purchase nearly $850,000 in medical equipment.

For more information about suporting RVH please contact Rebbeca Truax at truaxr@rvh.on.ca or at 705-728-9090 x41525

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This centre provides a space for learners, clinicians, and medical professionals throughout the region to simulate difficult cases, certify in a wide variety of courses, research important questions and ultimately provide the best care for patients in our community.

To donate online: Foundation.rvh.on.ca

To donate by mail: RVH Foundation 201 Georgian Drive Questions?

Email: foundation@rvh.on.ca Barrie, Ontario L4M 6M2 Phone: 705.739.5600

www.rvh.on.ca | Like our Facebook Page: Team RVH | Follow us on Twitter: @TeamRVH

Vitalsigns 2018 | Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre

A message from the RVH Foundation Our community has a lot to celebrate. In just the last seven months, the Simcoe Muskoka Regional Child and Youth Mental Health Program and the Simcoe Muskoka Regional Heart Program opened at RVH. These new programs represent many years of hard work and dedication by RVH leadership, community engagement and donor support. Developing such programs is complex – requiring years of planning, expertise and government support. It also requires the believers. Those people who step up to provide support before there is a program, the physical space, or the medical team.

The believers are essential. They ignite the project through conversations.

They support and share the need, encouraging others to give. These believers live in every corner of this region and represent every generation. The Hearts & Minds campaign was full of examples of such believers.

People like 13-year old Zach Hofer. Zach knew child and youth mental health services at RVH would be vital to reducing stigma and getting children help. Zach made his way from Barrie to Ottawa, biking and walking and bringing attention to mental health along the way. His initial goal was $10,000 and to-date, he has raised more than $110,000 which is such an amazing accomplishment. Equally important were the conversations started thanks to this young believer.

John Byles chair, RVH Foundation Board of Directors

RVH Foundation Board of Directors John Byles (chair) Doug Moody (vice chair) David McCullough (past chair and chair, Hearts & Minds campaign) Janice Skot, president & CEO, RVH (secretary) Ben Petersen, vice president, Corporate Services & CFO, RVH (treasurer) Directors: Bob Burk

Many people from across Simcoe Muskoka also shared their personal stories of heart disease and the challenges caused by not having care closer to home. Families who had lost loved ones; patients who had to endure the scary ambulance trip beyond the 90 minutes of the gold standard of care.

From across the region people shared their experiences – telling their stories on social media and news outlets.

Dan Faber

Under the banner of Hearts & Minds, the community came together to raise $25.2 million for child and youth mental health, advanced cardiac care, gynecological cancer, research and education and equipment. Thank you to the 9,100 people who supported Hearts & Minds, capably led by volunteer campaign chair David McCullough.

Michael O’Keefe, chair RVH Board of Directors

Community support of RVH is crucial to providing the latest medical innovations which directly links to the future of healthcare and the ability of RVH to serve our community. I am grateful for the generations who have demonstrated their support for RVH – a legacy we all rely on.

Dr. Matthew Follwell Jimmy Furlano Cesia Green Paul Larche Mayor Jeff Lehman, City of Barrie Mayor Harry Hughes, Township of Oro-Medonte Dale Pickard Dan Revell Shaun Sauvé Lise McCourt, president, RVH Auxiliary CEO, RVH Foundation: Eric Dean Thank you to outgoing RVH Foundation Board of Director Janice Williams for sharing her time and expertise with us.

Respectfully, John Byles Chair, RVH Foundation Board of Directors

www.rvh.on.ca | Like our Facebook Page: Team RVH | Follow us on Twitter: @TeamRVH

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Vitalsigns 2018 | Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre

Families share a strong connection to community and RVH

Left to right: Verdi Wallwin. Jack Wallwin with daughter Nancy, and her husband Dave McCullough, and Craig Wallwin

This is a story of two families deeply rooted in RVH’s history – the McCulloughs and Wallwins.

A strong connection to this community inspires them to continue the families’ legacy of giving and supporting RVH. “My grandfather, father and uncle have all been community minded so it was something I witnessed growing up,” says David McCullough, who is married to Nancy Wallwin. “Our community needs and deserves the best possible healthcare close to home and RVH is always there when our family is in need of care.”

Both Nancy and her brother Craig were born at RVH and both are involved in planning fundraising events and participating in major fundraising campaigns.

“My mom was passionate about RVH and proud to be a nurse,” remembers Nancy. “She was honoured to be a volunteer at the hospital. She passed that passion on to us.”

Like his late-wife, Jack has been a lifelong supporter of RVH. He has played an integral role in helping RVH raise funds for many of the campaigns over the years.

The McCullough family connection to RVH dates back to 1930 with the birth of his uncle Rayner. Rayner McCullough, a long-time supporter of RVH, served on both the hospital and RVH Foundation Board of Directors, as well as participating in many fundraising campaigns.

For Jack, RVH will always hold a special part of his heart.

It is where he met his beloved wife, where his children and grand-children were born, and where the fourth generation of his family started last year after the birth of his first greatgrandson, Callahan McCullough.

“My side of the family, the Wallwins, have a special connection to RVH,” says Nancy McCullough. “My father, Jack Wallwin, was born at RVH in 1927, and in 1952 while repairing the elevator at the hospital met my mother, Verdi, a nursing student at the time.”

“RVH means community and family to us” says McCullough, who recently fulfilled his role as the chair of the Hearts & Minds campaign at RVH, “Volunteers are what make a community strong. Family, because it’s where our families began”.

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www.rvh.on.ca | Like our Facebook Page: Team RVH | Follow us on Twitter: @TeamRVH

Vitalsigns 2018 | Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre

Midhurst couple maintains an attitude of gratitude

Left to right: Carol Philips and Ian Cook. Carol teaches yoga classes in Midhurst and Barrie

As former veterinary doctors who practiced in the Barrie area for over 20 years, Carol Philips and Ian Cook know the cost of delivering high-quality healthcare.

“I remember when RVH was moving from its former downtown location. It felt like everyone in Barrie pitched in to make the new hospital happen” says Philips, to her husband Cook as they reflect on when they first started donating to RVH. That’s why they did what they could to support Hearts & Minds and the new Simcoe Muskoka Regional Child and Youth Mental Health Program at RVH. “People are more open about mental health and that made us, like many others, more aware of the struggles young people are facing,” says Cook.

Both Cook and Philips, although not directly impacted by mental illness, say the number of young people they know who are suffering is staggering.

“The need in our region is great. Any medical issue you can address early on is a success. The more happiness and joy you can help someone achieve the more productive life they are likely to lead,” says Cook.

Philips now teaches yoga and yoga therapy to help those in pain. She volunteers at Gilda’s Club leading yoga for people undergoing cancer treatments. Cook, who spent many years helping to establish and teach at the veterinary technician program at Georgian College, is still actively involved in nature and conservancy groups.

Philips says, “I think it is important to give back with either your time, knowledge or donations for causes that really matter such as mental health.”

“You never know when you or someone else might need care, you will be happy that you helped to make it happen,” says Cook.

For Philips, it really comes down to the practice of gratitude - being thankful that they are able to give back to the community. And their gratitude and generosity is making a difference to children and families across Simcoe County.

www.rvh.on.ca | Like our Facebook Page: Team RVH | Follow us on Twitter: @TeamRVH

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Vitalsigns 2018 | Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre

OUR DONORS are making a difference!

Radio for Cardiology hits the air waves

Oro-Medonte twins are empowering a community of youth

RVH is very grateful to KICX 106 FM, The Dock 104.1 FM and their listeners for helping to bring care closer to home. For the tenth year they have raised funds and awareness for the Simcoe Muskoka Regional Cancer Centre and more recently the Cardiac Intervention Unit. They definitely have big hearts!

Mikayla and Madison McDermott are eleven-year-olds from Oro-Medonte. They are on a mission to raise awareness and funds in support of the Simcoe Muskoka Regional Child and Youth Mental Health Program. The Oro-Medonte Kid’s Run at Burl’s Creek saw more than 200 runners, the majority of which where were under the age of 14.

Fresh FM laces up for advanced cardiac care Radio show hosts Matt and Tara from 93.1 Fresh Radio completed a 24-hour walk-a-thon fundraiser called Fresh Feet for Heartbeats, supporting the Simcoe Muskoka Regional Heart Program. While walking a treadmill, guests joined the hosts and shared why the program is important.

Madison wrote a children’s book that provides activities to help kids understand and manage their mental health. Madison explains, “I want to share this information with my generation to prevent reliance on drugs and alcohol as a means to cope with low self-esteem, anxiety, depression, loss and trauma”.

Madison was able to raise enough funds to distribute her book to every public school in Simcoe County.

Guys that Give is making a difference Guys That Give is a dedicated group of local men who are making an immediate difference in our community. Donating more than $12,000 to support the Simcoe Muskoka Regional Child and Youth Mental Health Program. Each member contributes $400 annually and attends four meetings. The Guys That Give donates their dues to community organizations. At RVH, their generosity had a profound impact on young people dealing with a mental health crisis.

Paramedic Nat’s Evening for Mental Health

Thank you for helping us to raise $25.2 million!

Natalie Harris, an advanced care paramedic and educator, has published her book, Save-My-Life School: A first responder’s mental health journey. Natalie is a passionate mental health advocate as a post-traumatic stress injury, addiction and suicide survivor. She works to break down the barriers of mental health stigma by telling her story of recovery through her blog and speaking engagements. At Paramedic Nat’s Evening for Mental Health, Zach Hofer was awarded a Community Hero Award. Her evening raises awareness and funds for the Simcoe Muskoka Regional Child and Youth Mental Health Program.

Make each life better. Together.

Top left: Carey Moran, Janice Skot and Jason McCoy at Radio for Cardiology Top right: Mayor of Barrie, Jeff Lehman, Janice Skot, RVH president and CEO, and Matt and Tara, radio personalities, 93.1 Fresh Radio Middle: David Carr, chair, Guys That Give Bottom left: Zach Hofer and Natalie Harris Bottom right: Madison McDermott, Mary Webb, RVH, and Mikayla McDermott

www.rvh.on.ca | Like our Facebook Page: Team RVH | Follow us on Twitter: @TeamRVH

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