In Spring 2009, UHN Wellness Centre began a pilot program called ‘FACTS (fitness, activity, cholesterol, tone and self-esteem) for improved health’. The purpose of this program was to determine if UHN wellness programs and initiatives could reduce staff health risks ...

Hilary Lee realized the value of good training and volunteer-patient engagement when she was attending to a distraught patient whom everyone thought was babbling in a state of delirium. After she spent some time with him she realized it was ...

In January 2009, London Health Sciences Centre’s (LHSC) Peritoneal Dialysis Unit, in partnership with Baxter Corporation, began a ten month study to determine the feasibility and effectiveness of providing peritoneal home dialysis patients with touch screen technology and access to ...

Volunteers play a crucial role in the patient care services we deliver in the Emergency Department (ED) at St. Joseph’s Health Centre, Toronto. Whether it’s a welcoming smile, a conversation or answering questions, our volunteers aim to support patients and ...

Although it is not an unfamiliar disease to most Canadians, Type 1 diabetes is often understood as being only about food and insulin. The reality is that Type 1 diabetes is much more complicated and difficult to manage. Outside factors ...

The interesting thing about volunteers is each one has their own story, their own reason for spending their free time helping others. It may be because of a personal connection, the desire to get into a routine or perhaps to ...

Body image and sexuality may be taboo for some people, but that didn’t stop members of The Scarborough Hospital’s Home Dialysis Peer Support Group from choosing the subjects as the focus of its annual Patient Symposium this past spring. ...

Twenty-two-year-old Sohini Mitra has always had high aspirations. From an early age she knew she wanted to be a doctor, so it was no surprise that Mitra studied biology in university. She held a part-time job to help achieve her ...

Volunteers are an integral part of the hospital staff team in providing the highest quality of service for patients. At Trillium Health Centre, the services offered by volunteers directly enhance the patients’ stay, providing them with additional comforts that busy ...

Chatter fills the hallways at St. John’s Rehab Hospital in north Toronto. It’s Saturday afternoon and a group of volunteers gathers around several food carts. Among them is Supreet Sunil, who grabs a tray and heads into a room ready ...