Our Stories

Read the latest stories about what's going on at St. Joseph's Health Care London.

John Kirkland with VR and ipad

Veterans explore the world from home

In his younger years, 95-year-old veteran John Kirkland traipsed the Bruce Trail, hiked the Rockies, paddled through Algonquin Park and sailed Canada’s east and west coasts. Unable to travel much these days, he believed Newfoundland would remain an unfulfilled wish on his list of cross-Canada adventures. Until virtual reality brought the province’s wonders to him: The rugged Tablelands and the fiords at Gros Morne National Park. Scenic Quidi Vidi at Canada’s easternmost point. Historic L’Anse Aux Meadows, where Vikings once trod. “Newfoundland is beautiful no matter where you go,” he says...
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Terry and Patti rock climbing

Anchored in Trust

When Patti Hoddinott tried rock climbing with her husband, Terry, on a whim six years ago, it was love at first climb. But it’s a sport with an extra layer of difficulty for the couple. Terry is blind. Hoddinott, a dietitian at St. Joseph’s Health Care London, is Terry’s caller. Using a two-way...
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Stroke Rehabilitation Team honoured for advancing aphasia care

St. Joseph’s Stroke Rehabilitation Team at Parkwood Institute received the 2024 Gerry Cormier Communicative Access Award for being the first to implement eLearning communication strategies that enhance care and inclusion for stroke survivors with aphasia. The St. Joseph’s Stroke Rehabilitation Team...
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Veterans Care Bus "The Poppy"

A new ride on the roads

Meet “The Poppy”. Maybe you’ve already seen it out on the streets of London – covered in giant red poppies, it’s hard to miss. The Poppy is the new accessible bus for St. Joseph’s Veterans Care Program. From medical appointments and shopping outings to hockey games and museum visits, trips into the...
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older couple sleeping in bed

Sweet dreams

A good night’s sleep – it’s something we all dream of. And there are no shortage of tips and tricks on how to reach the rapid eye movement (REM) stage and enjoy your slumber. But for the more than five million Canadians who live with sleep apnea, a disorder in which breathing stops and starts...
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Michael Newcombe

Two decades of service in veteran mental health

Twenty years since it first opened, the St. Joseph’s Operational Stress Injury Clinic has treated thousands of clients who serve and have served in the Canadian Armed Forces and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The clinic has grown from a three-person office into a 50-staff support community...
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Listening to what matters most

After sharing his rehabilitation story with a room full of Western University students, local filmmaker Jason Gray quoted post-apocalyptic television show, The Last of Us. “Paying attention to things; it’s how we show love.” The words struck a chord with fourth-year undergraduate student, Vaishnavii...
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Bryan Sanchez, nurse

A dream come true

As a college student in the Philippines, Bryan Sanchez dreamed about working as a nurse in Canada. Today, he is fulfilling his dream working as a registered nurse in the Rehabilitation Program at Parkwood Institute. Thanks to the Supervised Practice Experience Partnership (SPEP) Program through the...
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Three women and a dog smile at camera

“Healing our hearts”

Paper crafts have always been important to Anne Granger. That passion became her saving grace when her husband Corrie died unexpectedly of an aortic dissection in 2017. “Scrapbooking and cardmaking is my healing, my therapy,” she shares. “I don’t know where I’d be if I didn’t have that.” In 2018...
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People standing with boxes of gloves and smiling

Giving a hand to health care

A generous gift-in-kind donation of 500,000 nitrile gloves is making an impact on patient care across St. Joseph’s and will help to protect front line staff over the next several months. Since late September 2024, the gloves have made their way into the inventory across the organization. The unique...
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