Advertise on podcast: Pulse: The Ottawa Hospital Foundation Podcast

Melanie Adams opens her first episode as host of Pulse by welcoming a familiar face — former host Shelley McLean — for a heartfelt conversation about her many years with The Ottawa Hospital Foundation and the deeply personal experiences that connect her to the hospital. Shelley reflects on how her family's cancer journey shaped her passion for research, why new clinical trials offer so much hope, and what excites her about the new campus development. They also explore the power of community events like Race Weekend in driving the Campaign to Create Tomorrow forward, and the many ways people can make a meaningful impact.

Dr. Kwadwo Kyeremanteng is Head of Critical Care at The Ottawa Hospital. He's also a researcher and advocate for patients, through media interviews and his own podcast — Prevention Over Prescription. On top of all that, he's a co-chair of The Ottawa Hospital Foundation's $500 million Campaign to Create Tomorrow. In this conversation, Dr. K, as he's known, takes us into the day in the life of his role at the hospital. He discusses his research and the focus on making the most out of our healthcare dollars. We also dive into this historic fundraising campaign — why it's vital to our community and his message to others to join the movement. (22:05)

Dr. Dawn Stacey has dedicated her career to improving patient decision-making processes and helping implement better systems for healthcare providers to guide patients and their families through their options. She is a Senior Scientist and Co-Scientific Director of the Patient Decision Aids Research Group at The Ottawa Hospital, and the 2025 recipient of the Grimes Career Achievement Award. In this conversation, you'll hear more about her career and how important her work is not only for our patients but also for patients worldwide. (15:53)

Annie Grenon has strong ties to The Ottawa Hospital.  She was a patient for kidney care years ago and, more recently, for a pulmonary embolism. She's also seen both of her grandchildren born at the Civic Campus, and her late husband received cancer care. It was when her husband was diagnosed with a rare cancer that their family came together to discuss leaving a gift in their will to The Ottawa Hospital. It was about helping other families in the future — forward-thinking to create a healthier tomorrow. (25:31)

Dr. Safraz Mohammed is a neurosurgeon at The Ottawa Hospital specializing in the brain and spine. In this engaging conversation, you'll hear what led him to neurosurgery and how he's helping educate the next generation of medical talent. Dr. Mohammed also takes us behind the scenes of the highly skilled neurosurgical team at our hospital and shares an important message about the impact of philanthropy. (33:43)

The Ottawa Hospital is creating a comprehensive epilepsy program — a one-stop shop that will be a changemaker for patients. As a key part of bringing specialized, state-of-the-art care to the region, The Ottawa Hospital completed its first-ever stereo EEG procedure in January 2025. Dr. Tad Fantaneanu, the Medical Director of the Epilepsy Program, shares the exciting developments in the program and why this is important for patients. (18:24)  

Ottawa businesswoman Helen Tang knows what it means to reinvent yourself and to find your passion in life. Today, her passion includes leading with purpose, and that's why she's joined the Campaign to Create Tomorrow.  In our conversation, Helen discusses her connection to our hospital and how it compelled her to give back, the life lesson from her father that guides her professionally and personally, as well as her message about the power of one. (17:03)

The Ottawa Hospital is taking a leadership role to reshape the future of healthcare. Hear from Cameron Love, President and CEO of The Ottawa Hospital, as he shares the ambitious plans that will focus on 21st-century needs and innovations, looking beyond to not only care for the patient in the hospital, but also support the person in the community. (37:00)

From a front-line nurse to a leader in healthcare, Suzanne Madore reflects on her 35 years at The Ottawa Hospital. She looks back on her early days as a nurse, her first love of cancer care, and her progression into leadership. She dives into the unique role of The Ottawa Hospital, supporting its community hospital partners and the impact it has on patients. Suzanne also looks at how she will continue to help create those innovative solutions in her new role as President and CEO of Renfrew Victoria and St. Francis Memorial hospitals. And, she takes time to reflect on the mentors who helped guide her career. (30:15)

When Chantal Theriault was diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson's disease at age 37, two names came to mind — Mohammed Ali and Michael J. Fox. Despite the shocking news, she faced it head-on, relying on specialized care at The Ottawa Hospital and immersing herself in leading-edge clinical trials to help others like her. She's also added in a little bit of humour along the way. (23:51)

The Ottawa Hospital is a global research powerhouse. In this conversation, Dr. Rebecca Auer, the Executive Vice-President of Research and Innovation, discusses how our hospital is recognized worldwide for its scientific discoveries. You'll learn how the patient is at the centre of all our research and the importance of integrating research into every aspect of care at The Ottawa Hospital. We tackle biotherapeutics — an exciting and disruptive field — along with expansion plans for our Biotherapeutics Manufacturing Centre (BMC), and Dr. Auer has an important message about how philanthropy fuels research. (27:34)

In the spring of 2023, Katie Skidmore was diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disorder known as anti-GBM. It attacked her kidneys and left her critically ill. While she recovered from the disease, she was left without functioning kidneys and Katie learned to navigate her new world of being on dialysis. While that was happening, she actively searched for a living donor. Then, on September 12, 2024, Katie's dream of getting a new kidney became a reality.   This conversation brings Katie together with her living donor, Jay Turner — who felt a "magnetic draw" to help this young woman. (34:54)

The Ottawa Hospital's mental health program provides early diagnosis and treatment of severe mental illness. Major depressive disorder is a mental health condition in which someone is feeling very low and not able to enjoy things the way they normally would over a prolonged period. It's persistent and can go on for months or even years but there is hope. In this episode, we learn more about depression with Dr. Andrew Greene, a psychiatrist at The Ottawa Hospital. (19:42)       If you know someone who may be suffering from depression and needs help, the best place to start is by visiting your family doctor. If you don't have access to a family doctor, you can go to AccessMHA.ca.  If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, you can call or text 9-8-8: where a crisis supporter will help you without judgment or go to the nearest emergency department.  

Brandon Peacock was an innocent victim of a shooting in June 2020. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time. After being rushed to The Ottawa Hospital Trauma Centre by ambulance with a life-threatening injury, a team of medical experts was ready. Today, Brandon's here to share how that moment changed his life. (28:19)

When Dr. Jay Baltz, senior scientist emeritus at The Ottawa Hospital, first started in his field, researchers struggled with a puzzle that blocked the progress of in vitro fertilization (IVF). Through pioneering research and his work with one of the creators of IVF, Dr. Baltz would go on to push fertility science to new heights.  In this conversation, Dr. Baltz talks about when the first test-tube baby was born, how fertility science has changed since then, and what it's meant for families around the world. (19:00)