Good morning, Greater Sudbury.
Here are some stories to start your day.
Paramedics rescue woman from burning building:
In what is likely a first for Greater Sudbury, the quick action of four female paramedics rescued a woman from a burning building last week. The four – Jennyfer Leblanc, Chanelle Frappier-Doyon, Samantha Mclean and Susan Easter – happened to be in the right place at the right time. They had responded to a medical call late afternoon Nov. 2 in a Minnow Lake neighbourhood. They were just wrapping up when they noticed smoke billowing from a nearby two-storey apartment. Normally, four paramedics don't respond to calls, but in this case, one of them – Frappier-Doyon – was on a back-to-work protocol, so she was travelling with Leblanc and McLean. Easter, a senior paramedic, had arrived separately to make contact with the original patient. When they spotted the fire, Frappier-Doyon approached the burning building to assess the situation. “I went over to inspect,” she said, when she heard a woman groaning, “Oh no! oh no!” “I didn't see her (but) I could see flames all over the backyard,” Frappier-Doyon said. By that time, her colleagues were coming toward her with fire extinguishers, while one stayed to care for the original patient. Get the full story here.
'Dirtiest in Ontario': Unions say more than 100 cuts looming for HSN:
The Ontario Health Coalition has launched a campaign to save services at Health Sciences North, saying that more than 100 cuts loom over Sudbury's one and only hospital. The health coalition held a press conference on Nov. 9, ahead of a town hall meeting that is scheduled for Nov. 12 at the Steelworkers Union Hall. Attending Friday's presser was Ontario Health Coalition executive director Natalie Mehra, who was joined by CUPE 1623 president Dave Shelefontiuk, Sharon Richer, secretary-treasurer of the Ontario Council of Hospital Unions (OCHU), both of whom rallied on Wednesday, Nov. 6 to call for a stop to cuts at HSN. "At the moment there are more than 100 full-time equivalent staff, including nurses, health professionals, and patient support staff across dozens of hospital departments that are slated to be cut," said Mehra. "This comes after Sudbury's hospital capacity has already been dramatically downsized for decades. You are at a point in this community where you don't have enough capacity, as it exists, to provide for the needs of the population. I was shocked to hear the scope of the cuts that are being proposed in this community." Full story can be found here.
Join Sudbury.com on Nov. 11 for live coverage of Remembrance Day at Sudbury Arena:
The annual Remembrance Day service at Sudbury Arena can be a powerful and emotional event to witness, but not everyone can make it downtown to watch it in person. For some, it just doesn't fit into their schedule and for others it can be too physically demanding to make the journey downtown and into the arena. If you can't get to the arena this Sunday, Sudbury.com can help. We'll be carrying livestream coverage of the Remembrance Day ceremony from Sudbury Arena starting just before 11 a.m. on Nov. 11. To watch Sunday's service click here.
The torch of remembrance: Sudburians share thoughts on WWI armistice centenary:
“To you from falling hands we throw/The torch; be yours to hold it high.” These words from the poem “In Flanders Fields” by Canadian physician Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae resonate for Ron Robitaille as the 100th anniversary of the First World War armistice approaches this Nov. 11. The famous poem, often recited at Remembrance Day ceremonies, was written on May 3, 1915 by McCrae of Guelph, Ont. after one of his friends was killed in battle. In all, 67,000 Canadians were killed in the bloody 1914-1918 conflict. McCrae himself did not live to see the war's end — he died at age 45 on Jan. 28, 1918 after contracting pneumonia and cerebral meningitis. Robitaille, past-president of Branch 76 of the Royal Canadian Legion, points out that all Canadian First World War veterans have now passed on. That fact makes it all the more important to pass the torch of remembrance to new generations, he said. “That last paragraph (of “In Flanders Fields”) is telling us what we should do,” Robitaille said. “We should hold a torch of remembrance high and do the stuff that we need to do never to forget the sacrifice that these soldiers made for us. “I think we should remember because they gave their lives and also they provided us with the freedom that we enjoy today.” More on this story can be found here.
Sudbury safe injection site would mean less discarded needles: medical officer:
An indication of the uphill battle advocates have in fighting for safe injection sites was on display Thursday at a town hall organized by Sudbury MPP Jamie West. As Ariella Zbar, Public Health Sudbury & Districts' associate medical officer of health, was making a point, a man in the crowd of 50 or so spoke and said the sites only encourage addicts, adding to the crisis gripping North America. “If they’re allowed more, they will do more,” the man said. Not so, Zbar replied. While they don't decrease usage, studies have shown that safe sites don't increase addictions. In fact, they allow addicts to access treatment and education, she said, and prevent infections, diseases and overdoses. Full story here.
HSN makes list of top 40 research hospitals for fifth straight year:
Health Sciences North (HSN) and its affiliate, Health Sciences North Research Institute, is ranked among Canada’s Top 40 Research Hospitals for a fifth consecutive year. The list of Top 40 Research Hospitals in Canada is compiled annually by Re$earch Infosource Inc. HSN is ranked 39th, holding its position from last year. “We are proud that HSN has made the Top 40 in each of the past five years. This demonstrates the importance and commitment to health research in our region,” said Dominic Giroux, president and CEO of HSN and HSNRI. “We have come a long way and we continue to contribute to research and improve patient care at HSN.” Last month, HSN and HSNRI also became the sixth and final site of the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES).
French River couple fighting to have $12K air ambulance bill covered:
The fight to overturn an Ontario Health Insurance Plan denial to help pay a $12,000 air ambulance bill will have to wait a few months for an outcome. French River residents Dean and Erla Wenborne are asking the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care to reconsider not paying for the bill the couple incurred after Erla suffered a heart attack while out of province. The couple met with the Health Services Appeal and Review Board on Thursday state their case. On Oct. 31, 2017, Erla, 81, suffered a heart attack while visiting family in Nova Scotia. She was taken to a hospital in Sydney, N.S., where she was stabilized and a temporary pacemaker was put in. However, the nearest hospital that could perform the followup tests and procedures was located in Halifax — a distance of almost 400 kilometres. An air ambulance was called to transport Erla to Halifax, where she stayed about 36 hours, and then returned to Sydney by land ambulance for recovery. Erla is recovering well, but there are some lingering effects from the heart attack, said her husband, Dean, 86, speaking on her behalf at hearing for the Health Services Appeal and Review Board. While the couple are grateful for the care they received, they are fighting a $12,000 bill from the air ambulance service in Nova Scotia. Because they were in another province, the Ministry of Health denied their claim for coverage under the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP).
Sudbury Five reveal their inaugural season roster:
An enthusiastic crowd filled the centre court at the New Sudbury Centre on Nov. 8 as the city's first professional basketball team, the Sudbury Five, introduced their roster. "This roster has been months in the making and we couldn't be more excited to release the finished product to the Sudbury community tonight," said Five head coach and general manager Logan Stutz. "This is a highly skilled team that can shoot and drive the ball better than most teams in this league. We have high expectations for this team and can't wait to start play on Nov. 17." Fans of the team got a chance to meet the players and coaches, as well as team mascot The Rock Monster, and the Five's dance pack. "I'm so excited, this is a dream come true," said team owner Dario Zulich. "This started out as just a thought that developed over time and become a reality. This is actually the first professional sports team in Northern Ontario, so we're just proud to put Sudbury on the map and continue to grow." Check out the Five roster here.
