Ian and Michelle, City of Kawartha Lakes residents and parents to two young children, weren’t prepared for the heart-breaking news.

They were left speechless and in shock as doctors informed them that that their four-year-old daughter, Summer, had hepatoblastoma, a rare, “one in a million” form of liver cancer. Experts explained that Summer had a large tumour that was dangerously close to the major blood vessels in her liver.

All Ian and Michelle could do was focus on what mattered most: getting Summer better and keeping their family together during this incredibly difficult time. When doctors told them that Summer needed immediate cancer treatment in Toronto — a long distance from home — it added yet another layer of uncertainty and fear.

They found themselves in a wild juggling act of uprooting the family, arranging childcare for their son, asking for a leave from work, and handling growing travel costs — all while trying to save their love and strength to support Summer.

It’s difficult for Ian and Michelle to describe what it was like to watch their child go through a medical crisis. “It’s a heavy burden that no child, no family should bear,” says Ian.

“The trip to Toronto for her initial treatment wasn’t easy for our family,” explains Michelle. “We’d hit the road at 4:45 a.m. to beat the traffic, but waking our little one so early was tough. She often felt nauseous during the drive, so we kept sickness bags handy. Our son stayed with his grandma when we had to stay in Toronto. It was heartbreaking to be separated from him.”

It was a huge relief for the family when they were told Summer could continue her lifesaving treatment at Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC).

“Getting her care closer to home made the challenges of her disease a little easier,” says Ian. “It was a glimmer of light in our darkest hour. We were even able to be together for Christmas last year.”

Spending as much time at PRHC as they did, Ian and Michelle saw the incredible amount of equipment that’s required to provide cancer care — and patient care of all kinds — under one roof.

“What we didn’t know then was how much of it was funded by donors,” Michelle says.

Since government funding covers only part of the hospital’s costs and doesn’t fund new equipment, PRHC relies on community donations to fund the technology needed to save lives. Everything from diagnostic imaging tools like CT scanners and MRI machines, to the equipment found in the Cardiac Cath Lab, operating rooms, and the Emergency Department — even the special chair Summer sat in while receiving her chemotherapy.

What surprised Ian and Michelle even more, was how many people rely on PRHC for those critical services. The hospital serves a population of 600,000 people, across the city and county of Peterborough, Northumberland County, east Durham, the Haliburton Highlands, Lindsay, and the City of Kawartha Lakes.

“We’ll never be able to express how truly thankful we are for donors’ past support of PRHC — they helped the experts save her life,” Michelle says. Those wonderful healthcare providers are another reason the family is grateful for Summer’s care being delivered at PRHC.

“They treated us like extended family,” Ian says.

Today, Summer is happy and healthy, in remission, and doing all the things a five-year-old should be doing: dancing, gymnastics, and making her wish list for Santa. Ian and Michelle take each day as it comes, cherishing every moment with their family and being mindful of how precious their time together is.

Getting expert, compassionate care close to home had such an impact on Summer’s family, that they want to ensure it remains a possibility for others from across the region.

“We decided to become donors,” says Ian. “We wanted to do something to help. To say thank you for the extraordinary care Summer received, while making things more bearable for other families like ours.”

That’s why, at this time of year especially, Foundation ambassadors like Ian and Michelle are asking others to reflect on the importance of family and community and decide to help more patients get the care they need, where and when they need it most — right here — by donating to the PRHC Foundation.

Donors can spread additional good cheer this holiday season by including a special tribute message to honour a PRHC doctor, nurse, staff member or a whole team along with their donation. The notes of thanks and best wishes will be forwarded to the hardworking healthcare workers recognized. They’ll also be shared more widely with the hospital, patient and donor community through social media, email, and a display in the hospital cafeteria.

You can make a tribute donation and send a message online or by phone at 705-876-5000.

This branded editorial was supplied by the Peterborough Regional Health Centre Foundation. If your organization or business is interested in a branded editorial, contact us.

Environment Canada has issued multiple weather warnings for much of the greater Kawarthas region beginning Sunday morning (December 3) into Monday.

Freezing rain warnings are in effect for Peterborough and Kawarthas Lakes, with 2 to 3 mm of ice build-up possible Sunday morning into early evening.

Freezing rain is expected to begin Sunday morning and may be mixed with snow or ice pellets at times. Freezing rain may briefly change to rain in some areas in the afternoon, but a quick transition to snow is expected by the evening as temperatures cool once again.

A snowfall warning is in effect for Hastings Highlands, with peak snowfall rates of 2 to 3 cm per hour possible Sunday night and expected snowfall accumulation of 15 to 20 cm by Monday morning. A winter weather travel advisory is in effect for Haliburton County, with expected snowfall accumulation of 10 to 15 cm by Monday morning.

Snow, which will begin late Sunday morning or early afternoon, may become mixed with ice pellets or transition to freezing rain in the afternoon in some areas. The snow is expected to become heavy in the evening and then continue overnight before tapering to flurries Monday morning.

Motorists should expect hazardous winter driving conditions and adjust travel plans accordingly. Surfaces such as highways, roads, walkways and parking lots may become difficult to navigate due to accumulating snow.

Visibility may be suddenly reduced at times in heavy snow. If visibility is reduced while driving, turn on your lights and maintain a safe following distance.

In response to community safety concerns, Cobourg police have installed two closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras in the town’s east end.

One of the cameras is installed at the intersection of Brook Road North and King Street East and the other is installed on Meredith Avenue off Brook Road North.

The two cameras are part of the Cobourg Police Service’s CCTV network that already consists of 28 operational cameras, with plans to almost double the number of cameras in operation next year.

On November 11, police officers canvassed neighbourhoods in the east end of Cobourg to hear directly from residents after seeing concerns raised online about community safety and crime that didn’t align with incident reports to police.

Officers spoke with 90 residents from the neighbourhoods of Cottesmore Avenue, Meredith Avenue, Thomas Street, Jane Street, Brook Road North, Rolling Street, and King Street East (between Cottesmore Avenue and Brook Road North).

The top three community concerns identified by residents included feeling unsafe while walking in the neighbourhood, people trespassing on property, and property being stolen from backyards and porches.

The top two responses from residents when asked what they would like to see done to address concerns were increased police presence through foot patrols, especially at night, and implementation of CCTV cameras in and around neighbourhoods.

The Cobourg Police Service’s CCTV network is funded through the Ontario government’s CCTV grant program, a three-year $6-million program announced in 2020 for police services across the province.

Cobourg police say the expansion of their CCTV network, which is scheduled for completion by the end of next summer, will further expedite the identification of suspects involved in incidents, facilitate evidence collection, and bolster court prosecutions.

As their CCTV project progresses, Cobourg police will also be launching a community-wide camera registry, where residents and companies can volunteer to register their own cameras with police so that, in the event of an incident, police can rapidly request footage from those participating in the program.

Ross Memorial Hospital celebrated long service and excellence among staff during an awards ceremony in the hospital’s cafeteria on Wednesday (November 29), including a local family physician who has worked at the hospital for 45 years.

Dr. Mervyn A. Stone was one of 158 employees recognized at the hospital’s annual Long Service and Excellence Awards, which celebrates hospital employees and professional staff who are marking significant milestones at the hospital, along with those nominated by their peers in specific categories of excellence.

“I have had the privilege of watching the Ross Memorial Hospital evolve from a general practitioner-based facility to a hospital of excellence with the addition of multiple specialties,” Dr. Stone says in a media release. “This remarkable journey has been defined by the compassion of colleagues, the dedication of the hospital staff, and administration, and the trust bestowed on me by countless patients and their families.”

“It’s been an honour to contribute to the hospital’s legacy of excellence in health care,” Dr. Stone adds. “As I embark on my next goal of 50 years of service, I will watch with great interest as our hospital adapts to the progress in medicine and the challenges presented with an aging population and growing community.”

The Long Service Awards recognized 129 staff who have worked at the hospital between five and 45 years. After Dr. Stone, the next longest-serving employee is Carole McBride, director of critical care, medicine and patient flow, who has worked at the hospital for 40 years.

“Our long-serving team members have developed an intimate knowledge of the hospital and the community we serve, something that can’t be taught in a classroom,” says Ross Memorial Hospital president and CEO Kelly Isfan in a media release. “They contribute to a uniquely caring culture at the Ross and a collective strength that is unmatched.

Along with the 129 staff receiving Long Service Awards, 29 staff received an Excellence Award across four categories: dedicated to excellence, champions of change, committed to the team, and respectful community.

Employees who received an Excellence Award include Karen Harrison of nutrition services, described as the “welcoming face” of the hospital’s staff cafeteria, who was recognized with Dedicated to Excellence award, and clinical educator and support specialist Jennifer Maunder, who received a Champion of Change award and was also recognized for 25 years of service at the hospital.

“What better reflection of the importance of their work than having their name brought forward by a peer?” says Isfan of the Excellence Awards recipients. “It says a great deal when the people they work shoulder-to-shoulder with each and every day feel compelled to see their efforts acknowledged. They are all leaders and examples of what we all strive to accomplish through our work here at Ross Memorial Hospital.”

A full list of all the award recipients is provided below.

PDF: Ross Memorial Hospital 2023 Long Service and Excellence Award Recipients
Ross Memorial Hospital 2023 Long Service and Excellence Award Recipients

This holiday season, instead of opening an Advent calendar where you receive a goodie each day, Kawartha Food Share is asking community members to collect just one food item each day to give back to those in need.

The organization’s “Reverse Advent Calendar” launched on Friday (December 1) and will run until the food share’s final day of collection ahead of the holidays on Thursday, December 21st.

The process is simple: Kawartha Food Share suggests one item per day on the calendar to be put aside into a box so that, at the end of the 21 days, people will have a full box of items to give to a family needing support this holiday season.

“It’s such a good way to get involved and a fun way to get kids involved,” says Ashlee Aitken, general manager of Kawartha Food Share, which distributes to food banks and food cupboards across Peterborough County. “Rather than just getting a chocolate from an Advent calendar, you’re giving something to someone in need.”

Prior to annually launching the calendar six years ago, Aitken explains, community members would reach out to Kawartha Food Share to inquire about priority items or donating hampers during the holiday season. The organization created the Reverse Advent calendar to help community members see the items that are most in-demand in the region and to help them curate their own box of goods, one item at a time.

She adds that the Reverse Advent calendar also gives classrooms and other groups the opportunity to present challenges with collecting the items.

“If every student had one item or every family brought in one item each day of the month, it all adds up very quickly,” says Aitken. “It’s meant to be small items each day that are feasible for a family to donate and at the end of the month, we give it to someone that needs it.”

With days devoted to toiletries, toilet paper, baby food, snacks, and treats, the calendar suggests a range of items to ensure the box is well-rounded to meet a family’s needs.

“There’s a bit of everything,” Aitken notes. “Oftentimes when donating to food banks, you just think of the non-perishables, but there’s so much more that we offer, including toiletries and other items.”

While the calendar makes up the recommendations for each day to go into the donated box, Kawartha Food Share will adjust the items in a box based on a specific family’s needs before giving them to the family.

“Not every family needs things like baby food, for example, so we will pull them out of the ones who don’t and give to those who do,” says Aitken, adding that every item on the Reverse Advent calendar including baby food is needed by someone. “Items like that are very expensive for our clients and are always great to have.”

This year, the Real Canadian Superstore at Lansdowne Place Mall in Peterborough contacted Kawartha Food Share to offer support to the project. Each day, the corresponding item on the calendar will be located near the checkouts to make it easy for donors to find. Rather than grabbing that last-minute chocolate bar they don’t need, it encourages community members to make a meaningful purchase that gives back to those in the community.

“We really appreciate Superstore’s support,” says Aitken. “They’ve been really big champions of ours for a long time but having them do this is another bonus for us.”

Though community members are always eager to give this time of year, Aitken explains the need is even more dire this year as food banks supported by Kawartha Food Share have been seeing an increased demand because of socioeconomic factors.

“It’s been a challenging couple of years for many people in our community, especially this year with the cost of food rising significantly,” Aitken points out.

The rising cost of food has also diminished Kawartha Food Share’s wholesale buying power when it comes to monetary donations, according to Aitken. In 2021, the food share could purchase up to $6 worth of food with every $1 donated. Today, that $1 can only purchase up to $4 worth of food or even less, with the cost of some items now equal to their retail value.

“It’s less that our agencies can purchase, and it’s been a challenging year trying to keep up with the demands,” she says. “But doing these fun little initiatives that get people engaged and giving back in an easy way always really benefits us and those in need.”

The Reverse Advent calendar is made up of suggestions for those needing guidance. Kawartha Food Share also encourages and accepts donations of all kinds, even if they are not listed on the calendar.

Items listed on the Reverse Advent calendar can be purchased all at once and donated immediately or they can be collected over the 21 days, as long as they are dropped off at Kawartha Food Share by Thursday, December 21st so the organization has time to give them to families ahead of the holidays.

“Peterborough is such an extremely generous community,” says Aitken. “The people that support us do so because they want to help their fellow community members. They are so generous and we really appreciate the support.”

All boxes and individual donations can be dropped off at Kawartha Food Share’s warehouse at 665 Neal Drive in Peterborough between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday to Thursday until December 21. For more information about Kawartha Food Share and the 36 member agencies it supports, visit kawarthafoodshare.com.

Ontario’s police watchdog has discontinued its investigation into a Port Hope police officer who fired her gun at a stolen pickup truck in July, turning the matter over to the Port Hope Police Service.

According to preliminary inquiries by the Special Investigations Unit (SIU), Port Hope police officers went to a McDonalds drive-thru at 175 Rose Glen Road on Sunday, July 30th after receiving information that a stolen vehicle and man wanted by police was there.

In an effort to arrest the driver, officers blocking his vehicle in with their vehicles and directed him to turn off the engine. The man then attempted to flee officers in the truck.

As the vehicle passed an officer, an officer took aim at the wheel on the driver’s side and shot her firearm. The bullet ricocheted off the wheel and struck the officer in her face. The driver fled the scene in the stolen pickup truck. The injured officer was transported to Northumberland Hills Hospital, where she was treated and released.

Due to the nature of the incident, the SIU invoked its mandate. The SIU is a civilian law enforcement agency, independent of the police, that conducts criminal investigations into circumstances involving police and civilians that have resulted in serious injury, death, or allegations of sexual assault.

After completing its preliminary inquiries, the SIU announced on Thursday (November 30) that it was terminating its investigation.

“Based on video footage and utterances made by another officer in the immediate aftermath of the shooting, it established the officer fired in the direction of the wheel, not the driver,” reads an SIU media release. “As such, it does not appear that the matter falls within the SIU’s statutory jurisdiction. This matter has been referred to the police service for investigation as they deem necessary.”

The Port Hope Police Service has issued a media release stating that they will be reviewing the incident “in its entirety.”

“The wellness of our officer, mentally and physically, has been our priority,” the media release states. “The support from all members of the Port Hope Police Service will continue. Policing is an extremely challenging profession, and our officers are faced with split second decisions based on previous experiences as well as their training.”

Early in the morning following the incident, Northumberland OPP arrested the 29-year-old driver of the stolen pickup truck. Jordan Denny of Cobourg was charged with two counts of dangerous operation of a vehicle, flight from police, and possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000.