Newsroom

The Ottawa Hospital (TOH) staff from the Black community share their stories of racism in health care on TOH’s social media channels:

Upcoming sessions:

• Suzanne Obiorah, Director of Primary Care and Regional Programs, Somerset West Community Health Centre – Thursday, July 2 at 11:30 am on Facebook
• Panel discussion – July 3 at 1 pm on Facebook
  • Seth Oduro, Manager of Environmental Services, TOH
  • Ellen Alie, Manager of Integrated Cancer Screening and Prevention (Regional Cancer Program) and Corporate Breast Imaging (TOH)
  • Dr. Kwadwo Kyeremanteng, Intensive Care Unit (ICU) Physician, TOH

Watch previous sessions:

• Seth Oduro, Manager of Environmental Services – Facebook
• Ellen Alie, Manager of Integrated Cancer Screening and Prevention (Regional Cancer Program) and Corporate Breast Imaging (TOH) – Facebook and Instagram
• Dr. Kwadwo Kyeremanteng, Intensive Care Unit (ICU) Physician – Facebook

Resources for more education:

• The Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion (CCDI)
  • Additional Resources
• Black Health Alliance
• Afrobiz
• Jaku Konbit
• Cultural arts studio

• Parent Toolkit: How to Talk to Kids about Race and Racism
• National Geographic: Talking to kids about race
• Parents: Anti-Racism for Kids: An Age-by-Age Guide to Fighting Hate

The Ottawa Hospital does not exist in a vacuum – it is a microcosm of the greater community. As such, the events that affect our community have a direct effect on the hospital. In support of our employees, patients and the community at large, TOH would like to engage in an honest conversation about racism, particularly against Black people.

While this discussion is focused on Black experiences at The Ottawa Hospital, it does not diminish the experiences of others. We hope this will be a first step towards an ongoing, broader conversation. A first step towards a journey of learning, understanding, growth, diversity and inclusion so that all members of our community feel seen, heard, represented and valued; a journey that will grow to encompass all parts of our community, including women, Indigenous peoples, racialized communities, and people with disabilities.

Please follow The Ottawa Hospital on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to listen, witness and show support.  These stories may be difficult to hear, but listening is the beginning of understanding. Understanding is the foundation of empathy. And empathy is what binds us as human beings.