The Ottawa Hospital and the Trillium Gift of Life Network honoured 28 living organ donors at a ceremony on Oct. 30, 2018. Living donors and recipients shared their touching stories about how organ donation has changed their lives.

Their compassion and caring shone through – not just for Allan Cook but for all his family and friends as well. And after he passed away, they attended his wake and celebration of life, continuing to care for his family. All that and more is why the nurses on B2 won the Team.

Generosity has no age limits. Six Ottawa children presented their $247.95 donation for breast cancer research at the Rose Ages Breast Health Centre. The neighbourhood friends found clever ways to raise money by raking leaves, cutting grass, selling lemonade, and shoveling snow.

Dr. Fraser Scott made a ground-breaking discovery when he realized the connection between diet and type 1 diabetes. Since then, his research has had a far-reaching impact, with potential for developing new treatment strategies.

A job on the Rocky Mountaineer train took Dr. Kristin Danko to places that weren’t on the route between Vancouver and Calgary. One stop was a research lab at The Ottawa Hospital. Now she is the recipient of the Worton Researcher in Training Award from the hospital in recognition of her outstanding achievements and her potential as a scientist.

When Dr. William Stanford first became a biological scientist, he simply followed his curiosity and was happy to let others pursue any practical applications of his research. Today goes on bedside rounds with clinicians, meets with patients and dreams of launching clinical trials.

For 30 years, Dr. Les Melamed read research proposals and asked himself, “If I were a patient, would I want to be part of this study?” As a volunteer community representative on the Ottawa Health Science Network Research Ethics Board, Dr. Melamed helped weigh the benefits and risks of research proposals involving patients or their data.

Maureen suffered from fibroids in her uterus and was told by five doctors that she needed a hysterectomy. However, with the help of a 3D-printed model of Maureen’s uterus, Dr. Sony Singh removed all 50 tumours and left her uterus intact, allowing her to carry a baby if she decides to.

Six years ago, Tanya O’Brien’s worst fear became a reality. “Hearing that you have cancer is like watching yourself in a bad movie…. Everything suddenly becomes a question. Is it everywhere? Will I die? What will happen to my family?” But the new Breast Health Centre offers hope.

Obesity – now considered a chronic disease similar to diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol – is a disease people “wear,” so they’re subject to constant stigma and bias. “I often think that if I was an alcoholic, had diabetes or high blood pressure etc., people wouldn’t be able to see those conditions and then judge me for my perceived health status,” explained Candace Vilhan.

Teresa Buffone knows too well how helpless it feels to have a loved one diagnosed with a neuromuscular disease. Her husband, Frank, died of myotonic dystrophy. Eight people in her family also have the genetic condition. Until now, patients have had to go elsewhere to take part in clinical trials.

Winners never quit – rather, they find ways to adjust to a new lifestyle, to a new normal. Erin Murphy, who won The Ottawa Hospital’s Excellence Award for Outstanding Volunteer this year, has done just that since a collision left him with catastrophic injuries.