Stroke care at GRH

As a long-time Waterloo Region resident, Jack Peterson used to think of Grand River Hospital's Freeport Campus as a last stop for many. After benefiting from care at Freeport, he now sees it as a place of life and hope. And he wants others to know that too.

Jennifer Sutherland used to think a stroke would happen to someone else. She learned otherwise while 29 weeks pregnant. She's doing fine now, while encouraging others to know the signs and symptoms of a stroke.

Grand River Hospital is pleased to support this fall’s group learning sessions of Living With Stroke in Kitchener. The hospital is partnering with Heart and Stroke as well as the A.R. Kaufman Family YMCA to hold the sessions.

Roderick Tobin of Waterloo knows his good fortune to have a second chance after a very serious stroke.

GRH occupational therapist Sherry Rock [OT Reg. (Ont.)] is the first occupational therapist in Canada to become an adult occupational therapy instructor in neuro-developmental treatment (NDT) as certified by the NDTA ™ Neuro-Developmental Treatment Association.

Bremely Berganza realizes the abilities to communicate and swallow are often taken for granted… meaning the loss of those functions can be devastating. So as a speech language pathologist, she’s determined to help patients recover those key skills.

GRH registered nurses Nancy Halstead and Emilie Gordon are using their skills to support technology that links Waterloo Region patients to specialists in other cities.

Marsha Krueger is thrilled to play a role in making GRH's hospital elder life program (HELP) a reality. GRH has hosted HELP since 2012. The program pairs volunteers with older adults who are hospitalized, providing activities designed to reduce hospital-acquired delirium.

In support of World Stroke Day on October 29, 2017, Heart & Stroke, Region of Waterloo Paramedic Services, and Grand River Hospital are teaming up to ensure that more lives are saved from the effects of stroke.

Andrea Guth has won Grand River Hospital's award of excellence for her work as a care provider and a leader in many portfolios. 

After being in health care for almost 18 years, Erika Barbosa knows how demanding nursing can be both physically and mentally. However, there’s also no other profession Erika can imagine herself doing.

Now she’s currently the resource nurse on GRH’s stroke unit and helps to make sure the patients are getting the care they need. 

Sometimes, a stroke can be life changing. Some patients will have to relearn how to do simple, independent tasks, like getting dressed or brushing their teeth. 

That’s where occupational therapists (OTs) like Sarah Renner come in. An OT is there to help a patient who has suffered a stroke learn to regain their independence by completing everyday tasks, and improve their quality of life in the long run. 

Maureen Evans has provided care to stroke and cancer patients at Grand River Hospital’s KW Campus for the past decade. She supports patients through a wide range of difficulties that can include swallowing and communications problems.

Some people know from a very young age what they want to do when they get older. That was the case for Judy Goetz, who always knew she wanted to be a nurse, even as a child. She feels like she has the best job at GRH because she gets to come into work and work with an amazing group of individuals who make a difference in the lives of those they encounter.

Grand River Hospital is proud to honour Betty South and Robert Povey whose work with the hospital community has helped to improve the lives of others.

Jennifer Escobar wants to help her clients get back the skills people normally take for granted. Jennifer is an occupational therapist at GRH’s Freeport Campus. She supports patients returning home after a hospital stay. 

The Waterloo Wellington Integrated Stroke Program (of which Grand River Hospital is a member) will provide an update for the community on World Stroke Day in late October.

If you have a stroke in Waterloo Region and require hospital care, your first stop will be Grand River Hospital. After you’ve had care in the emergency department, you’ll likely meet Dr. Brian Kelly and his many colleagues in GRH’s inpatient stroke unit.

Donna Gill wants stroke patients to know that recovery is possible. As a nurse practitioner in the rehabilitation program at GRH’s Freeport Campus, she has a special feeling when that recovery starts happening.

Dr. Abdel Kaleel is part of GRH’s secondary stroke prevention clinic. He also provides his expertise as a stroke neurologist to hospitals and health providers across Waterloo and Wellington.

Lorne Bakanec never knew his journey home from Simcoe for a potential car purchase one December morning would be so full of twists and turns.

Tammy Tebbutt is part of the secondary stroke prevention clinic in GRH’s Kaufman building at the KW Campus. The clinic gives patients the knowledge and tools to prevent another transient ischemic attack (TIA) or even a much more serious stroke from happening.

When a patient has a serious illness like a stroke, navigating the road back to health can involve a lot of different stops along the way. That’s when Julie Weir comes in.