News & stories

When Guelph resident Mike MacPherson was diagnosed with pneumonia in early July 2020, he followed doctor’s orders and waited to feel better. When he was still very ill almost 3 weeks later, a cat scan confirmed the culprit; a mass on his lung, and he was referred to Waterloo Regional Health Network’s lung diagnostic assessment program (DAP) to find out if it was cancer.

When Waterloo Region’s first COVID patient came through WRHN’s emergency department, the hospital responded by making COVID our priority. Through the uncertainty of the early weeks of the pandemic, WRHN came together to protect and care for our community. As the pandemic continued, our community was there for us. Through generous donations, words of encouragement, and actions of support, our community has shined throughout COVID. Today we are pausing to thank our community for being the light that has, and continues, to inspire us to shine.

How do you offer group therapy, when you can’t gather as a group? WRHN staff Mary and Rondi, and their team at our Mount Hope Day Program moved therapy online and discovered some unexpected benefits of ‘going virtual’.

When Forest Heights long-term care resident, 85-year old Bob Charters, was transferred to WRHN's Freeport Campus to recover from COVID-19, our no visitors guidelines meant face-to-face visits weren't possible. With support from our staff, Bob stayed connected with his daughters daily by phone, allowing the family to be together while staying apart. 

In Waterloo Region’s largest lab, the first of two new processing instruments has arrived and will help Waterloo Regional Health Network test up to 1500 COVID swabs every day for faster results.

Waterloo Regional Health Network invites feedback from you on our response to COVID-19, from the community’s perspective. Through this survey, we hope that you can provide your thoughts about what went well and what can be improved. This feedback will be used to help guide planning for the future.

Waterloo Regional Health Network (WRHN), in partnership with 50 other academic and community hospitals across Canada and New York, is participating in a study on the effects of convalescent plasma as a treatment method for COVID-19. 

Susan Udema was at home getting ready for a regular shopping trip, when her grandson noticed that something was very wrong. Susan was unable to walk and was having trouble speaking. Recognizing that she was experiencing a health emergency, her grandson quickly called 911 and an ambulance arrived to take Susan to the emergency department at WRHN.

On behalf of Ron Gagnon, President and CEO, and the entire WRHN community, we are proud to recognize the LGBTQ2+ community and show our support during Pride month.

It was a great escape! WRHN's Operating Room team recently transformed their spaces into escape rooms, as the OR and PACU teams worked together to beat the clock and complete a list of education puzzles in a new approach to educational simulations. Engaging all staff members, simulations like this one are safe spaces for staff to learn and review in a hands-on learning environment, enhancing patient safety while focusing on continuous quality improvement and patient-centered care.