Latest news with #UniversityofOttawaHeartInstitute
Daily Mail
04-07-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
I had a heart attack and lost my memory... now I'm looking for the person who saved my life on the side of the road
Tommy Chan was on his normal run in his hometown of Ottawa, Canada, when he suddenly collapsed. The healthy 39-year-old was in overall good health, and suffering a heart attack was never a concern, but when he woke up at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute several days later, he had no memory of the incident, the events leading up to it or the four days that followed. Chan was left with the mystery of what had happened. With help from hospital staff and the run that was recorded on his smart watch, he began piecing bits together. He was most likely walking home at the end of his run around 7:50pm on May 20 when he collapsed. Paramedics received a call about an hour later about a man in cardiac arrest on the sidewalk. However, before they arrived and delivered a shock that restarted Chan's heart, a bystander performed life-saving CPR - but she left the scene when paramedics arrived. Aside from a few broken ribs - typical in someone who has received CPR - Cahn emerged from the event relatively unscathed. And when he found out a stranger had stepped in to help him, he set out on a mission to find and thank them. In his search, Chan posted about his experience on Reddit under the heading, 'Did you save my life?' Tawnya Shimizu, a nurse practitioner, was driving down the street in Ottawa with her daughter when they spotted a commotion at an intersection. People had begun to gather around Chan's body, splayed on the ground. A few attempted CPR as the electrical system powering Chan's heart short-circuited, knocking him unconscious, cutting off blood flow, and halting his pulse. With his breathing stalled, his face had turned pale from lack of oxygen. As Shimizu and her daughter approached, she told CBC: 'I could hear the 9-1-1 operator giving directions on CPR and counting out the timing. 'So my daughter was immediately like, "Mommy, you're a nurse. You need to help!"' She made her way through the crowd of bystanders and entered 'work mode.' Shimizu told CBC Ottawa Morning that she introduced herself and said she was a nurse practitioner and took over CPR for the person who had already begun to buy time until paramedics arrived with a defibrillator, a machine that delivers a shock to the heart to restart it during a cardiac arrest. Prior to using a defibrillator, CPR is crucial as it manually replaces the heart's pumping action through compressions, circulating oxygenated blood to the brain and vital organs. Without CPR, the lack of oxygen can begin causing irreversible brain damage within about four minutes, with death following around 10 minutes later. Paramedics arrived with the defibrillator to shock Chan's heart back to life and rushed him to the hospital where he was stabilized. Shimizu and her daughter left the scene but the incident 'weighed on our minds.' She told CBC: 'It's definitely weighed on our minds, to kind of wonder if he was OK and if he survived.' Chan was discharged from the hospital several days later, but a question nagged him: Who saved his life? Chan said: 'If I were a good Samaritan, that would be cool to know that this person is doing OK.' Memory loss after a heart attack isn't uncommon. New York University Grossman School of Medicine says people who survive cardiac events may have difficulties recalling events because the brain is deprived of oxygen while the heart is stopped. So he took to the internet with his 'Did you save my life?' post and was connected with at least one person who was there that day: Shimizu. They connected online and the pair, and Shimizu's daughter, have plans to meet very soon. But before meeting in person, Chan was able to express his gratitude over the radio, saying on CBC Radio's Ottawa Morning show: 'I don't know what else to say. Like, I can't believe you were at the right place at the right time. So I don't know how I can ever repay you.' Shimizu, for her part, said: 'I think everyone who helped you that day just did it because that's human nature.'
Ottawa Citizen
20-05-2025
- Business
- Ottawa Citizen
Community Builders: Gold Plate Dinner
A dash of glamour, a sprinkle of generosity and a whole lot of heart — the 37th annual Gold Plate Dinner delivered it all on Tuesday, May 13, at the Infinity Convention Centre. The sold-out dinner hosted 650 guests who gathered for one of Ottawa's most anticipated fundraising events, raising money for the University of Ottawa Heart Institute and the Hellenic Community of Ottawa's cultural and language programs. Since its inception, the dinner has raised more than $3 million for local causes. The evening was filled with food, laughter and connections as business leaders from across the city mingled over cocktails, shared stories and took part in the evening's signature $30,000 elimination draw. Natasha Laidlaw from BDO Canada was the lucky winner, walking away with a choice between cash or a brand-new Mercedes-Benz from Star Motors of Ottawa. Guests didn't stop at dessert — the night was capped off with a high-energy after-party that kept the celebration going. With a mix of networking, philanthropy and a little luxury, the Gold Plate Dinner continued to prove it's more than just a night out, it's a cornerstone of Ottawa's charitable spirit. Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content
CBC
31-03-2025
- Health
- CBC
Trump threats open 'floodgate' of inquiries from U.S. physicians about moving north
Social Sharing Renowned Ottawa heart surgeon Marc Ruel was planning a move to the United States last year, with the University of California, San Francisco "thrilled to announce" that he would be leading a heart division in their surgery department. But Donald Trump's threats toward Canada were such that Ruel has now decided to remain in Canada. "Canada is under duress right now," he told CBC. "I felt my role and duty at this point was to directly serve my country from within." Ruel is not the only medical professional now reluctant to work in the United States. That means Canada's health-care system could stand to benefit from the political upheaval unleashed by the U.S. president, as American physicians look to move north and Canadians forgo opportunities south of the border. 'I don't want to do politics' For over a decade, Ruel served as the head of cardiac surgery at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute, developing world-leading techniques in less invasive bypass surgery. Ruel says he considers his skills a product of Canada, abilities that he was ready to share globally when he accepted the position at UCSF last year. "In the western United States, no one does this more advanced, minimally invasive multiple bypass surgery," he said. Ruel has not previously spoken publicly about his decision to remain in Canada, partly to avoid wading into politics. "I don't want to do politics, I'm a surgeon, I'm not a politician and I respect every nation's choice to choose their own destiny," he said. But Trump's imposition of tariffs and threats to annex the the country that's historically been its closest ally has made geopolitics an unavoidable issue. "I had to most unfortunately change my decision," Ruel said. "I say unfortunately because there were patients there in California, I can tell you, who we're looking forward to having this type of surgery." Given the broader context, Ruel says staying put was the best decision. "I'm very happy to be here and to serve, as well as I can, my fellow Canadians," he said. Meanwhile in the U.S., many physicians are considering whether they can continue doing their jobs under a second Trump administration. CBC spoke with two American physicians seeking to relocate to Canada and a third who recently moved to B.C. The three declined to speak on the record, citing a fear of retribution for speaking critically of the Trump administration. But they shared concerns over health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. advancing an anti-science and vaccine-skeptical agenda. This past week, U.S. media reported that Kennedy had hired David Geier, a vaccine skeptic, to study links between immunizations and autism. Geier, who was censured in 2012 for practising medicine without a license in Maryland, has previously published debunked claims about vaccines increasing the risk of autism, which critics say pre-ordain the outcome of any subsequent investigation led by him. On Thursday, Kennedy also announced plans to cut 10,000 jobs as part of a restructuring of federal public health agencies. A 'floodgate' opening Concerns over the political climate in the U.S. has opened a "floodgate" of inquiries about moving to Canada, according to recruiter Michelle Flynn. "The amount of interest has more than doubled over the last several months," she told CBC. The CEO of CanAm Physician Recruiting Inc., Flynn recruits U.S.-trained physicians to work in Canada and places Canadian specialists in roles in the U.S. Lately though, she has struggled to get any Canadians interested in moving south. "I started a position for an [obstetrician-gynecologist] in the U.S. before President Trump was elected," she said. "We since have had to scrap that idea totally. Nobody is going to the U.S." To deal with the influx of inquiries from American physicians wanting to come to Canada, Flynn said she is now conducting interviews five days a week, up from three days a week previously. "We're getting 60-plus physicians coming to and registering on our website a month," she said. Canada is now in a better position to welcome U.S.-trained physicians than in the past, as most provinces have removed barriers to licensing in recent years. Ontario in particular is well placed to receive American doctors, according to the provincial health ministry. "There is no doubt the U.S. is facing economic uncertainty at the hands of President Trump's tariffs," the Ministry of Health said in an emailed statement. "We have taken steps to break down barriers for internationally educated healthcare workers… working with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) to remove unnecessary red tape to allow physicians who are trained and Board Certified in the U.S. to practice in Ontario immediately." After introducing this new licensing pathway, the CPSO registered 351 U.S. physicians between 2023 and the end of 2024, a spokesperson said. So far this year, CPSO has received registration applications from 240 physicians who are U.S. educated. Most of them are currently practicing in the U.S., the spokesperson said. Given the disruption caused by Trump, Ruel believes Canada is "the best-situated" country to face an uncertain future.
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Trump threats open 'floodgate' of inquires from U.S. physicians about moving north
Renowned Ottawa heart surgeon Marc Ruel was planning a move to the United States last year, with the University of California, San Francisco "thrilled to announce" that he would be leading a heart division in their surgery department. But Donald Trump's threats toward Canada were such that Ruel has now decided to remain in Canada. "Canada is under duress right now," he told CBC. "I felt my role and duty at this point was to directly serve my country from within." Ruel is not the only medical professional now reluctant to work in the United States. That means Canada's health-care system could stand to benefit from the political upheaval unleashed by the U.S. president, as American physicians look to move north and Canadians forgo opportunities south of the border. 'I don't want to do politics' For over a decade, Ruel served as the head of cardiac surgery at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute, developing world-leading techniques in less invasive bypass surgery. Ruel says he considers his skills a product of Canada, abilities that he was ready to share globally when he accepted the position at UCSF last year. "In the western United States, no one does this more advanced, minimally invasive multiple bypass surgery," he said. Ruel has not previously spoken publicly about his decision to remain in Canada, partly to avoid wading into politics. "I don't want to do politics, I'm a surgeon, I'm not a politician and I respect every nation's choice to choose their own destiny," he said. But Trump's imposition of tariffs and threats to annex the the country that's historically been its closest ally has made geopolitics an unavoidable issue. "I had to most unfortunately change my decision," Ruel said. "I say unfortunately because there were patients there in California, I can tell you, who we're looking forward to having this type of surgery." Given the broader context, Ruel says staying put was the best decision. "I'm very happy to be here and to serve, as well as I can, my fellow Canadians," he said. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Donald Trump attend a Republican campaign event last October. Three American physicians who spoke to CBC cited concerns about Kennedy, the country's health secretary, advancing a vaccine-skeptical agenda. (Carlos Barria/Reuters) Meanwhile in the U.S., many physicians are considering whether they can continue doing their jobs under a second Trump administration. CBC spoke with two American physicians seeking to relocate to Canada and a third who recently moved to B.C. The three declined to speak on the record, citing a fear of retribution for speaking critically of the Trump administration. But they shared concerns over health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. advancing an anti-science and vaccine-skeptical agenda. This past week, U.S. media reported that Kennedy had hired David Geier, a vaccine skeptic, to study links between immunizations and autism. Geier, who was censured in 2012 for practising medicine without a license in Maryland, has previously published debunked claims about vaccines increasing the risk of autism, which critics say pre-ordain the outcome of any subsequent investigation led by him. On Thursday, Kennedy also announced plans to cut 10,000 jobs as part of a restructuring of federal public health agencies. A 'floodgate' opening Concerns over the political climate in the U.S. has opened a "floodgate" of inquiries about moving to Canada, according to recruiter Michelle Flynn. "The amount of interest has more than doubled over the last several months," she told CBC. The CEO of CanAm Physician Recruiting Inc., Flynn recruits U.S.-trained physicians to work in Canada and places Canadian specialists in roles in the U.S. Lately though, she has struggled to get any Canadians interested in moving south. "I started a position for an [obstetrician-gynecologist] in the U.S. before President Trump was elected," she said. "We since have had to scrap that idea totally. Nobody is going to the U.S." To deal with the influx of inquiries from American physicians wanting to come to Canada, Flynn said she is now conducting interviews five days a week, up from three days a week previously. "We're getting 60-plus physicians coming to and registering on our website a month," she said. Canada is now in a better position to welcome U.S.-trained physicians than in the past, as most provinces have removed barriers to licensing in recent years. Ontario in particular is well placed to receive American doctors, according to the provincial health ministry. "There is no doubt the U.S. is facing economic uncertainty at the hands of President Trump's tariffs," the Ministry of Health said in an emailed statement. "We have taken steps to break down barriers for internationally educated healthcare workers… working with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) to remove unnecessary red tape to allow physicians who are trained and Board Certified in the U.S. to practice in Ontario immediately." After introducing this new licensing pathway, the CPSO registered 351 U.S. physicians between 2023 and the end of 2024, a spokesperson said. So far this year, CPSO has received registration applications from 240 physicians who are U.S. educated. Most of them are currently practicing in the U.S., the spokesperson said. Given the disruption caused by Trump, Ruel believes Canada is "the best-situated" country to face an uncertain future. "I'm a great believer in the Canadian health-care system," he said. "It needs some fixes, but I think the basic principles that we have of equity and transferability and access to all are truly important."
CBC
31-03-2025
- Health
- CBC
Trump threats open 'floodgate' of inquires from U.S. physicians about moving north
Renowned Ottawa heart surgeon Marc Ruel was planning a move to the United States last year, with the University of California, San Francisco "thrilled to announce" that he would be leading a heart division in their surgery department. But Donald Trump's threats toward Canada were such that Ruel has now decided to remain in Canada. "Canada is under duress right now," he told CBC. "I felt my role and duty at this point was to directly serve my country from within." Ruel is not the only medical professional now reluctant to work in the United States. That means Canada's health-care system could stand to benefit from the political upheaval unleashed by the U.S. president, as American physicians look to move north and Canadians forgo opportunities south of the border. 'I don't want to do politics' For over a decade, Ruel served as the head of cardiac surgery at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute, developing world-leading techniques in less invasive bypass surgery. Ruel says he considers his skills a product of Canada, abilities that he was ready to share globally when he accepted the position at UCSF last year. "In the western United States, no one does this more advanced, minimally invasive multiple bypass surgery," he said. Ruel has not previously spoken publicly about his decision to remain in Canada, partly to avoid wading into politics. "I don't want to do politics, I'm a surgeon, I'm not a politician and I respect every nation's choice to choose their own destiny," he said. But Trump's imposition of tariffs and threats to annex the the country that's historically been its closest ally has made geopolitics an unavoidable issue. "I had to most unfortunately change my decision," Ruel said. "I say unfortunately because there were patients there in California, I can tell you, who we're looking forward to having this type of surgery." Given the broader context, Ruel says staying put was the best decision. "I'm very happy to be here and to serve, as well as I can, my fellow Canadians," he said. Meanwhile in the U.S., many physicians are considering whether they can continue doing their jobs under a second Trump administration. CBC spoke with two American physicians seeking to relocate to Canada and a third who recently moved to B.C. The three declined to speak on the record, citing a fear of retribution for speaking critically of the Trump administration. But they shared concerns over health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. advancing an anti-science and vaccine-skeptical agenda. This past week, U.S. media reported that Kennedy had hired David Geier, a vaccine skeptic, to study links between immunizations and autism. Geier, who was censured in 2012 for practising medicine without a license in Maryland, has previously published debunked claims about vaccines increasing the risk of autism, which critics say pre-ordain the outcome of any subsequent investigation led by him. On Thursday, Kennedy also announced plans to cut 10,000 jobs as part of a restructuring of federal public health agencies. A 'floodgate' opening Concerns over the political climate in the U.S. has opened a "floodgate" of inquiries about moving to Canada, according to recruiter Michelle Flynn. "The amount of interest has more than doubled over the last several months," she told CBC. The CEO of CanAm Physician Recruiting Inc., Flynn recruits U.S.-trained physicians to work in Canada and places Canadian specialists in roles in the U.S. Lately though, she has struggled to get any Canadians interested in moving south. "I started a position for an [obstetrician-gynecologist] in the U.S. before President Trump was elected," she said. "We since have had to scrap that idea totally. Nobody is going to the U.S." To deal with the influx of inquiries from American physicians wanting to come to Canada, Flynn said she is now conducting interviews five days a week, up from three days a week previously. "We're getting 60-plus physicians coming to and registering on our website a month," she said. Canada is now in a better position to welcome U.S.-trained physicians than in the past, as most provinces have removed barriers to licensing in recent years. Ontario in particular is well placed to receive American doctors, according to the provincial health ministry. "There is no doubt the U.S. is facing economic uncertainty at the hands of President Trump's tariffs," the Ministry of Health said in an emailed statement. "We have taken steps to break down barriers for internationally educated healthcare workers… working with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) to remove unnecessary red tape to allow physicians who are trained and Board Certified in the U.S. to practice in Ontario immediately." After introducing this new licensing pathway, the CPSO registered 351 U.S. physicians between 2023 and the end of 2024, a spokesperson said. So far this year, CPSO has received registration applications from 240 physicians who are U.S. educated. Most of them are currently practicing in the U.S., the spokesperson said. Given the disruption caused by Trump, Ruel believes Canada is "the best-situated" country to face an uncertain future.
