“The hospital has always been number one for us when it comes to our giving,” John shares. “It’s the most important facility in our community and we know when we make donations to it, they will make a difference. We felt the hospital was the best place to make a donation honouring Brian.”
In honour of the family’s generosity, a nursing station in the Cancer Care Clinic displays a plaque recognizing Brian – and his love of golf. Brian is fondly remembered by his family as a “fabulous husband and father. Smart, kind, a super athlete, and an incredible human being,” according to his wife Julia.
Brian struggled with cancer for 21 years and was cared by medical teams at numerous hospitals, including OTMH where he frequently received complimentary treatments. His last months before entering palliative care were unlike any before, however, as the pandemic put unprecedented pressure on the healthcare system. Julia remembers the early days of the pandemic and how it was for Brian when he was in the hospital and visitors were restricted. “All the physicians, nurses, and staff he interacted with were so caring and attentive,” she shares. “He had a number of surgeries in those early days of the pandemic, in March and April. I’m sure it was a very difficult time for the frontline staff but the whole time they were with Brian they were just amazing and focused on giving him the best care possible.”
Residents of Oakville for fifty years, Julia and her family have witnessed the transformation and growth of the hospital from the legacy site to the present day. As an accomplished artist, a number of Julia’s pieces are part of the hospital’s curated collection and displayed in different units of the hospital. Now one of the most significant displays for her family is the plaque recognizing Brian in the Cancer Care Clinic. As Julia shares, “For us, it’s another way for us to remember Brian – a concrete, visible way for us to connect with his memory.”
