When seconds matter, distance shouldn’t.
You never expect a peaceful moment to turn critical.
One minute, you’re enjoying everything Northeastern Ontario has to offer — quiet roads, open water, acres of forest, the kind of stillness that reminds you why you live here. The next, something goes wrong.
And suddenly, what matters most is whether the right care can reach you in time.
I’ve spent more than 30 years in critical care, and I know this: living in Northeastern Ontario comes with incredible beauty — and real challenges.
That’s why access to expert care matters everywhere you and the people you care about live, work, and travel. As someone who supports healthcare in Northeastern Ontario, you understand how much these moments matter — and I want to thank you for that.
My name is Renée. I’m a registered nurse with Virtual Critical Care at Health Sciences North, supporting hospitals across Northeastern Ontario when patients are critically ill and teams need guidance fast.
Virtual Critical Care exists for the moments no one plans for.
For your neighbour. Your parents. You.
When a local hospital calls, it’s often because they’re facing a situation they don’t see every day, and the decisions they make in those moments can change a life. I remember one call especially clearly. The screen turned on, and we heard a woman crying
When seconds matter in places like this, your support makes the difference.
out in pain. She was in labour, much too early, in a small hospital not equipped to offer the kind of care you would hope for in that moment.
On the other side of the screen stood a doctor — experienced, dedicated — who knew something wasn’t right.
So we did what you would want if this were someone you loved.
We guided that doctor step by step through every decision that mattered.
And because we were there to guide him, mom and babywere safe and healthy.
For me, this captures what rural care in Northeastern Ontario is really about. It’s making sure that even when you’re far from a city centre, you’re never far from expert support.
This is the kind of healthcare Northeastern Ontario deserves.
Will you consider making a gift today to support healthcare across
Northeastern Ontario? You can use the form attached to make a gift to help ensure patients receive the best possible care — wherever and whenever it’s needed most.
Because the most critical moments are never planned.
And when they happen, you want to know that someone is there ready to answer the call.