We’re advancing health with heart and empowering communities to thrive.

Advancing Cardiac Recovery with Care, Confidence and Heart

Ann believes wholeheartedly in regular exercise for everyone — for life.

For more than three decades, she has carried that conviction into her work in cardiovascular rehabilitation, helping patients rebuild strength, confidence and a sense of possibility following cardiac, pulmonary and other complex health challenges.

As a physiotherapist by background, a longstanding SE Health professional and the clinical coordinator at Mackenzie Health’s Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation Clinic, Ann has helped to shape the program and a culture of care that promotes encouragement, safety and human connection.

“I went into kinesiology and physiotherapy because I love to be active and I want to promote that with people everywhere,” Ann exclaimed. “I love what I do every day because we’re teaching people to exercise safely.”

Ann’s journey in rehabilitation began in 1990, when she helped establish Mackenzie Health’s Cardiovascular Rehabilitation Program. Under her leadership, the program steadily expanded into a full-time Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program, now supporting between 400 and 500 active participants and welcoming approximately 110 visits per day.

While the clinic is operated by the hospital, the patient experience is shaped by SE Health staff — a multidisciplinary team of clinicians, including kinesiologists and physiotherapists, working in close coordination to support safe, individualized progress. Care extends well beyond exercise prescriptions, encompassing education, risk management and continuous monitoring.

Ann is proud of the values and culture her SE Health team, in partnership with Mackenzie Health, continues to build.

“We see people with challenges and issues related to heart, lung, stroke and more, and we closely monitor them,” Ann explained. “We teach people how to exercise safely, we’re empowering and motivating, and we’re supporting people on their health journey no matter where they’re starting from.”

That philosophy — meeting patients where they are — is the cornerstone of the team’s approach. Recovery can be very challenging, and for many participants, exercise can feel intimidating after a serious health event. Ann and her team work to replace fear with confidence, and uncertainty with capability.

Patients are referred to the clinic from across the Greater Toronto area and may have received treatment or had surgery at numerous hospitals across this area. When they come to the clinic, they are guided through a personalized and supervised rehabilitation plan, with the aim of developing lifelong skills.

“We will teach you how to be physically active for the rest of your life,” Ann says. “That’s the goal. People have various challenges — low blood pressure, high blood pressure and more — and we teach them how to deal with those situations and support them through it.”

The collaborative nature of the clinic is one of its defining strengths.

“We work as a team. It’s a group with great expertise, and it’s a very supportive environment.”

That environment, staff say, is felt by participants as much as providers.

“It’s a positive space,” Ann reflects. “The people who come here want to be here. They realize they’re doing something important for themselves.”

Colleagues often point to the clinic’s culture.

“Collaborating alongside a dedicated and compassionate team, supporting patients in making lasting and meaningful healthy lifestyle changes makes every day here truly rewarding,” added Christian, a registered SE Health kinesiologist at the clinic.

“What makes this place special is the people,” said Ann. “The staff are engaging, hardworking, and they genuinely love exercise. We all have physical activity in common.”

For Ann, that connection is deeply personal.

“Exercise is for everyone,” she says. “No matter your condition, no matter your starting point, there is always a way forward.”

Leading with a Whole Heart

Hilleree leads with her whole heart, shaped by her remarkable story of survival.

Seven years ago, her life took a turn she never saw coming. At 41, while on an annual girls’ weekend in Alberta with two of her closest, lifelong friends, Hilleree, mom to three daughters and director of rehabilitation and personal support services in the Hamilton region at SE Health, experienced what many women might easily dismiss: fleeting chest discomfort, lingering indigestion, unusual fatigue.

“I didn’t think much of it,” she recalled. “It went away and we carried on.”

But the symptoms persisted in subtle, confusing ways. Numbness in both arms. An exhaustion that felt out of place. Then, during a drive through the Rocky Mountains, everything changed. Hilleree awoke in the backseat with crushing chest pain, struggling to breathe and drenched in sweat.

“I knew something wasn’t right and I suggested to my friends that we find a hospital. Luckily, there was one only a few minutes away,” she said.

What followed was a race against time that depended on a chain of people, decisions and expertise, beginning at a small community hospital in Blairmore, Alberta. Despite her age and lack of traditional risk factors, medical staff quickly confirmed the unthinkable: Hilleree was having a heart attack.

Further testing would reveal the underlying cause, a spontaneous coronary artery dissection, or SCAD, a condition that disproportionately affects women and often strikes without warning. Within hours, Hilleree was airlifted by STARS air ambulance to a major medical centre in Calgary, where she underwent emergency cardiac intervention.

Even now, Hilleree recounts those moments with a sense of calm and optimism.

“The views from the helicopter were stunning,” she noted. “The sky was filled with oranges and purples. It was breathtaking.”

The experience left a lasting imprint, both physically and emotionally. While her recovery required months of rehabilitation and adjustments to daily life, Hilleree speaks less about hardship and more about what the ordeal clarified.

Most notably, it reshaped how she understands others.

“You never really know what someone has gone through,” she explained. “On the outside, people may look completely fine. But everyone is carrying something.”

That insight sits at the centre of her leadership approach at SE Health. In her role, and for 13 years at SE Health, Hilleree is known for her calm presence, empathy and steady encouragement of balance and well-being, qualities her colleagues often describe as defining.

“Hilleree is the epitome of cool under pressure,” said Shawna, SE Health regional director in Hamilton, Niagara, Haldimand-Norfolk, Brant and Burlington. “She is steadfast, loyal and unfailingly kind and we are lucky to have her.”

Hilleree’s journey also reinforced an appreciation for the interconnected nature of care.

“Every step along the way mattered,” Hilleree said. “From that small community hospital with so many wonderful staff, including a student named Christian who was extremely kind and capable, to the STARS crew and the cardiac team in Calgary, everyone played a role in caring for me.”

It is a reflection that closely mirrors SE Health’s purpose: advancing health with heart, empowering communities to thrive. While Hilleree’s story is a remarkable tale of survival, it also reflects the collaboration, compassion and the strength of healthcare teams working together under pressure.

Over time, her heart attack has become less of a daily focus. She continues to lead, work and live fully, carrying both medication and perspective, but refusing to let the experience define her limits. Instead, it has deepened her gratitude for her health, her family and the teams of professionals who helped save her life.

And one personal ritual remains. Each year, Hilleree reunites with the friends who were by her side that day. Together, they honour the experience through connection, even marking the bond with matching tattoos of the Three Sisters mountain range, located in the Rocky Mountains near Canmore, Alberta.

“It felt important to mark in some way, as part of our friendship and to say thank you,” she says.

As for what Hilleree does now to keep happy and healthy, her answer is simple and consistent with the optimistic spirit that carried her through crisis.

“I always try to find the positive,” she says. “And I hug my kids, whether they want me to or not.”

Leading With Heart: How Occupational Health, Safety and Wellness is Advancing Care from the Inside Out

At SE Health, advancing health with heart begins with our people. It lives in the everyday choices we make to support, nurture and uplift one another. Our Occupational Health, Safety and Wellness (OHSW) Team is leading the way, ensuring that workplace wellness is an ongoing conversation across the country. As part of our Legal, Privacy and Compliance portfolio, the OHSW team plays a vital role in empowering communities to thrive, starting with the community SE Health creates for its own people. As trusted advisors across the organization, they work seamlessly behind the scenes to ensure that every team member feels safe, supported and cared for at work and beyond.

“Creating a culture of safety and wellness isn't about policies on paper, it's about how people feel at work every day,” said Alexis, director occupational health and safety at SE Health. “When employees trust that they are supported and protected, it strengthens the foundation of everything we do. That sense of care allows health with heart to flow from the inside out.”

The OHSW Team’s work is rooted in balance: aligning legislated and regulatory health and safety standards with the realities of day-to-day operations, while always keeping the human experience at the forefront. Whether they are supporting non-occupational medical leaves, guiding safe and successful return-to-work plans, or advising on workplace injury, illness and compensation matters, the OHSW team approaches each situation with confidentiality and compassion.

But their impact extends far beyond policies and procedures. The team is an inspiring force behind a culture of wellness, a culture that recognizes the whole person. Through infection prevention and control practices, they help keep caring hands clean, SE Health environments safe and its people protected. Through their support of working caregivers, they acknowledge the realities that SE Health staff face as they balance professional responsibilities with caring for loved ones in their personal lives.

A learning and wellness hub and Employee and Family Assistance Program empower SE Health staff to navigate their own wellness journeys with confidence and pride.

“Advancing health with heart at SE Health means meeting people where they are, supporting their physical, mental and emotional health journey,” said Laina, SE Health occupational health nurse. “Keeping people safe and healthy by empowering them to take care of themselves with empathy and care, supporting the whole person, both at work and in everyday life.”

“Protecting the health and safety of our people is about caring for the individuals behind the work,” added Justin, health and safety manager at SE Health. “When we prioritize health and safety, we empower our teams to flourish, provide exceptional care and go home safe at the end of each day.”

“Health with heart is keeping everyone safe and healthy so that they can continue to provide the excellent care that our clients receive on a daily basis,” said Laura, SE Health manager of infection prevention and control.

This Heart Month, we recognize the Occupational Health, Safety and Wellness team for the care they show behind the scenes every day. As wellness leaders and champions of People Everything, Always, they support our people so our people can better support the communities we serve.

SE Health Staff Bring Lifesaving Warmth in the Heart of Winter

In the heart of a cold winter, the greatest source of warmth came from three SE Health staff members who put client safety and well-being first. Last month, North Simcoe Muskoka (NSM) area SE Health teammates Shelby, RPN, Candace, PSW, and Victoria, PSW, were on site at a seniors’ living facility when a fire unexpectedly broke out, transforming an ordinary day of care into a rapidly evolving emergency. As alarms sounded and uncertainty filled the halls, the three staff members responded without hesitation. Colleagues and witnesses describe a scene led by calm, clarity, and professionalism. Team members remained on site, assisting with the safe evacuation of residents from the building and escorting them across the street, ensuring no one was left behind. In a moment where fear could easily have taken hold, compassion and composure led the way.

“What stands out most is how naturally the team leaned into compassion and composure,” said Sarah Bird, SE Health Regional Director in NSM. “There was no hesitation, only an immediate focus on protecting residents, reassuring them, and supporting one another. Even in a highly stressful situation, they remained calm, present, and deeply attentive to the needs of the people in their care.” Even after residents reached safety, the SE Health team’s presence remained constant. Working collaboratively, SE Health Personal Support Care Manager Carrie and Ontario Health atHome coordinated temporary housing arrangements and continuity of care plans, reflecting a shared commitment to both safety and stability during a deeply unsettling event.

For Carrie, the experience revealed the extraordinary dedication of the care team in real time. “Walking into the church across from the still-smoldering home, the first person I met was Candace, who was helping a resident return from the bathroom,” Carrie recalled. “Nearby, I found Victoria sitting with a resident who looked at me proudly while introducing herself as ‘Victoria’s favourite client.’” Many residents, suddenly displaced and shaken, were still processing the shock of the fire. “Some were weeping, others simply staring in disbelief,” Carrie said. “I learned that the SE Health staff had been instrumental in the evacuation, and seeing them continue to serve residents with such warmth and poise filled me with immense pride.”

While the incident itself was distressing, the outcome reinforced the impact of decisive, people-centred action: no significant injuries were sustained by residents or staff. For Victoria and Candace, the experience served as a powerful reminder of the role caregivers play in moments that matter most.

“Advancing health with heart at SE Health means showing up for people not just in routine moments, but in their most vulnerable and frightening ones,” said Victoria. “During the fire, I saw firsthand what it means to put clients’ safety, dignity, and emotional well-being first, even in a crisis.” Candace echoed that sentiment. “It means working together to ensure clients feel safe, supported, and cared for, no matter the circumstances,” she said. In the heart of winter, when conditions were at their coldest, it was that compassion, professionalism and commitment to clients and families that brought the greatest warmth of all.

Workforce Innovation: Removing Barriers and Unlocking Potential

Empowering People, Strengthening Communities

At SE Health, we believe that a strong, supported workforce is the foundation of exceptional care. This year, we deepened our commitment to workforce innovation by addressing real-life barriers that affect our staff and their ability to thrive at work, at home and in their communities. Through bold partnerships and human-centred design, we introduced three transformative initiatives focused on financial stability, housing and respite.

Through our micro-lending program, in collaboration with Alterna Savings, we supported staff in overcoming one of the greatest challenges in home and community care – access to reliable transportation. We received 45 loan applications for amounts ranging from $10,000 to $15,000, helping more caregivers secure or repair a vehicle so they can remain employed and continue delivering vital care to clients.

We also expanded access to affordable housing through our partnership with Happipad, which matches our staff and students with safe, low-cost rental rooms and units in the community. This innovative approach reduces financial strain, builds stability and strengthens community connection.

Finally, through Respite for All, in partnership with Greenshield and Just Like Family, we advanced a new model of inclusive caregiver support that reaches participants in the broader Canadian community. With a target of supporting 100 working caregivers and providing 1,000 hours of respite support, this initiative prioritizes equity-deserving populations and strengthens caregiver well-being so they can remain healthy, engaged and active in the workforce.

Together, these initiatives reflect our vision to remove systemic barriers, uplift caregivers and build a future where those who care for others are supported to care for themselves – a future grounded in People Everything, Always.

We’re reimagining what workforce innovation can look like, where every solution begins with people and ends in impact. Join us in building a more inclusive, compassionate and sustainable future in care.