By Lindsey Cole
The Oshawa Express
“Thrilled to be a part of this wonderful milestone.”
“Three kids. Two operations. Eleven years employment. Great Place!”
“Happy B-Day. I have been here ¼ of your life.”
These messages of celebration were written on a large banner commemorating 100 years of care at Lakeridge Health Oshawa.
Hundreds of employees gathered outside the large hospital to grab a bite to eat during an employee recognition barbecue, and if they got the chance they also signed a message on the banner.
One such employee to sign the banner was Helen Gibson, the director of patient support services at the hospital.
She has her own stories to tell about the hospital. And while Lakeridge Health Oshawa is celebrating 100 years, Gibson has her own reasons to celebrate.
She has been working for the organization for 38 years.
Beginning as a graduate, Gibson started as a registered nurse.
“I started here as a brand new grad. I remember being interviewed and I remember them telling me they wanted to me to commit for a year,” she says with a laugh, adding she never thought she would stay this long.
“But, in nursing you have the opportunity to have so many careers. You really can pick and choose.”
Gibson says over the years health care has changed tremendously with new technologies as well as the concept of patient care.
“It’s hard to believe. I think of the changes I’ve seen. I think when people chose to go into health care I don’t think people knew how drastic health care could change,” she says.
“You never thought how far technology would come. It’s really kind of exciting to see.”
“Now it’s really you own your own health care. We have a role to play. We’re only one portion in your health care journey. We don’t have all the answers.”
And when it comes to the history of the hospital itself, Gibson says she is thankful the creators had the foresight to build in this community.
“I think people know it’s been around for a really long time,” she says.
“I’m really glad they had the insight that they knew this was a growing community. It looks really bright for Oshawa and for people needing health care.”
The origins of the hospital go back to the fall of 1906, when Adelaide McLaughlin suggested to her colleagues at the St. Andrew Presbyterian women’s group that it would a good idea to invite other women’s groups in Oshawa to work on a community project together.
In January 1907, women’s groups in Oshawa met and decide to fundraise for a community hospital – the Oshawa Hospital Women’s Auxiliary was formed.
By the end of the summer of 1907, the lot at the corner of Simcoe and Alma Streets was purchased for $1,000.
The hospital was beginning to take shape.
During the fall of 1907 a campaign was launched to raise $20,000, which was needed to build the hospital.
And by Aug. 13, 1910 the Oshawa General Hospital opened with 16 beds and a staff of around a dozen nurses and doctors.
And over time the hospital has grown substantially with many accomplishments along the way, like the addition of the Pedlar Surgical Wing in 1918, the A-Wing added in 1955, and the G-Wing in 1973. |
