Patients recognize family doctors in northern Ontario for going above and beyond

Kathy Swan says her family doctor in the northern Ontario community of Temiskaming Shores went above and beyond when her non-binary child was ready to transition.

"He was extremely supportive, willing to help out the best that he could for my child. who is Sol, and to make sure that their journey was successful and healthy," she said about her family physician, Dr. Glenn Corneil.

"He was able to navigate through the resources and system in Ontario, just to make sure that, you know, Sol got the proper care and was able to recognize what was needed for them to transition."

Corneil is among more than 750 family doctors in Ontario who have received recognition from their patients thanks to a campaign from the Ontario College of Family Physicians.

"What we heard from patients in all corners of the province, including in northern Ontario, is that family physicians are there for patients, providing care when they need it most," said Dr. Jobin Varughese, president of the Ontario College of Family Physicians, in a news release. 

"We are thankful for the dedication and care that family physicians show to patients." 

Swan said she heard about the campaign on Facebook and jumped at the chance to give her family doctor public recognition.

"It's amazing that we have a close knit group of doctors that we do. And I think they just need to hear thank you," she said.

"Thank you for everything that you do for all of us. We appreciate them so much."

Corneil said he was touched that Swan took the time to recognize the work he did helping her child.

"I got the notification in the middle of a really busy day and I just took a step back and was just, yeah, really touched that Kathy made the effort to do so and to and to share the journey that she and Sol were on," he said.

"And obviously I was a part of that."

Corneil said part of being a family doctor is helping families through all the changes in their lives.

"This was a situation where it was just natural, having known Sol from birth, really, and Kathy and their family to just help through the process," he said.

'It's not an easy job'

Dr. Deanna Hagan, from the Huron Shores Family Health Team in the small town of Blind River, also received recognition from one of her patients.

Joe Connell said Hagan's advocacy, and efforts to get him to see a specialist in Sudbury, saved his life.

Connell said he had a psychotic episode in June 2023.

"I woke up one morning in the middle of the night thinking that somebody was out to murder me," he said.

Connell's wife, Susan Muncaster, said her husband doesn't remember much from the time he was hospitalized, from June to August of that year.

But she said Hagan advocated for him from the start, and performed a spinal tap – a procedure not often done in smaller hospitals – to help determine what caused his episode.

Hagan then referred Connell to a neurologist in Sudbury.

Getting this notification when I was there at work really kind of made my day for sure.- Dr. Deanna Hagan

Muncaster said that although they never determined the cause, they did find that Connell had brain lesions, and he was able to return to normal thanks to a steroid treatment.

"I find that people are very eager to complain and to, you know, be negative, but people are not as ready to acknowledge somebody's hard work or their dedication," Muncaster said.

"And I think that being a doctor in a small town right now, I think our doctors need all the reinforcement that they are doing the best job that they can do because we all know that it is not an easy job."

Hagan said getting the recognition made her day.

"I found out actually during an emerg shift," she said.

"Our emerg is kind of overrun right now and it's hard to stay positive a lot of the times while you're there. So getting this notification when I was there at work really kind of made my day for sure."