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Francophone Features, In the Spotlight

Honouring Maureen Lacroix on the Journée des Franco-Ontariens

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Established in 2007 by the Groupe consultatif francophone, the Maureen Lacroix Francophone Community Bursary is awarded to aid Francophone medical students at NOSM University

A testament to the kinship, resilience, and the importance of Northern Ontario’s Francophone community, the Maureen Lacroix Francophone Community Bursary at NOSM University is made possible by generous donors.

Established in 2007, this Bursary aims to alleviate the financial challenges that many Francophone students face. An investment in the future of Francophone health professionals, the bursary embodies Maureen Lacroix’s devotion to the Francophone community through her life and work.

Strengthening access to care in regions where Francophone culture and language play a crucial role is of great importance; the bursary sets out to accomplish just that.

Maureen was a force in the health-care sector and a fierce advocate for the Francophone and Northern Ontario community. A registered nurse by profession, she was instrumental in the establishment of Sudbury’s Cancer Treatment Centre during her time as a member of the Sudbury-Manitoulin District Health Council. She was the first female board member on Health Sciences North’s (formerly Laurentian Hospital) board, as well as the first woman to chair the Laurentian University Board of Governors.

« J’ai toujours été passionnée et déterminée à faire progresser les soins de santé dans le Nord, a dit Mme Lacroix. Mes racines sont dans le Nord de l’Ontario et j’ai réalisé très tôt dans mon expérience dans les soins de santé que la disponibilité des soins de santé dans le Nord pour les gens du Nord était essentielle pour avancer le bien-être de la communauté dans son ensemble et pour assurer un meilleur accès et une meilleure réponse aux soins. Cette Bourse sert à cette fin en attirant et en retenant les étudiants francophones en médecine dans le Nord. »
 
“I have always been passionate and determined to advance healthcare in the North,” said Lacroix. My roots are in Northern Ontario, and I realized early on in my healthcare experience that the availability of healthcare in the North for Northerners was essential to advancing the well-being of the community as a whole and ensuring better access and response to care. This Bursary serves this purpose by attracting and retaining Francophone medical students in the North.”

A strong voice for women’s health and social wellbeing, Maureen helped establish the first social housing projects for women in Sudbury, including the Northern Regional Recovery Home for Women and Genevra House. Outside of her work in health care and community activism, she helped bolster her community’s arts and culture scene through her work with the Sudbury Theatre Centre.

In 2010, Maureen was recognized for her commitment to the community, receiving a Woman of Distinction Award from the YWCA. Then in 2017, she received an honorary Doctorate of Sacred Letters from the University of Sudbury. Maureen’s bursary, held at NOSM University, is yet another recognition of her incredible legacy as a passionate health-care provider, advocate, and community leader.

“We are so grateful to the Francophone community who share Maureen Lacroix’s vision through their generous contributions to this community-funded bursary,” says Danielle Barbeau-Rodrigue, Director, Francophone Affairs at NOSM University. “Providing support for the next generation of Francophone health-care professionals in the North is much needed to create a safe, sustainable, and healthy future for Franco-Ontarians.”

Donations to the Maureen Lacroix Francophone Community Bursary can be made online through NOSM University’s Website or by contacting NOSM University’s Advancement Office at advancementcoordinator@nosm.ca. Every donation helps in creating opportunities for Francophone NOSM University medical students.

Full-time Francophone medical students at NOSM University are encouraged to apply for the Maureen Lacroix Francophone Community Bursary. The recipient must be a Francophone resident of a Northern, rural, or remote Ontario community for a minimum of 10 years and demonstrate financial need.

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HSN and NOSM University Researchers Awarded CIHR Grant to Improve Emergency Care for Patients with Dizziness

Patients across Northern Ontario and beyond will benefit from new research led by Health Sciences North (HSN) and NOSM University, funded through a major grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).

Dr. Robert Ohle, an Emergency Physician, Vice-President of Academic and Research Impact at Health Sciences North Research Institute (HSNRI), and NOSM University Chair in Indigenous and Rural Health Research, has been awarded a $757,350 CIHR Project Grant for his study: Validation of a Clinical Risk Score to Identify Emergency Department Patients with Serious Causes of Dizziness. Dr. Ohle is the principal investigator on the study.

Dizziness is one of the most common reasons people seek emergency care in Canada, accounting for more than 500,000 visits each year. While most causes are benign, dizziness can sometimes indicate potentially life-threatening conditions. Accurately diagnosing which patients are at serious risk can be challenging, often resulting in unnecessary transfers to larger centres and delays in critical treatment.

“CIHR’s investment is a strong recognition of the high-calibre research happening here in Northern Ontario,” says Dr. Ohle. “Validating the Sudbury Vertigo Risk Score in real-world emergency settings will give clinicians across the country a reliable tool that directly improves patient care.”

Together with co-investigator Dr. Ravinder-Jeet Singh, Stroke Neurologist at HSN and NOSM University Associate Professor, and a team of NOSM faculty and clinicians across Northern Ontario, Dr. Ohle is working to validate the Sudbury Vertigo Risk Score (SVRS). This clinical decision-making tool will help emergency physicians identify high-risk dizziness patients more quickly and confidently.

“This is an important study focused on the emergency department population,” says Dr. Singh. “One of the serious causes of dizziness is stroke, and this study is designed to validate a clinical risk score to help identify who might be having a stroke versus another cause of dizziness. If validated, it could have a significant regional impact on how we assess and manage patients presenting with dizziness, particularly in smaller rural sites that lack access to medical imaging,” he added.

The project demonstrates the strength of the Academic Affiliation Agreement between HSN and NOSM University, which enables clinical care, academics, and research to work hand-in-hand for the benefit of patients.

“This is exactly the type of innovation our partnership with Health Sciences North was designed to foster and reinforces the important role of the medical university,” says Dr. Michael Green, President, Vice-Chancellor, Dean and CEO of NOSM University. “When research, teaching, and clinical practice come together, patients—especially those in rural and Northern communities—see the direct benefit.”

By validating the SVRS, the research team aims to reduce unnecessary hospital transfers, shorten wait times, and keep patients closer to home while ensuring that those who need specialized care are identified quickly and safely.

“CIHR’s support of this project reflects the national importance of research happening here in Northern Ontario,” says David McNeil, HSN and HSNRI President and CEO. “This is a strong example of how collaboration between HSN and NOSM University leads to discoveries that improve patient outcomes locally and across the country.”

Additional co-investigators making up the research team of NOSM University faculty for the pan-northern study include Dr. Sarah McIsaac from Health Sciences North, Dr. David Savage from Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre and ICES North, Dr. Taylor Lougheed from North Bay Regional Hospital and Dr. Mohamed Abassy from Sault Area Hospital. If successfully validated, the Sudbury Vertigo Risk Score could be implemented nationwide, ensuring patients everywhere benefit from this Northern Ontario-led innovation.


Media Contact:
Jason Turnbull
Director of Communications, Brand and Public Affairs
Health Sciences North
705-507-3677 (cell)
jturnbull@hsnsudbury.ca

In the Spotlight, Indigenous Stories

How Donor Support Helps Future Physicians Thrive in the North

At NOSM University, no two learners follow the same path. Fueled by their dedication and passion, medical students are shaped by the guidance of preceptors, attending physicians, faculty and peers they meet along the way. Just as importantly, that journey is made possible by the generosity of donors who believe in accessible and equitable health education. Contributions from NOSM University donors are felt strongly in Northern Ontario communities where physicians train, playing a vital role in the ability of medical students to become physicians who deliver culturally and socially responsive care in rural, remote, Indigenous, and Francophone communities.

One such medical student is Evan Jeanneault, a second-year Indigenous medical student at NOSM University, and a recipient of NOSM University’s Truth Award. The Truth Award is a donor-funded bursary, established in 2021 to support Intergenerational Survivors of Indian Residential Schools (IRS), programming, and culturally safe education initiatives that promote reconciliation and long-term health improvements in Indigenous communities.

Originally from North Bay, Evan is a former paramedic who worked across the Nipissing district and is dedicated to pursuing medical education in the North, where he can remain close to his wife and young daughter.

Like many medical students, Evan’s decision to study at NOSM University is deeply personal. This is why donor contributions are so important. “I chose NOSM University as it fits my values and goals, while remaining close to home in Northern Ontario,” explains Evan, “studying medicine in Northern Ontario after many years of working in health care in Northern Ontario, especially during the pandemic, has given me a deeper understanding of the people in the North and the way I can help address the challenges we all face.”

Medical students at NOSM University have the highest student debt in comparison to comparable institutions across Canada, not because tuition is more expensive, but because medical students are recruited from Northern, rural, and remote communities, wherein socioeconomic backgrounds and financial supports vary greatly compared to their southern counterparts.

“The journey through medical school is not without its challenges, whether they be financial, emotional or academic. My background was in social welfare and Indigenous studies, and my last true science class was in Grade 10. Studying biochemistry has been one of my biggest challenges,” Evan shares. “I caught up through disciplined study, peer tutoring, and immense familial support and encouragement to achieve this academic success.”

This is where the true impact of receiving financial aid can be seen—alleviating financial stress and giving medical students the ability to devote extra time to their studies that otherwise may not have been possible.

With the generous support of donors, many of the challenges related to affordability, financial stress, and establishing and maintaining well-being can be addressed for medical students in the North. It can truly make the difference between a learner being able to study close to home and afford the unexpected costs of pursuing medical education. Especially for Evan, who is supporting a family, the impact of receiving financial aid is that much more significant.

“Financial support is always a relief,” he explains. “With a young daughter and moving cities, the bursary eased pressure, which meant better focus, steadier sleep, and more time for studying while being present at home.”

While receiving the Truth Award was a meaningful milestone for Evan, its significance goes beyond just recognition. “It is an honour to receive this award. It reminds me of the work NOSM University does, and what it asks of its students, staff, and graduates in their commitment to Truth and Reconciliation with Indigenous peoples across Northern Ontario. I take that work seriously and will keep listening and learning, in classrooms and in community.”

Support through bursaries has tangible, real-world impacts. “More accessible funding would reduce fees, cover upgrading and travel, and make interview trips and placement housing possible,” Evan says. “With barriers lowered, more Northern and Indigenous learners can enter and remain in medicine, and communities gain stable, local care.”

Accessible funding helps to create equity in health education in the region and represents an investment in a sustainable future of health education, research, and well-being for Northern Ontarians who rely on the life-saving work facilitated through the delivery of community-based education.

When asked what advice they would give to future medical students considering a career in medicine in the North, Evan shared that if there is a part of you that daydreams of applying to NOSM University, do it. “You can, and you are capable. Time will pass regardless of how many applications you may need to submit. Come with humility and grit and measure your success by your persistence to carry on, no matter the outcome.”

Donor generosity benefits more than just individual medical students—it strengthens the entire health-care system in Northern Ontario. When we collectively work toward reducing financial barriers for medical students, it means those from diverse backgrounds can pursue medicine and return to those diverse communities where they are needed most.

In Evan’s words, “Donors and communities supporting bursaries act as an investment in Northern students, providing relief for students by removing barriers, while encouraging the students to give back once they complete their education by staying in the North, improving care close to home.”

In this sense, bursaries are more than just financial aid; they are a lifeline for future generations of physicians and allied health professionals to pursue medicine close to home, a sentiment that resonates deeply with Evan’s experience. “Studying medicine in Northern Ontario has helped me solidify my plan to practice close to home, focus on prevention and continuity, and use team-based care with practical access options.”

Donations to NOSM University’s Truth Award can be made online through the University’s website or by contacting NOSM University’s Advancement Office at advancementcoordinator@nosm.ca. Every donation is a representation of the hope and trust in Indigenous medical students, who will continue to provide care, leadership, and advocacy across the region.  

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