Burnbrae Farms Foundation Supports NOSM University Dietetic Students with Five-Year Tuition Commitment

Tuesday September 23rd, 2025 Tara Hawkes

NOSM University recently received a generous gift from the Burnbrae Farms Foundation that will directly support the next generation of Registered Dietitians in Northern Ontario. The Foundation will invest $40,000 over the next five years, to cover the tuition of $4,000 annually for two NOSM University dietetic students. This support will make a significant and lasting impact on future Registered Dietitians and access to care for Northerners across the region.

Burnbrae Farms is a sixth-generation family-owned and operated Canadian company known for its leadership in sustainable egg farming, healthy living, and community giving.

“The Foundation board was greatly impressed by the work of NOSM University and looks forward to working together,” says Helen Anne Hudson, Co-Chair of the Burnbrae Farms Foundation. Mary Jean McFall, Co-Chair of the Foundation, adds, “We believe strongly in the importance of investing in students who will go on to serve communities and strengthen food and nutrition systems across Northern Ontario.”

“This generous gift exemplifies a shared commitment to healthier communities. It brings together a Canadian, family-owned business with a deep dedication to nutrition and a medical university shaping the next generation of socially accountable health professionals,” says Dr. Michael Green, President, Vice-Chancellor, Dean and CEO of NOSM University. “By supporting dietetic students, this partnership will help ensure Northern communities have access to the Registered Dietitians they need.”

NOSM University’s Dietetic Practicum Program is uniquely designed for the needs of Northern Ontario. Students complete hands-on placements in urban, rural, Indigenous and Francophone communities, gaining practical skills and an understanding of food systems, health equity, and culturally relevant care.

The Burnbrae Farms Foundation’s investment will remove major financial barriers for students, many of whom relocate during placements, support families, or come from underserved regions. The impact of Burnbrae Farms’ contributions will help to attract and train more Registered Dietitians in the North.

– 30 –

NOSM University is Canada’s first independent medical university and one of the greatest education and physician workforce strategy success stories of Northern Ontario. More than just a medical university, it was purpose-built to address the health needs of the region. While advocating for equitable access to care, the university contributes to the economic development of Northern Ontario. NOSM University relies on the commitment and expertise of the people of Northern Ontario to educate health-care professionals to practise in Indigenous, Francophone, rural, remote, and underserved communities. With a focus on diversity, inclusion, and advocacy, NOSM University is an award-winning, socially accountable organization renowned for its innovative model of distributed, community-engaged education and research.

For further information, please contact: news@nosm.ca.

Burnbrae Farms is the largest family-owned and operated egg business in Canada, committed to providing Canadians with affordable, nutritious, great-tasting eggs and egg products. As a majority female owned business, we are proud to be certified as a Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE). For generations, the Hudson family has given back to local communities, through grassroots programs, local and national charities, enhancing the lives of Canadians, one egg at a time. In 2017, the Hudson family created the Burnbrae Farms Foundation in honour of Burnbrae Farms’ founder, Joe Hudson. Joe and his wife Mary Hudson’s love of agriculture and feeding people, commitment to community and doing right by the environment inspired our Foundation’s vision and mission.

Learn more about Burnbrae Farms Foundation at burnbraefarmsfoundation.com.

Francophone Features, In the Spotlight

Honouring Maureen Lacroix on the Journée des Franco-Ontariens

Gallery Tuesday September 23rd, 2025 Alexandra Poling

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.

Homepage News, Media Releases, News, Uncategorized

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

Wednesday September 10th, 2025 Tara Hawkes

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