For 150 years, London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) has been the backdrop to life-changing moments where healing begins, careers are inspired, and lifelong connections are formed. Across generations, patients, staff, physicians, learners, volunteers, and retirees have helped shape the organization’s story through experiences that are deeply personal and uniquely human.
As part of LHSC’s 150th anniversary celebrations, members of the community were invited to share memories and reflections from across the organization’s history. Together, these stories offer a glimpse into the moments that define LHSC not only as a hospital system, but as a place that has touched lives across southwestern Ontario and beyond.
From patient to nurse – Justine Brooks
In 2016, Justine Brooks underwent a life-saving craniotomy at LHSC after being diagnosed with multiple brain aneurysms. During her recovery on the neurology floor, she was deeply impacted by the care she received from nurses, physicians, and patient support staff. That experience ultimately inspired a new career path. After returning to school, Brooks came back to LHSC in 2023, this time as a nurse caring for patients of her own.
“They didn’t just treat me, they inspired me,” says Brooks, Registered Practical Nurse at LHSC. “Now I get to help others through what I once went through. It’s come full circle.”
A lifetime connected to transplant care – Lorna Telheiro
Lorna Telheiro’s relationship with University Hospital began in 1975 and continues today. In 1980, she received a kidney transplant during the early years of LHSC’s transplant program at a time when long-term outcomes were far less certain. More than 40 years later, she continues to attend follow-up appointments through the outpatient transplant clinic.
“I’m more than lucky,” she says.
Over the years, she has carefully documented her journey through medical records, photographs, letters, and newspaper clippings, a personal archive of what she calls her “gift of life.” Her story reflects the enduring impact of transplantation at LHSC and the long-term relationships formed through specialized care.
A full circle of care – Maureen Trinnear
Maureen Trinnear’s connection to LHSC spans nearly five decades and reflects the many ways people move through the organization over a lifetime; as staff, researchers, patients, and community members. She began her career in 1978 as a staff nurse at South Street Hospital before joining the London Regional Cancer Program (now the Verspeeten Family Cancer Centre) as a research nurse during the early days of clinical research programs. Over the years, she witnessed extraordinary growth in cancer care and research at LHSC.
“In the early days, we gave chemo in our exam rooms,” said Trinnear. “Now we have three large chemo suites.”
After retiring in 2017, Trinnear returned to LHSC two years later under very different circumstances: as a patient recovering from a spinal cord abscess that left her temporarily paralyzed. Following surgery, intensive care, and months of rehabilitation, she slowly regained the ability to walk and write.
Today, Trinnear has once again returned to LHSC in a part-time research role focused on personalized medicine.
“I like to think I grew up here, and I still have more to give.”
The people who shape a hospital – Dr. Mohamed Elfakhani and Jordan Freitas
Sometimes, the most lasting impact comes not from a single moment, but from the people who walk alongside us through many. When Dr. Mohamad Elfakhani arrived at South Street Hospital in 2010, a security guard welcomed him, shared stories about the hospital’s history, and helped him find his way on his first day. Over time, that first encounter grew into a lasting connection built on shared respect and friendship.
For Jordan Freitas, a Health Leaves Assistant at LHSC, her connection to LHSC became even more personal when her father received life-changing care.
“As a staff member, I’ve always believed in the mission and values of LHSC,” says Freitas. “But as a family member, I experienced it firsthand.”
Together, these reflections highlight the people who shape LHSC’s culture of care in ways that extend far beyond clinical encounters.
Nursing tradition, discipline, and camaraderie – Gail Kreek
In 1968, Gail Kreek graduated from LHSC’s School of Nursing, part of an era defined by shared residence life, structured training, and long-standing traditions. Students lived in residence, trained in clinical settings, and formed lifelong friendships through shared experiences.
“So many memories still remain of being a part of what was considered one of the best teaching hospitals in the country,” she recalls.
Her story reflects the foundations of LHSC’s teaching legacy.
“A whole chapter in my life” – Karen Faw
For Karen Faw, her years at LHSC represented a defining chapter in both her professional and personal life. Beginning in 1981, she worked on 2 West during a period when cardiovascular care and open-heart bypass surgery were rapidly evolving. Karen returned to visit the space before it closed, reflecting on the memories tied to the unit and the people she worked alongside.
“Oh, how this history brings back many fond memories,” said Faw, “I could see and feel, in my mind, the patients, the sounds, the people.”
Her reflections speak to the lasting bonds formed between colleagues, patients, and the spaces where care takes place.
Care you can see in a smile – Gloria McKibbin
Some stories at LHSC stretch back generations. In 1956, at just two years old, Gloria McKibbin was hospitalized for several months at War Memorial Children’s Hospital after suffering severe burns. During her stay, she underwent two plastic surgeries and received care that left a lasting impression on her family.
“My parents told me of the wonderful care I received from the doctors and nurses,” she says. “They were reassured that I was in good hands when they weren’t at the hospital.”
One image from that time still stands out to her: a photograph of herself smiling in her crib while playing with a toy telephone.
“The smile says it all,” she says.