St. Joseph's Hospital in Elliot Lake

On Monday, April 8, several Sisters attending the anniversary celebration at St. Joseph's General Hospital in Elliot Lake.  We are grateful to all those who continue to carry on the mission of caring and compassionate care to meet the needs of the community and beyond.  Below is a copy of the invitation.  Click on the title for a link to the hospital website.

Sr. St. Camillus mural;  
Left to right, Ms. Cynthia Dwyer, SJGHEL Pastoral Care/Mission Integration, Rev. Anthony Man-Son-Hing, Roman Catholic Priest, Mr. Greg Humbert, Catholic Health Sponsors of Ontario, Chief Elaine Johnson SJGHEL Board Chair,  His Excellency Marcel Damphousse, Bishop of Roman Catholic Diocese of Sault Ste. Marie, Mr. Pierre Ozolins, SGJHEL Chief Executive Officer,  Ms. Connie Free, SJGHEL Chief Nursing Executive.

St. Joseph's Hospital in Little Current

On May 29, 1944, the Corporation of the Town of Little Current, under the signature of the Mayor H. Hembruff, and Councillors R.G. Young, Charles Kimily, W.R. Crables, C.J. Collins, J.D. Cond and Cliff Lochyer, wrote to the Most Rev. R.H. Dignan, Bishop of the Diocese of Sault Ste. Marie and the Honourable Dr. R.P. Vivian, Minister of Health, requesting that approval be granted for the Sisters of St. Joseph to establish and operate a hospital in the town of Little Current. Click here to read the full story by Greg Humbert



The Sisters of St. Joseph have a long history of caring for the sick and injured members of their society. The story of health care provided by The Sisters of St. Joseph around Northern Ontario began in 1881 when the first sisters came from Toronto as missionaries to Port Arthur’s Landing (Thunder Bay). Their intent was to start a school and convent which they did. However, the need for health care soon became apparent when the sisters received a message asking them to go and pick up a man who had been in an accident while working on the construction of the CPR track line. They found the man lying in a box car with both legs severed. His legs, feet and boots were standing up in the corner. This man was brought to the convent where the sisters ministered to him. Two rooms in the convent were turned into hospital rooms as many more accidents spoke of an unmet need of the region. The first hospital was opened in 1884.

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The logging camps across the region also had many men who required health care. At this time a pioneer sister, Mother Monica, began the first hospital insurance plan in the region when she traveled by CPR hand car to each of the logging camps. There she promised each worker that if they donated a day’s wage to the hospital, they would always have a bed there, without cost should they need it.

Over the years St. Joseph’s Hospital in Port Arthur/Thunder Bay responded to the unmet needs by continuing to modernize the care for the ill. Most recently, the focus of care has targeted the elderly population, palliative care, services for persons with addictions, rehabilitation and mental health programs.

The pioneer spirit meeting the unmet needs continued as hospitals were opened in North Bay, Sudbury, Blind River, Little Current and Elliot Lake where the sisters were invited to open a hospital when the mines began to develop. The first sister to arrive in Elliot Lake preceded the hospital building and before the building was completed continued the pioneer spirit by living in a trailer.

Today, the sisters no longer are the owners of the hospitals. Some hospitals have closed. However, those in Sudbury, Thunder Bay and Elliot Lake have been transferred to the sponsorship of the Catholic Health Corporation of Ontario (CHCO) which ensures the continuation of the ministry and legacy of our sisters. These institutions are Sudbury – St. Joseph’s Health Centre, Thunder Bay – St. Joseph’s Care Group and Elliot Lake – St. Joseph’s General Hospital.

Our goal in healthcare has always been to continue the healing mission of Jesus.

One of the important parts of healthcare is care for persons at the end of life. To this end St. Joseph’s Centre of Sudbury joined with other organizations to present an End of Life Forum. 


St. Joseph's Villa Sudbury, ON
 
St. Joseph's Elliot Lake, ON                 St. Joseph's North Bay, ON 

Sudbury Gerneral Hospital, Sudbury, ON

Links

St. Joseph's Health Centre, Sudbury

St. Joseph's Care Group, Thunder Bay

St. Joseph's General Hospital, Eliiot Lake