For most people, a hospital is a place they visit during some of life's most important moments. For Izabela Cawricz, the South Niagara Hospital Project has been a significant part of her professional life for more than a decade.
"I've watched the project evolve in so many ways," says Cawricz. "I've seen the Redevelopment Team grow from a handful of people to more than 40 members from a broad range of backgrounds and disciplines. Colleagues have come and gone, and we've reached countless project and construction milestones. Through it all, what has remained consistent is our commitment to creating a state-of-the-art hospital that will enhance patient care in Niagara and support the health and wellbeing of everyone who uses the building.”
As the longest-serving member of the South Niagara Hospital Project Team, Cawricz has spent the past 10 years helping transform an ambitious vision into what will soon become one of Canada's most modern healthcare facilities. Joining the team in May 2016 as the third employee on the project, she has witnessed every stage of the redevelopment journey, from early planning conversations and design workshops to construction and procurement.
As Director of Interiors and Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment, Cawricz leads a team responsible for many of the elements that will ultimately bring the new hospital to life. From selecting furniture and equipment to guiding interior design decisions, wayfinding strategies and material selections, her work touches nearly every corner of the future hospital.
For Cawricz, redevelopment work has always been about more than bricks and mortar. Having previously worked on the redevelopment of St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton's West 5th Campus, she experienced firsthand how thoughtfully designed healthcare environments can positively impact patients, families and staff.
That experience shaped her approach to the South Niagara Hospital project. Throughout the planning and design process, she has advocated for spaces that support health, wellbeing and the overall patient experience. As a registered interior designer and WELL Accredited Professional, she has been a driving force behind the project's pursuit of WELL Certification, an internationally recognized standard focused on creating healthier buildings. The project is on track to be the first WELL Certified hospital in Canada, a distinction that reinforces the project's people-first approach to healthcare design.
"From the beginning, we wanted to create an environment that actively supported the health and wellbeing of the people using the building every day," says Cawricz. "The South Niagara Hospital will provide access to features and amenities designed to support staff and physician wellbeing, helping them feel their best at work. When staff are supported, that has a positive impact on the care they provide, creating benefits that extend throughout the entire hospital."
Cawricz and her team are responsible for coordinating more than 42,000 pieces of furniture, fixtures and equipment that will support patient care throughout the 1.3-million-square-foot hospital.
"You can build an amazing building, but without the furniture and equipment, you can't do any of the clinical work. It’s a critical piece of the puzzle that makes the building come alive and allows our clinical staff to care for patients,” she says.
"You can build an amazing building, but without the furniture and equipment, you can't do any of the clinical work. It’s a critical piece of the puzzle that makes the building come alive and allows our clinical staff to care for patients."
"When you dedicate this much of your life to a project it becomes deeply personal. Seeing how the new hospital improves patient care and the staff experience makes the whole journey worthwhile."
After spending more than 10 years helping shape every detail of the South Niagara Hospital, Cawricz knows the true measure of success will not be found in project plans or design drawings.
"It's hard to describe the feeling of watching the first patient walk through the doors of a new hospital," says Cawricz. "It's an incredibly emotional moment. All of the stress, challenges and late nights immediately fade into the background because you can finally see the impact of what you've built. When you dedicate this much of your life to a project it becomes deeply personal. Seeing how the new hospital improves patient care and the staff experience makes the whole journey worthwhile.”
As the project moves closer to completion in 2028, Cawricz's decade-long journey stands as a reminder of the dedication, expertise and perseverance required to deliver a transformational healthcare project. For her, the most rewarding milestone is still ahead – seeing the community experience the benefits of a hospital that has been years in the making, and knowing she played a key role in making it a reality.
