In Niagara Health’s Emergency Department (ED), Andrea DiToro shifts tirelessly through roles, from crisis counsellor to support person, even occasional wedding planner - often in the same day.
For Caroline Campbell, compassion is more than a job requirement, it’s the driving force behind her career.
When Lifin Parakkal Thomas first walked through the doors of Niagara Health in 2013 as a volunteer, he never imagined he’d one day be receiving an award for excellence. But more than a decade later, this internationally-educated nurse practitioner is now a vital member of the internal medicine team — and the recipient of the 2025 Rising Star Award.
For 50 years, Niagara Health’s Withdrawal Management Services program has served as a safe entry point for people seeking help with substance use — and it’s the team behind the program who make that possible.
At McMaster’s Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine Niagara Regional Campus, medical students don’t just learn anatomy and diagnostics - they learn what it means to be part of a community. For the past eight years, Dr. Amanda Bell has led the campus with a key goal: to shape doctors who are not only clinically excellent, but also grounded, compassionate and deeply connected to the people they serve.
Emergency departments are where people come during their worst moment but Dr. Melanie Senechal is a steady force of compassion and care.
As Manager of Geriatrics, Stefanie Irish doesn’t just oversee patient care - she champions a mindset shift. “We are conditioned to think older adults are burdens. But in fact, they’re people with rich lives, resilience and so much wisdom. Our job isn’t just to treat their medical needs - it’s to see and support the person behind them.”
Now serving as Clinical Manager of Surgical Services at Niagara Health, Pataunia reflects on how a supportive, inclusive environment has allowed her to lead with authenticity – and become the kind of visible, empowered leader she once needed.
In his role as a Switchboard Operator, Corey Dutcher coordinates some of Niagara Health’s most critical communications. This includes rapid response calls, code alerts and urgent family connections — working around the clock to ensure seamless internal coordination.
At the heart of clinical trials in our outpatient oncology clinic lies the promise of new hope for cancer patients. Helping to unlock that hope is Khadija Al-Harazi, a dedicated Clinical Trials Coordinator at the Walker Family Cancer Centre, Marotta Family Hospital, for the past four years.
