Sponsored by Minimax
What I do at CCH:
I’m one of five Intensivists at CCH, and I’m proud to be the Chief of our Department of Medicine, overseeing all subspecialties of internal medicine, and hospital outpatient clinics for heart function, stroke, thrombosis, hematology, nephrology, and more.
An Intensivist is a doctor who looks after critically ill patients requiring significant medical support – they may have organs that are failing, urgent blood pressure levels that must be stabilized, or serious respiratory issues that need more invasive treatment.
Our team is passionate about finding clues and solutions to complicated cases; at the end of the day, we want to help people survive. In some cases, individuals are in our ICU at the end of their life and all options for care have been exhausted. At that point, we strive to provide comfort and compassion during their time of need.
Managing and caring for critically ill patients is a specialty that requires extensive training. Outside of my work on the unit, I run a local practice as an internal medicine specialist, as well as a large cardiology practice covering non-invasive cardiac testing, like stress tests, here in Cornwall.
A little about me:
I’ve travelled the world, but today our community is my home. I was born in Iran and spent part of my childhood in France before my family moved to Toronto in the 90’s. After high school, I studied Immunology and Microbiology at Western University. I completed my medical degree in Australia, then came back to London, Ontario, to complete my residency. That’s where I met my husband, Tim.
Tim is an officer in the Canadian military with 20 years of service. When he was posted to Ottawa, I decided to join him. As part of a return of service agreement with the Ministry of Health to work in an underserviced area, I found a position at CCH in 2013. My return of service ended in 2018 but I enjoyed my work in this community so much, I decided to stay.
I’m very proud of Tim’s work and his service to this country as a military veteran. Making a difference for others is something that’s important to both of us.
Now, I’m a mother of two incredible little boys who have given my life a new meaning and I credit Tim as being the rock who supports our family during the times when I’m working to help our sickest patients survive.
Tim is not only my life partner, but now – thanks to Dancing with the CCH Stars – he’s my dance partner, too. Dancing provides us with the opportunity for a new adventure together. I’ve never been known for my dancing skills, but we’re enjoying the journey and looking forward to March 4th!
Why I’m dancing for CCH:
I’m dancing for CCH to help continue modernizing our equipment so we can provide the best care for our patients.
Our ICU team takes pride in offering quality care for our sickest cases. Over the years, we’ve worked to develop our department to a level where everyone who works there is an expert, offering specialized care for the critically ill.
We offer an Intensivist-led, Level 3 Unit, managing some of the most complex cases in our region outside of Ottawa, including septic shock, severe pneumonia, overdoses, and a large caseload of the sickest COVID cases during the pandemic.
If a patient’s needs are higher than what we feel we can do, we never hesitate to send them elsewhere; but we’ve also developed an impressive capacity of high-level care at CCH. We have a very close relationship with the Ottawa Heart Institute. Our colleagues there are like extended family to our ICU, and we speak with them every day. If a patient requires their support, we send them to The Heart Institute immediately; we in turn manage medical care for heart patients locally while they wait for surgeries, and Ottawa surgeons and cardiologists regularly refer patients to back us for ongoing cardiac care.
My Project:
One of the basic medical tools in the ICU is our ability to monitor patients’ vitals – helping us to act instantaneously on their needs. I’m fundraising and dancing to win $50,000 in equipment upgrades for my team in the ICU.
My project offers a combination of equipment to help us care for our patients on the unit, including:
- A new bedside cardiac monitor.
- A carbon dioxide module add-on to help us monitor our patients’ vital signs.
- A triple channel infusion pump to deliver fluids, nutrients, or medications to our patients.
Please consider pledging me in my efforts to support local healthcare. CCHF will provide an official charitable receipt for any donation over $20 that contributes to my fundraising.
https://interland3.donorperfect.net/weblink/weblink.aspx?name=E920168QE&id=66
