Note: Since the publication of this blog post Pamela has retired! We wish Pam a very happy retirement on behalf of the whole Foundation team.

Tell us a little about yourself!

My name is Pamela Wing and I have been the President & CEO of Humber River Hospital Foundation since August 2018. I’ve been involved with the Foundation board for over 20 years!

Pepper makes me smile all the time,” says Pamela. “It is so amazing to me that a little robot can evoke happiness like that!”

In one sentence, how would you explain your job to a friend?

I work with a wonderful team to find wonderful people to donate to our wonderful Hospital.

Is there a Program of Care that you are particularly passionate about?

When I started as President & CEO in August, one of the first things I was shown was the Baby Driver video. It shows the journey of a young patient driving the toy Tesla into an operating room, accompanied by his mom and his bear. Our Maternal Child Program is incredible, and it’s also very relevant to me right now as the grandmother to a 15 month old little boy.

We are also fortunate to have a fantastic Orthopaedics Program. As I’ve gotten older, I have an appreciation for the orthopaedic procedures we offer, like direct anterior hip replacements.

What are the three most interesting pieces of technology at Humber?

The Hana Table allows our specially trained surgeons to perform hip replacement surgery through the front of a patient’s hip between the muscles. This approach spares tissue and requires less surgical dissection, meaning less trauma for the patient. Some of our patients are even able to leave the Hospital within a day.

Pepper makes me smile all the time. It is so amazing to me that a little robot can evoke happiness like that! Humber currently has two Peppers: one is used exclusively by the Child Life Program to help young patients feel at ease and a second to greet patients and their families in the Hospital’s main entrance.

“I work with a wonderful team to find wonderful people to donate to our wonderful Hospital,” says Pamela.

I also think STERIS RealView is a wonderful thing for our patients to have. During the surgical journey, it sends loved ones text updates so that they can have peace of mind, while also being able to go for a coffee or a walk.

Do you have a favourite project?

I’m very excited about our new grateful patient program called Gifts of Gratitude (coming soon!). It will give our patients and their families an opportunity to recognize and thank their caregivers while raising funds for the Hospital.

What is one awesome thing you’ve done in the last year?

I failed retirement (again!) and came to work at Humber River Hospital Foundation.

Also, I got to see my youngest daughter get married. That was a lovely day for me, seeing her so happy.

What inspires you?

The Foundation team is so devoted, caring, and hardworking.

I’m also inspired by my family. I love seeing the world through the eyes of my 15 month old grandson, because everything is wonderful in his eyes. My husband and children are all smart, funny, and talented, and they were very supportive of me going back to work.