Our stories

“There’s a willingness to help – that’s our common goal.” – Mary Lynn Taschereau

Meet Mary Lynn Taschereau, Senior Business Systems Analyst, Information Services

At the age of three, Mary Lynn underwent cardiac surgery for a congenital heart defect. Little did she know this would be the start of a long relationship with CHEO and the people who healed her.

Reflecting on some of her earliest memories, Mary Lynn remembers how her nurse made her feel safe and comfortable when she woke up in hospital without her mom by her side. For those few moments apart, Mary Lynn sat at the...

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Another Canadian 1st at CHEO with new, dedicated 1-stop shop for families

Launched in January 2024, a new multi-disciplinary clinic at CHEO is the first of its kind in Canada to help children with neurofibromatosis and their families by transforming complex, busy care schedules  into one appointment.

NF1, the most common form of neurofibromatosis, is a rare genetic condition that causes benign tumours to grow in and under the skin, often with problems involving bones, hormones and other parts of the body. It  typically affects almost one of every 3,000 births and half of all diagnoses...

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“We weren’t just another number.” – Sarah Giroux, Nurse Educator

Meet Sarah Giroux, RN, Nurse Educator for CHEO’s mental health programs

Following in the footsteps of many of the women in her family, Sarah completed her consolidation at CHEO on 6East 21 years ago. While she left CHEO to start her nursing career, those few months in her final placement left a lasting impact on Sarah. She knew there was something different about CHEO.

Eleven years ago, Sarah came back as Nurse Educator for CHEO’s mental health programs, working with many of the people who shaped...

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From young patient to preschool educator at CHEO

Meet Kelsey LeJeune, Preschool Educator at CHEO’s Children’s Treatment Centre

At just 14-years-old, Kelsey LeJeune was admitted to CHEO following a serious stroke. For Kelsey, this was the beginning of a long road to recovery – from a stay in the pediatric intensive care unit, to outpatient rehabilitation with Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy and many other follow-ups with a variety of specialists.

Subsequently, Kelsey underwent a heart repair and multiple surgeries on her foot and ankle. Her...

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Mari: “CHEO starts from a place of yes.”

Meet Mari Teitelbaum, VP Strategy, Quality and Family Partnership & CIO

As a child, Mari remembers weekend afternoons sitting in the x-ray department while her mom was on-call as a CHEO radiologist. But it wasn’t until an accident involving losing the ends of two of her fingers on an exercise bike that Mari experienced what it was like to be a CHEO patient. To this day, Mari still remembers the kindness of Dr. Wiley who provided the follow-up care. "The stitches healed with time and now I have...

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