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Kevin's Story

On August 16th, 63-year-old Kevin O’Connor walked into the Georgian Bay General Hospital (GBGH) Emergency Department and said seven words that made our team immediately spring into action.

“I’m afraid I’m having a heart attack.”

Within minutes Kevin was wheeled to the back, hooked up to an ECG machine, and we administered medication and started bloodwork, while Dr. Gleason and Nurse Jaimie began to question Kevin and his wife Terry, about what had led up to this critical moment.

It turns out that Kevin has a family history of heart problems and he had suffered a heart attack five years ago. For the past few days, he had been experiencing severe heartburn, until the pain became so bad that he knew something was really wrong.

As soon as the bloodwork came back, it confirmed that Kevin was having a second heart attack and it was critical. He would have to be transferred to the regional heart centre.

“I was devastated,” recalls Kevin. “When I heard that I was having a second heart attack there was so much fear and anxiety. But I could hear Dr. Gleason on the phone to the heart centre and she said ‘I have a patient who needs your help. It can’t wait until tomorrow. It’s important you see them tonight.’ She made my transfer happen at 1:30 in the morning.”

Ten minutes later, Kevin was in the ambulance with Nurse Jaimie by his side.

Once he arrived at the heart centre, Kevin had a stent put in to remove the blockage in his heart and just two days later he was released from the hospital. And while the heart centre performed his procedure, Kevin credits the care that he received at GBGH with helping to save his life. “There’s no doubt in my mind that if Dr. Gleason and Nurse Jaimie hadn’t been so attentive and professional I would never know for sure the outcome. They were the ones who made sure I got the care I needed.”

In Kevin’s words, “I’m so proud of our healthcare system. Some people complain about our system, but trust me, they wouldn’t, if they were ever in the position I was in. I am so, so grateful for the care I received, and my wife Terry, and our six kids and nine grandchildren are all so thankful to Dr. Gleason and Nurse Jaimie for helping me continue to lead a long and happy life.”



Summer has finally arrived and I know it’s a time of year to which we all look forward after a long winter. At GBGH, June is the time when we reflect on the previous year, and celebrate all that our incredible team has accomplished.

It is a privilege to be part of this organization and witness the entire GBGH team working together to make our hospital an incredible place to work, and a place our community can rely on to receive excellent, personalized health care.

This year, the GBGH team has accomplished some exceptional achievements, and I’d like to highlight a few of them for you.

  • Launched an ED wait times clock to align with our commitment to be transparent with our community
  • Received approval for $800K in annual MRI operating funding
  • Dedicated recruitment initiatives such as targeted social media campaigns and hiring events, which have helped GBGH attract talented crew members to support our goal of being fully staffed
  • Brought full Pulmonary Function Testing (PFT) to our community and expanded the surgical program to ensure care closer to home
  • Initiated the Essential Care Partner program to ensure essential caregivers have a specific role as members of the care team
  • Received a Provincial Eligible Approach Rate Award from Ontario Health Trillium Gift of Life Network (TGLN), recognizing GBGH’s outstanding efforts in facilitating discussions about organ and tissue donation
  • Developed our new strategic plan which will guide GBGH for the next seven years (2023-2030)

We are looking forward to continuing to serve our community in alignment with our recently updated and newly released strategic plan – We Make Excellent Care Personal. After extensive public and internal consultation, the new plan will serve as our map, guiding GBGH for the next seven years through all our planning and decision-making. You can learn more on the GBGH website – gbgh.on.ca/about-us/our-strategic-plan

Finally, I would just like to extend my deepest appreciation and gratitude to you for investing in GBGH, and equipping our team with the equipment and technology that we rely on to deliver excellent care to thousands of patients every year.

Thank you for being such an important part of the GBGH family.

Matthew Lawson
President & CEO
Georgian Bay General Hospital

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Jeff Holloway, Director

Jeff works at RBC Dominion Securities in Midland and joined RBC Wealth Management in 2014. In his current role, Jeff provides wealth management solutions to business owners, executives, professionals, and retirees.

Prior to working at RBC, Jeff was a partner at a leadership consulting firm and was a vice president at a Fortune 500 consulting company. After qualifying as a Chartered Accountant (CPA, CA) while working for a multinational audit, tax, and consulting firm, he was the Controller at the National Hockey League Players’ Association.

Jeff was born in Kitchener-Waterloo and spent most of his childhood living in Owen Sound.  He moved to the Midland area full-time in 2019. He graduated from the University of Waterloo with an Honors degree in Mathematics (Computer Science). Jeff also holds the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designation and the Chartered Investment Manager (CIM) designation.

Jeff is very supportive of many worthwhile causes in our local community. Currently, he is the Treasurer for the Quest Art School and Gallery in Midland.