Ottawa-based organization's pre-budget submission takes aim at women's health funding
An Ottawa-based organization is urging the federal government to allocate millions of dollars in Budget 2025 to address gaps and misinformation in women's health, saying the money will advance women's health care across the country.
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The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada (SOGC) is a national organization dedicated to advancing women's health and advocating for better health-care policies across the country.
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In its pre-budget submission, the organization outlined five key recommendations for government officials to consider while drafting Budget 2025, which is expected to drop in the fall.
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One of those recommendations is a $20 million investment to close data gaps in women's health by creating a National Women's Health Data Dashboard and improve data collection strategies.
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The SOGC says the dashboard, which should be a standardized and disaggregated database, will provide meaningful insights into key women's health indicators. This includes data on maternal mortality and morbidity, stillbirth and perinatal loss, menopause and endometriosis.
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This will help patients make informed decisions about their health and also allow health-care providers to provide more responsive, equitable and cost-effective care, the SOGC added.
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The organization also said the move will also have economic benefits because incomplete data leads to lost productivity and greater costs to the health-care system. Patients often have to foot hefty bills from unnecessary health-care costs.
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Currently, provinces and territories are responsible for collecting this data and practices may vary widely.
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'The federal government must take a leadership role in co-ordinating and standardizing this data collection, as approaches to health data collection across provinces and territories vary widely. Only national leadership can ensure consistency, comparability and the quality needed to build a reliable, actionable and nationally-focused database and dashboard,' the pre-budget submission read.
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'Without co-ordinated, federally driven health data infrastructure, Canada will continue to miss emerging health trends, fall short in reducing system costs and fail to support women whose pain and illness limit their ability to fully participate in the economy.'
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Toronto Star
21 hours ago
- Toronto Star
Wellcome Photography Prize 2025: Winning Images Reveal Powerful Stories of Science and Health
A Thousand Cuts, Sujata Setia, 2023, Urban Travel, Mithail Afrige Chowdhury, 2023, Cholesterol in the Liver, 2022, Steve Gschmeissner Click Here to download press images and captions LONDON, July 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Wellcome's 2025 Photography Prize celebrates three image makers whose work reveals the human stories behind science and health. UK-based artist Sujata Setia, Bangladeshi documentary and street photographer Mithail Afrige Chowdhury, and UK-based electron microscopy specialist and science photographer Steve Gschmeissner have each been awarded a £10,000 prize for powerful images that reflect how science and health shape people's lives in complex and deeply personal ways, from the from the hidden toll of domestic abuse to the everyday realities of climate migration, to the microscopic processes that underpin heart disease. Now in its 28th year, the Wellcome Photography Prize celebrates compelling imagery at the intersection of science, health and human experience. From documentary photography to microscopy and medical imaging, it highlights diverse perspectives on global health and the vital role of visual storytelling in creating a healthier future. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW The top 25 entries are now on display in the Wellcome Photography Prize 2025 exhibition, which is free and open to the public at the Francis Crick Institute in London, running until 18 October 2025. Each of the finalists has received a £1,000 prize, with a total of £52,000 awarded across the competition. Lara Clements, Associate Director, Engagement, Wellcome, says, ' The Wellcome Photography Prize offers image-makers a platform to showcase the impact of science and health on lives around the world. This year's winning works stood out not only for their technical accomplishment, but for the care and collaboration behind them. Sujata Setia's portraits raised powerful questions around dignity, confidentiality and sensitivity. Mithail Afrige Chowdhury's image exemplified the value of being embedded in the community and explored themes of adaptation, illusion and fantasy in a compelling way. Steve Gschmeissner's biomedical image impressed us with its precision and raised important questions about how scientific imagery is shared and understood by the public. We hope audiences will find the winners' work moving, educational and inspiring, and enjoy the full exhibition at the Francis Crick Institute.' The Winners In the Storytelling Series category, Sujata Setia was recognised for A Thousand Cuts, a deeply collaborative portrait project developed with survivors of domestic abuse within South Asian communities. Each image is a composite of personal testimony, visual symbolism, and traditional craft. Setia worked with the women and with the charity SHEWISE to create portraits that protected anonymity without erasing identity, applying the Indian paper-cutting technique sanjhi to overlay each photograph. The results are intimate, powerful reflections on generational trauma, silence, survival, and the politics of representation. From the account of a woman forced into marriage twice by her father and left with lasting PTSD, to a mother determined to break the cycle of violence for her daughter, the series captures how abuse can become ingrained and normalised, and how art can offer a means of reclaiming narrative. Sujata Setia says, ' This is a monumental recognition. A Thousand Cuts being selected for Wellcome Photography Prize affirms that health cannot be separated from the histories that shape it. And that domestic abuse is never a singular event; it leaves a direct, trans-generational imprint on health. As a child who grew up in a home where violence was a daily occurrence, I carry that trauma like another limb. This recognition validates not just my story, but the invisible, intangible, yet deeply scarring legacy of gender-based abuse. Domestic abuse is one of the most widespread global crimes; and yet remains among the least publicly acknowledged health crises. I hope this moment becomes a catalyst for deeper dialogue and scholarship around the interrelation between domestic abuse and health. That is our collective hope.' Mithail Afrige Chowdhury was awarded the Striking Solo Photography prize for Urban Travel, a deceptively gentle image of a mother and daughter on a rooftop picnic in Dhaka. With few parks left in the city due to rapid urbanisation, this staged moment, a simple attempt to give a child a taste of nature, becomes an act of resilience. Nearly half of Dhaka's population today are climate migrants, displaced by increasingly extreme weather, and Chowdhury's work highlights the everyday consequences of these shifts: the loss of green space, of childhood rituals, of breath. The photograph is tender, composed, and yet filled with tension, a portrait of care and adaptation under invisible pressures. Mithail Afrige Chowdhury says, ' When I got the news, the first thing I did was charge my camera—not to take a photo, but to restart something I thought I'd lost. I won't dwell on personal or professional hardships, but this moment means more than I can say. I made this image two years ago, as part of a major project on climate change, urban sustainability, and public health. Then life intervened, and fear slowly pulled me away from the work I loved. But now, I can wake up with an objective. Because someone has my back. And that makes all the difference. Awards can feel technical but this recognition from Wellcome feels deeply human.' ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW The winner of The Marvels of Scientific and Medical Imaging was announced as Steve Gschmeissner, whose electron microscopy image Cholesterol in the Liver reveals cholesterol crystals (shown in blue) forming inside lipid-laden liver cells (purple). These microscopic shifts, invisible to the naked eye, can have deadly consequences: when cholesterol hardens from liquid to crystal, it damages blood vessels and contributes to heart disease and strokes. Gschmeissner's colourised SEM image transforms this biological process into something visually striking, part data, part artwork. With a career spanning over four decades, and more than 10,000 images published in scientific journals, stamp collections, fashion collaborations, and music albums, his work exemplifies how imaging can bridge science and culture. Steve Gschmeissner says, ' When I discovered that Wellcome had reintroduced the Marvels of Scientific and Medical Imaging category, I was delighted to enter such a prestigious competition. I was thrilled to be shortlisted, and winning first prize is undoubtedly one of the highlights of my 50-year career of trying to bring the wonders of the microscopic world to all.' This year's prize drew submissions from over 100 countries. The Top 25 entries featured over 30 individuals from 18 countries, spanning Bangladesh, Brazil, France, Germany, Greece, India, Italy, Myanmar, Peru, South Africa, Spain, Uganda, the UK, USA and beyond. The winners were selected by an international judging panel comprising leading voices from photography, science, health and journalism. The panel was chaired by Melanie Keen, Director of Wellcome Collection, and included Caroline Hunter, Picture Editor at The Guardian; Daniella Zalcman, Photographer and Founder of Women Photograph; Benjamin Ryan, Independent Science Journalist; Elizabeth Wathuti, Environmental and Climate Activist; Esmita Charani, Associate Professor at the University of Cape Town; Helen Fisher, Professor of Developmental Psychopathology at King's College London; Noah Green, Science Educator at the Beautiful Biology Initiative; and Mark Lythgoe, Director of the UCL Centre for Advanced Biomedical Imaging. Wellcome Photography Prize Exhibition Curated by Laurie Britton Newell and Ligaya Salazar, the Wellcome Photography Prize exhibition features images that reflect a wide spectrum of health experiences, from everyday routines to global challenges. Using techniques such as portraiture, cyanotypes, drone photography, and light and electron microscopy, the image makers show how health is lived, documented and researched around the world. Many of the works respond to Wellcome's core focus areas, mental health, climate and health, infectious disease and discovery research. Together, they reveal how these issues overlap and take shape in different cultural and geographic contexts. The result is a layered and often unexpected portrait of health today, told through voices and perspectives that are frequently overlooked. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Among this year's highlights are Marks of Majesty: Vanessa by Julia Comita and Stephanie Francis, a portrait honouring the life and choices of a person impacted by breast cancer who opted for aesthetic flat closure, challenging assumptions around gender, illness and identity. Beautiful Disaster by Alexandru Radu Popescu shows a lake of toxic mining waste in Romania that continues to expand each year, an image of both striking beauty and environmental damage. Resilience Artist by Pyaephyo Thetpaing captures a craftsman in Myanmar who creates lacquerware using his foot, offering a broader reflection on health, disability and the role of cultural tradition in healing. In the scientific imaging category, Ice and Fire Chronics by Ingrid Augusto, Kildare Rocha de Miranda and Vânia da Silva Vieira shows the structure of the parasite that causes Chagas disease, which affects millions across the Americas. Blooming Barrier by Lucy Holland presents goblet cells inside the gut of a child with Hirschsprung's disease, offering insight into how cell structures influence lifelong digestive health. From Butterflies to Humans by Amaia Alcalde Anton reveals the brain of a butterfly mid-metamorphosis, part of a study into neurogenesis with implications for human brain development. In addition to the Top 25 entries, the exhibition also features Things We Left Unseen, a youth-led photography project developed by Cape Town-based public health organisation Eh!woza. Created in collaboration with young people in the township of Khayelitsha, the project explores health, stigma, and daily life through the eyes of a generation growing up with high HIV and TB burdens, but also with hope and agency. The exhibition is hosted at the Francis Crick Institute, reflecting a shared commitment to making science more visible through culture. Ali Bailey, Director of Communications and Public Engagement at the Francis Crick Institute, said: ' We are delighted to host the top images from the Wellcome Photography Prize, showcasing the power of visual storytelling in health and science. The images explore a number of themes that resonate with Crick research, from the health effects of air pollution to neurogenesis. We hope visitors will be moved by the stories behind these incredible photos and also inspired by how beautiful science can be.' Notes to Editors: Media Contacts Sophie Balfour-Lynn Sutton Sophiebl@ Mary-Kate Findon Wellcome mediaoffice@ Winners' Biographies Sujata Setia (Storytelling Series) Sujata Setia is an Indian-born, UK-based artist who's socially engaged, research-led practice combines photography with traditional artistic interventions to explore subaltern histories, cultural imperialism, and the politics of representation. With a background in journalism and a Master's in International Relations from King's College London, her work draws on academic research and community collaboration to centre marginalised voices, particularly through a feminist lens. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Her acclaimed series Changing the Conversation marked a shift away from her earlier portraiture, interrogating the cultural and political construction of beauty. In 2024, she was awarded the Culture King's Grant to develop a lens-based, interdisciplinary project exploring the role of workplace structures for embroidery women artisans in Kashmir. She also recently received the Centre for British Photography Realisation Grant to further expand the scope of A Thousand Cuts, a powerful body of work amplifying the voices of survivors of gender-based abuse. Setia's work has received major international recognition, including the Sony World Photography Award (Creative category, 2024), LensCulture Critics' Choice Award (2024), Prix Pictet nomination (2023), BJP Female in Focus (2022), and Photographer of the Year at the Tokyo International Foto Awards (2021). Her photography has been exhibited widely—from Somerset House in London to Times Square in New York—and featured in leading publications including The Guardian, CNN, BBC, and Forbes. Beyond her visual practice, Setia contributes to education and advocacy through teaching ethical storytelling and photography at EFTI in Madrid, and through collaborations with organisations such as SHEWISE and WERESTART in the UK. Her work consistently seeks to reshape public narratives around identity, power, and care through interdisciplinary, justice-focused art. Mithail Afrige Chowdhury (Striking Solo Photography) Mithail Afrige Chowdhury is a documentary and street photographer based in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Raised in the city of Khulna, his photography is deeply rooted in the lives of ordinary people. 'Since then, I have always tried to understand people's lives—their pain, joy, and the complexities shaped by social, economic, political, and environmental changes.' He began photography in 2015 and chose to document what he knew best: life around him. His work has captured the Rohingya refugee crisis, the effects of climate change on Bangladesh (an ongoing project), major festivals, urban water crises, slum fires, and the Covid-19 pandemic. Mithail has won numerous international photography awards, including the Life Press Photo Award (Ukraine), Xposure International Photography Competition (UAE), Compass Photo Competition by the University of Oxford (UK), and contests in China. His work has been featured in The Guardian, The Daily Sun, The Times of India, Global Photography, and publications from the University of Oxford, ASCE, and Saturday Magazine. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Steve Gschmeissner (The Marvels of Medical and Scientific Imaging) Steve Gschmeissner is a UK-based photographer and electron microscopy specialist whose career spans over four decades in scientific imaging. After earning a degree in Zoology, he spent 25 years at the Royal College of Surgeons, eventually leading the electron microscopy services, followed by 15 years leading the EM unit at Cancer Research UK. In 2002, Gschmeissner retired early to dedicate himself to freelance photography, specialising in Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Over the past two decades, he has built an archive of more than 10,000 images, widely published across scientific, medical, and popular media. His work has featured in everything from textbooks and advertising to art, fashion, and music, appearing on album covers for Peter Gabriel, artworks by Damien Hirst, on US Postal Service stamps, and as visual inspiration for an Iris van Herpen's fashion collection. In 2021, he was awarded the Lennart Nilsson Award for his lifelong contribution to microscopy. His images continue to bridge the worlds of science and visual culture, offering new ways of seeing the invisible. Full list of Finalists - Top 25 Entries Striking solo photography Searching for Life – Sandipani Chattopadhyay (India) Urban Travel – Mithail Afrige Chowdhury (Bangladesh) Marks of Majesty: Vanessa – Julia Comita & Stephanie Francis (USA) Musa – Marijn Fidder (Uganda/Netherlands) The Light Will Come – Dora Grivopoulou (Greece) Cricket is My Emotion – Ziaul Huque (Bangladesh) Pie-by-Sam – Reatile Moalusi (South Africa) Beautiful Disaster – Alexandru Radu Popescu (Romania) Resilience Artist – Pyaephyo Thetpaing (Myanmar) Stereo EEG Self-Portrait – Muir Vidler (UK) Transparent Curtains – Oded Wagenstein (Israel) Self, Five Years On – Georgie Wileman (UK) A storytelling series The Loss Mother's Stone – Nancy Borowick (US Virgin Islands) A Dream to Cure Water – Ciril Jazbec (UK) Nemo's Garden – Giacomo d'Orlando (Italy) A Thousand Cuts – Sujata Setia (UK) I Spend 150 Hours Alone Each Week – Madeleine Waller (Australia/UK) The marvels of scientific and medical imaging From Butterflies to Humans – Amaia Alcalde Anton (UK) Ice and Fire Chronics: The Chagas Disease Invader – Ingrid Augusto, Kildare Rocha de Miranda & Vânia da Silva Vieira (Brazil) Cholesterol in the Liver – Steve Gschmeissner (UK) Blooming Barrier – Lucy Holland (UK) Submarine Fever – Jander Matos & Joaquim Nascimento (Brazil) Organoids – Oliver Meckes & Nicole Ottawa, Eye of Science (Germany) I've Got You, Under My Skin: Microplastics in Mammalian Tissue – P. Stephen Patrick & Olumide Ogunlade (UK) Brixton Road, Lambeth – Marina Vitaglione (France/UK) Exhibition Details Wellcome Photography Prize 2025 exhibition is curated by Laurie Britton Newell and Ligaya Salazar At the Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London, NW1 1AT 17 July – 18 October 2025 Open Wednesdays to Saturdays, 10am-4pm (Wednesdays until 8pm) Admission free About Wellcome Wellcome supports science to solve the urgent health challenges facing everyone. We support discovery research into life, health and wellbeing, and we're taking on three worldwide health challenges: mental health, infectious disease and climate and health. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Follow the prize: Instagram: @wellcomephotoprize Wellcome Photography Prize 2025 | Wellcome About the Francis Crick Institute We are delighted that the Crick are hosting this year's Wellcome Photography Prize exhibition. The Francis Crick Institute is a biomedical discovery institute with the mission of understanding the fundamental biology underlying health and disease. Its work helps improve our understanding of why disease develops which promotes discoveries into new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat disease. An independent organisation, its founding partners are the Medical Research Council (MRC), Cancer Research UK, Wellcome, UCL (University College London), Imperial College London and King's College London. The Crick was formed in 2015, and in 2016 it moved into a brand new state-of-the-art building in central London which brings together 1500 scientists and support staff working collaboratively across disciplines, making it the biggest biomedical research facility under a single roof in Europe. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at
CBC
2 days ago
- CBC
Plan to accept newcomer parents and grandparents will strain health services, Alberta warns
Alberta's immigration minister says he's concerned about the federal government's plan this year to accept thousands of parents and grandparents of immigrants already in Canada. Joseph Schow responded Tuesday to a federal notice that Ottawa plans to take in 10,000 applications from those who have previously expressed interest in sponsoring family members. Schow took issue with the 10,000 figure. In a statement, Schow said provincial health-care systems, housing and social services don't have the capacity and could be overwhelmed. Federal Immigration Minister Lena Diab's office said the federal government's actual countrywide target for approvals this year for the parent and grandparent immigration stream is higher at 24,500. Diab's office said Schow was responding to a notice that the ministry is preparing to take in 10,000 applications for consideration from already settled immigrants who expressed interest in 2020 in sponsoring their parents or grandparents. "Family reunification is an important part of Canada's immigration system, helping Canadian citizens and permanent residents sponsor their loved ones to live and work alongside them in Canada," a spokesperson for Diab said in an email, adding that the federal government is committed to reuniting as many families as possible. "Opening intake for 10,000 applications will help us meet this commitment and will not increase the target." Schow's office said it was under the impression the 10,000 was the 2025 target, and his concern remains the same. 'Disproportionate strain' Schow said in the Tuesday statement that he understands "the importance of family reunification, [but] inviting large numbers of parents and grandparents into the country without proper co-ordination with provinces places disproportionate strain on already busy health systems." "This creates serious concerns for both Albertans and the newcomers themselves, who may not receive timely care if our system is overwhelmed." The minister didn't directly answer questions about whether he wants to see the parent and grandparent target reduced or eliminated. In an email, he said the "root issue" is the federal government setting immigration targets without provincial input. "The more direct concern with this program is its impact on health care," Schow added. "Seniors are more likely to require medical and long-term care, and bringing in thousands more without additional supports increases pressure on a system already managing high demand." Diab's office said since parents and grandparents accepted under the program require a sponsor to financially support them, it doesn't put any excessive burden on provincial services. "Family reunification not only leads to social and cultural benefits but also economic benefits," said the spokesperson. "Those coming through this program are often supporting the household in Canada, including by providing childcare. This helps parents enter the workforce and strengthen Canada's economy." Schow said Alberta's government wants overall immigration reduced to below 500,000 per year, and that provinces need to "have a stronger role in selecting newcomers to meet local needs." Under targets set last fall, Ottawa is aiming to approve just over one million immigration applications this year, including temporary residents on work visas, international students, refugees and new permanent residents like parents and grandparents of newcomers. On Wednesday, premiers from across Canada called on the federal government to engage more with provincial governments on immigration targets and increase the share of economic immigrants each province is allocated under the provincial and territorial nominee program. The joint federally and provincially run program works to fast track the permanent residency process for workers in sought after sectors. For Alberta, that includes health care, technology and law enforcement. "Provinces and territories are best positioned to understand their local labour market needs and call on the federal government to support their respective priorities," reads a joint statement from premiers following their three-day meeting in Ontario. 'Punching down on immigrants' Schow's comments also come as a panel chaired by Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is touring the province to hear from citizens on a number of topics, including whether Alberta should create its own immigration permitting system and block non-approved newcomers from accessing services like health care. At the panel's most recent town hall in Edmonton, a member of the public accused Smith of "punching down on immigrants." Smith said the province is trying to find solutions to housing affordability, hospital capacity, classroom sizes and "increasing pressure on our social programs." "There has to be a reasonable amount of newcomers that are able to come here, fit into the economy, be able to be self-supporting," Smith told the audience. "That is, I think, a bit high at the moment."
CBC
2 days ago
- CBC
'Hallway of sadness' transformed by patients' art at Ottawa hospital
Social Sharing Tucked between patient rooms on the 5 North unit at Ottawa's Bruyère Health Saint-Vincent Hospital, a quiet hallway serves as a daily passage for staff and visitors alike. But the corridor once referred to as "the hallway of sadness" is about to take on a new identity. With Hallways of Hope, a new initiative led by Bruyère chaplain Roshene Lawson, residents of the long-term care unit have been invited to turn the once "gloomy" corridor into a vibrant gallery of their own making. After several months of work, a temporary exhibit held at the hospital last week offered a preview. Each piece is different, shaped by its own inspiration and technique. Some are deeply personal: a dog named Casey, a memory of Spain and even a forest rendered in thumbprints and coffee grounds. Created with the help of Ottawa artist Christopher Griffin, the works reflect each patient's ability — and willingness — to try. Some held pencils in their mouths. Others used their hands. Most had never painted before. A comment that sparked a movement The idea began with a moment of honesty. "Back in November, we were dealing with a realization of how dark things can be on our unit," said Dr. Chris Kirby, a physician on 5 North. "The burden of illness that our patients were shouldering … affects everybody — them, but also their caregivers." During rounds, Kirby made a passing remark about the atmosphere on the unit. "I kind of made this backhanded comment about how it was the hallway of sadness," he recalled. Lawson, the chaplain, heard the comment and invited Kirby to discuss it. "I was kind of like a teacher after class saying, 'You need to stay after and talk to me,'" she recalled. "I could tell he was struggling with the burden of what his patients were carrying." Many patients on the unit live with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, or other degenerative neuromuscular conditions. Some have lost speech, others mobility. Most face slow, progressive decline — and a hospital setting that can feel "very grey," as Kirby put it. "You're here for a long time. These are days that blend into each other," he said. For Lawson, the unit's role isn't just clinical — it's about human relationships. "Five North is not necessarily about a cure," she said. "It's about accompaniment — how we accompany our patients and families and each other on this unit. The journeys can be dark and a burden, but there can also be joy in darkness." Inspired, Kirby reframed his thoughts of the corridor. "You can't be focused on the negative," he said. "So I spun it and said, 'OK — hallway of hope.'" Lawson picked up the phone and called local muralist Griffin with a pitch: "There's no money in it," she warned him. "But there's great joy and purpose in it — and great meaning." Griffin immediately said yes. Where memories meet the canvas Each painting on display in the 5 North exhibit carries more than colour and texture — it carries a story. For Badrudduza Kazi, whose ALS has left him unable to hold a brush, the medium became as important as the message. Using coffee grounds and his thumb, he created Golden Quiet, a warm, pastoral landscape dotted with trees and sunlight. "It's a hope of life," he said softly, looking over the canvas. Kazi, who's unable to move his hands or fingers, credits Griffin with helping him believe he could still create. And he did. Griffin helped adapt each technique to the abilities of each patient. "I would dip their fingers into coffee grounds, and we'd basically finger paint," he said. "We had to rotate the canvas as we worked, because of their mobility — they could only reach so far. So we ended up painting landscapes sideways and even upside down." Kim Otte, another patient and contributor, was inspired by the memory of southern Spain. His painting, Malaga Sun, channels the warmth and calm he remembers from his time living in Europe. "I was asked to pick a place that was perhaps the most positive experience," he said. "This is the part of Malaga in southern Spain … it's a very serene place, beautiful climate. I have many, many happy memories from that place." Otte also appreciated the fact that the paintings will be on permanent display. "Because obviously at some point I'm not going to be here … you put a little fingerprint on the place," he said. Another participant, Martin Meech, painted a scene based on his childhood memories at a lake near Lac Long in Quebec. His work, Where the Trees Remember, is rich with coffee-textured trees and orange foliage. "At the end, I couldn't believe it," Meech said. "It was just wonderful." The painting helps him return to a time he still holds dear. "It reminds me of everything — especially our cottage," he said. "The trails, the nature — everything." Meech said he hopes others take away the same sense of optimism that the project brought him. "If people stay positive, they do a lot better," he said. "And hope brings them positivity." The exhibit has drawn praise from families, staff and even patients who once said they'd never hold a brush. But for those involved, the real transformation happened well before the first canvas was hung — in the quiet moments of creation, conversation and care.
