Brockville General Hospital celebrates long service employees

Brockville – When it comes to providing exemplary care, the career of Brockville General Hospital pediatrician Dr. Harvinder Chawla is truly all in the family. In her 50 years with the hospital, Dr. Chawla has seen babies she helped deliver come back to have children of their own and then become grandparents when their children gave birth to a new generation.

On Wednesday, June 19, Dr. Chawla’s remarkable career was celebrated along with 30 other dedicated Brockville General staff at the hospital’s annual Long Service Recognition Dinner. Combined, the group has given an incredible 865 years of commitment and hard work to the hospital and the patients and families it serves.

“I’m surprised, I wasn’t expecting all of this. It’s a really big honour and I’m very happy,” said Dr. Chawla, following the awards ceremony. Looking back on a half-century of care, Dr. Chawla smiled, “It’s a lot of babies, a lot of calls at night and the daytime – any time.”

She said she always wanted to be there for the new parents and that she has no plans to retire just yet.

“I’m still healthy so I’ll work,” said Dr. Chawla.

“Our amazing people are the heart of Brockville General and this special event is a celebration and appreciation for everything they do to deliver the best healthcare experience for our patients,” said Nick Vlacholias, President and CEO. “We thank them for their unwavering commitment to the hospital and for the leadership and mentorship they provide every day to their teams. At a time when younger staff are beginning careers in healthcare, the experience of our long-term staff and physicians is more invaluable than ever.”

As is tradition, in addition to recognizing staff with 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45 and 50 years of service, Brockville General’s Team Member and Team of the Year were also announced at the event. Kati Crowley, Rehabilitation Assistant, and Winston Francis, Facilities Supervisor, shared Team Member of the Year honours, while the hospital’s 12-member Facilities Department received the Team of the Year award.