Close Alert Banner
Skip to Content
CW OHTFoundation

Text Resize

Colour Contrast

Accessible formats and communication supports are available, please contact healthjustice@williamoslerhs.ca

View Our Accessibility Plan

CareersContact UsMyChartResearch

William Osler Healthcare Systems Logo William Osler Healthcare Systems Logo

Contact Us
  • Visiting Us
    • A-Z Services
    • Accessibility, Equity and Inclusion
    • Appointment Reminders
    • Contact Us
    • Directions and Parking
    • Emergency and Urgent Care
    • Ethics
    • Find a Doctor or Service
    • Hospital Amenities
    • Patient Experience and Feedback
    • Patient Privacy and Safety
    • Paying Your Bill
    • Send Greeting Cards
    • Spiritual Health Therapy
    • Staying With Us
  • Areas of Care
    • Cancer Care
    • Cardiac Care
    • Critical Care
    • Diabetes Care
    • Diagnostic Imaging
    • Emergency and Urgent Care
    • Endoscopy Services
    • Find a Doctor or Service
    • General Medicine
    • Infectious Diseases
    • Kidney Care
    • Laboratory Services
    • Mental Health and Addictions
    • Neurology
    • Outpatient Services
    • Palliative Care
    • Reactivation Care
    • Rehabilitation Services
    • Respiratory Therapy
    • Seniors' Care
    • Surgical Services
    • Virtual Care
    • Women's and Children's Services
  • For Professionals
    • Careers
    • Central West Ontario Health Team
    • Directions and Parking
    • Education
    • Find a Doctor or Service
    • Partners and Networks
    • Physician Opportunities
    • School of Medicine
  • Research and Outreach
    • Education
    • Global Health
    • Osler Research Institute for Health Innovation
  • Who We Are
    • Accessibility, Equity and Inclusion
    • Best Practice Spotlight Organization
    • Board of Directors
    • Build Osler
    • Business Development and Partnership Opportunities
    • Care Quality and Governance
    • Careers
    • Contact Us
    • Directions and Parking
    • Get Involved
    • Latest News
    • Leadership Team
    • Patient Privacy and Safety
    • Volunteer
Nursing staff

Comprehensive cancer care delivered with compassion

  • Open new window to share this page via Facebook Facebook
  • Open new window to share this page via Twitter Twitter
  • Open new window to share this page via LinkedIn LinkedIn
  • Email this page Email
Email icon Back to Search
(l-r): A photo of Othalie and Marjorie beside a picture of Osler Oncologist, Dr. William Raskin

“I found a lump in my breast.” The voice was Othalie Graham’s 67-year-old mother, Marjorie. It was late 2019, and she was calling her daughter at her home in Philadelphia where Othalie, an internationally acclaimed opera singer and Brampton native, was on a month-long break between productions of MacBeth. Marjorie told her not to worry – she had scheduled a mammogram and it was likely nothing. Unfortunately, Othalie knew better.

“When she described to me what she was seeing and experiencing, I just knew,” said Othalie. “My husband and I hopped in our truck in the USA and headed across the border to Brampton so that I could be there with her when she received her diagnosis.”

Even though they live hundreds of miles apart, the mother and daughter are extremely close. Every morning they share coffee together over FaceTime, and often chat several times a day. At one time, Marjorie used to travel with Othalie to all her opera performances and stand in the wings off stage. That meant a lot to Othalie, who lost her father when he was just 48 years of age to lymphoma, just before she left to study opera in Philadelphia in 1998.

“Having experienced the devastating loss of my father to cancer 21 years earlier, I couldn’t believe this was happening again. It was absolute torture just thinking about it.”

Othalie said she began to feel a heavy weight lift from her heart when she and Marjorie met with William Osler Health System (Osler) oncologist Dr. William Raskin, who shared her mom’s diagnosis with them: Stage 2 (early stage) breast cancer.

“I immediately trusted him,” said Othalie. “Dr. Raskin was so patient, caring and understanding. He touched my mom’s arm as he was talking to her and was so reassuring. That really meant a lot, particularly at the start of her cancer journey.”

Dr. Raskin explained that Marjorie’s proposed treatment plan would involve six rounds of chemotherapy and a partial mastectomy, followed by radiation and 36 weeks of a maintenance treatment. Othalie was committed to being with her mom every step of the way, even if it meant cancelling scheduled operatic performances. Thankfully, that wasn’t necessary.

“Although the timing of chemotherapy is quite rigid, we made every effort, where possible, to tailor Marjorie’s treatments around her daughter’s travel schedule, because she was such a strong advocate and supporter for her mom,” said Dr. Raskin. “That supportive presence is important for cancer patients at any age, but particularly so for older people going through the treatment process.”

Othalie usually arrived in town a couple of days before Marjorie’s chemotherapy treatments at Brampton Civic Hospital’s Oncology Clinic. It was here that Othalie marvelled at the empathy, compassion and caring touch of the entire care team.

“As I sat with mom in the clinic every day, I noticed so many patients were there alone while receiving their chemotherapy treatments,” said Othalie. “While the nurses all worked hard, I observed that they always made a special point of spending time with patients who were on their own, to ensure they felt supported. These nurses are saving lives and were emotionally there for every one of their patients. They were simply amazing.”

When the COVID-19 pandemic was declared in March 2020, Othalie managed to catch the last plane out of Philadelphia to Toronto. She was the only passenger on board. With all her operatic performances cancelled indefinitely, she was able to remain in Brampton on a longer-term basis and accompany and support her mom through the last stage of the rigorous treatment plan – radiation – at a neighbouring community hospital.

Once Marjorie’s full cancer treatment regimen was completed, she was referred to Osler’s Survivorship Clinic.

“Osler’s Survivorship Clinic focuses on recovery and monitoring for any signs of cancer recurrence,” said Dr. Raskin. “Patients are seen by an oncologist in the clinic every six months to a year for three to five years, depending on their cancer diagnosis and risk level. Data is increasingly showing that this level of care following completion of treatment is leading to better outcomes.”

Marjorie’s final appointment in the clinic will be in August 2024.

“For me, it’s a full circle moment seeing Marjorie in the clinic years after her initial diagnosis and doing so well,” said Dr. Raskin. “That’s one of the most rewarding aspects of what we do.”

In recent years, Osler has built up its cancer care services to include rapid cancer diagnostic programs (breast, colon, lung and esophageal cancers), advanced surgical techniques, innovative immunotherapy, and access to global clinical trials for new anticancer treatments.

With the number of cancer cases in communities served by Osler expected to double by 2038, Osler is working on plans for a comprehensive Cancer Care Centre at Brampton Civic Hospital that will bring new and expanded cancer services for patients like Marjorie – including radiation therapy – closer to home.

Marjorie is now 72 years of age and Othalie says she is doing great.

“I can’t say enough about Dr. Raskin and the entire Oncology Clinic team. They were simply incredible with my mom and really made this whole journey one of hope and positivity.”

Email iconSubscribe

Who We Are
    • Accessibility, Equity and Inclusion
    • Best Practice Spotlight Organization
    • Board of Directors
      Toggle Section Board of Directors Menu
      • Community Representatives on Board Committees
      • Meet the Board of Directors
    • Build Osler
      Toggle Section Build Osler Menu
      • Build Brampton Civic
      • Build Peel Memorial
    • Business Development and Partnership Opportunities
    • Care Quality and Governance
      Toggle Section Care Quality and Governance Menu
      • Accessibility Plan
      • Annual Report
      • Clinical Priorities Plan
      • Leadership Team
      • Patient Safety Plan
      • Public Reporting
        Toggle Section Public Reporting Menu
        • Clostridium Difficile
        • Hand Hygiene Compliance
        • Hospital-Acquired Infections Rates and Trends
        • Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureas
        • Questions About Hospital-Aquired Infection Rates
        • Surgical Site Infection Prevention
      • Quality Governance Council
      • Quality Improvement Plan
      • Strategic Plan
    • Careers
      Toggle Section Careers Menu
      • Career Opportunities
      • Physician Opportunities
      • What We Offer
    • Contact Us
    • Directions and Parking
    • Get Involved
      Toggle Section Get Involved Menu
      • Board of Directors
      • Community Representatives on Board Committees
      • Patient and Family Advisory Council
      • Volunteer
    • Latest News
      Toggle Section Latest News Menu
      • Media Relations Policy
      • Subscription Form
    • Leadership Team
    • Patient Privacy and Safety
    • Volunteer
      Toggle Section Volunteer Menu
      • Apply to Volunteer

Contact Us

Subscribe to this Page

William Osler Health System logo with Accreditation Canada seal

Brampton Civic
Hospital

2100 Bovaird Drive East,
Brampton, ON L6R 3J7
Phone: 905-494-2120
More Information

Etobicoke General
Hospital

101 Humber College Boulevard,
Etobicoke, ON M9V 1R8
Phone: 416-747-3400
More Information

Peel Memorial Centre for
Integrated Health and Wellness

20 Lynch Street,
Brampton, ON L6W 2Z8
Phone: 905-494-2120
More Information

Reactivation Care
Centre

200 Church Street,
Etobicoke, ON M9N 1N8
Phone: 416-243-4390
More Information

Withdrawal Management
Centre

135 McLaughlin Road South,
Brampton, ON L6Y 2C8
Phone: 905-456-3500
More Information

View our Facebook Page View our Instagram Page View our LinkedIn Page View our Twitter Page View our YouTube Page
Contact UsNLOT/IPAC Hub PortalPrivacyRemote AccessSitemapTerms of UseVicNetWebsite Feedback

© Copyright 2021 William Osler Health System

By GHD Digital

I Want To...

Pay Bill OnlineProvide Feedback
Find icon

Find

  • Diagnostic Imaging
  • Directions and Parking
  • Emergency and Urgent Care Wait Times
  • Find a Doctor or Service
  • Health Records
  • Labour and Delivery
  • Mental Health and Addictions
  • MyChart
  • Osler Research Institute for Health Innovation
  • Paying Your Bill
  • Preparing for Surgery
  • Send Greeting Cards
Get Involved icon

Get Involved

  • Careers
  • Donate to Osler Foundation
  • Patient and Family Advisory Council
  • Volunteer
Learn icon

Learn

  • Global Health
  • Latest News
Close Old Browser Notification
Browser Compatibility Notification
It appears you are trying to access this site using an outdated browser. As a result, parts of the site may not function properly for you. We recommend updating your browser to its most recent version at your earliest convenience.