People of Peel Memorial: Ryan Degen, Communications Specialist

Peel Memorial. It’s where Ryan Degen took his first breath 34 years ago as a fragile infant born two months prematurely; it’s also the place where his father, Ralph, found care and compassion throughout a long and complicated medical journey; and where Ryan’s connection to the storied site has come full circle as a member of Osler’s Strategic Communications team.

Ryan was in grade six when a health crisis landed his father in Peel Memorial’s Intensive Care Unit for an extended stay and surfaced multiple complex health issues.

As Ralph’s health declined, he received hemodialysis at Peel Memorial Hospital, Brampton Civic Hospital and later at the new Peel Memorial Centre for Integrated Health and Wellness.

Despite the life-changing nature of autoimmune and kidney disease and the challenge of needing dialysis treatment three times a week, Ralph found solace in the familiarity of it all. He appreciated the quiet moments, and most of all, the people.

“From the Tim Hortons staff who prepared his coffee and banana-pecan muffin to the nurses, technicians and nephrologists who oversaw his care, my dad spoke of all of them with such gratitude,” said Ryan. “Their professionalism, their kindness – these small yet profound acts of care meant everything to him.”

Due to his complex health conditions, unexpected hospital visits became an unfortunate part of Ralph’s reality, characterized by rushed trips to the Emergency Department, overnight stays, waiting for test results and hoping for stability. During one of his hospital visits in 2020 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ralph didn’t come home.

“The pandemic made everything harder, yet even in that moment of loss, Osler staff showed incredible compassion, navigating the visitor policy to ensure that, in some small way, we could be with my father one last time,” said Ryan.

A year after Ralph passed away, Ryan was hired as a communications specialist where today he serves the very institution that has been intertwined with his family’s story from the moment he was born.

“Peel Memorial is more than just a building to me. It’s where I began, where I watched my father fight for more time and where I now contribute in my own way,” said Ryan. “In every hallway, in every patient story I help share, I am reminded of the incredible people who made all the difference – for my father, my family and now, for countless others.”