People of Peel Memorial: Baljit Ghuman, community member

Baljit Ghuman was just 15 years old when his family immigrated to Canada from India in 1990. After making Brampton their home, he had his first introduction to Canada’s health care system when he had to visit William Osler Health System’s (Osler) original Peel Memorial Hospital. He was impressed.

“The staff looking after me was so compassionate and caring,” he said. “They showed a lot of concern for my health, and it was clear that the people they care for really matter to them. It was very comforting.”

As an amateur historian with a passion for the architecture of buildings and the history of cities, Ghuman remembers reading about Peel Memorial’s rich history displayed on its walls. This included who built the hospital and the generous donors who helped make it a reality. “What stood out for me at the time was that Peel Memorial was the first hospital to be built to serve the region, and it was a name that people recognized when you referenced it.”

Little did Ghuman know at the time how much Peel Memorial would be woven into his family’s life. He and his wife welcomed their two daughters, now 18 and 22 years of age, at the hospital, and it was there that his late mother first received dialysis after being diagnosed with kidney disease.

Referred to Osler nephrologist, Dr. Bajinder Reen, Ghuman’s mother immediately felt at ease with the physician as he spoke her native language, Punjabi. That went a long way in increasing her trust and comfort level when faced with the prospect of starting dialysis.

“The team at Peel Memorial held a training session where they showed us what dialysis is and how the machine works,” said Ghuman. “It was so helpful for our family to know exactly what the process involved before my mother began her treatment.”

His mother later came under the care of another Osler nephrologist, Dr. Hitesh Mehta, who spoke Hindi, a language his mother also understood. Ghuman credits both doctors with inspiring his mother to remain successfully on dialysis for the last 17 years and enjoy a good quality of her life.

Ghuman’s mother passed away in 2022, but he remembers with great fondness the excellent care his mother received at Peel Memorial, and later at Osler’s Brampton Civic Hospital.

“The staff were so caring and professional. Kidney disease and dialysis is not easy on the patient and family, but whenever we were there, the team always greeted us with smiles on their faces and made the day better us. I am so thankful we have such great staff at Osler.”