Patients at Toronto Western Hospital’s Spinal Cord Clinic know that the team of clinicians and researchers are working tirelessly to provide comprehensive medical care and develop exciting new treatment strategies for disorders of the spine and for spinal cord injuries.
The spinal cord and spinal nerves carry messages between the brain and the rest of the body. When injury occurs because of conditions such as spinal stenosis, it can mean sensory and motor disabilities. Spinal stenosis happens when the space inside the backbone is too small, putting pressure on the spinal cord and nerves that travel through the spine.
Vivienne Page was one such patient, having been seen for spinal stenosis at Toronto Western Hospital before her death in November 2018 at the age of 95.
Supported by her devoted husband Jack, Vivienne was able to live a long and happy life despite her condition. Jack and Vivienne travelled the world, saw many exciting places and had many adventures. Vivienne worked well into her 70s as a legal assistant. Jack predeceased Vivienne by about two months.
Vivienne and Jack were provided a tour at Toronto Western Hospital, learning about stem cell research and how it can be used for actual nerve cell regeneration. Vivienne left her entire estate to UHN, to support Spinal Cord Injury Research.
Jack and Vivienne Page’s estate gift is a testament to the impact their legacy will make on spinal cord research at Toronto Western Hospital. With their generous contribution, Toronto Western Hospital’s clinicians and researchers can continue providing exceptional medical care to patients and pave the way for groundbreaking research in spinal cord injury.
