UHN’s Dr. Jessica Liu has proved her life-saving instincts extend far beyond our hospital walls. Dr. Liu recently received the Toronto Citizen Hero Award at the Toronto Emergency Services Headquarters.
Midmorning on July 25, 2026, a routine sprinting workout near Rosedale Park Recreation Centre suddenly turned life-threatening. When a young man unexpectedly collapsed, bystanders and parents at a nearby children’s soccer game rushed to help. Among them were Dr. Jessica Liu, Dr. Hedieh Molla Ghanbari, and Daniel Tiberini.
Discovering the man had no pulse, the trio immediately sprang into action. While Dr. Liu and Dr. Ghanbari started CPR, Daniel sprinted to the recreation centre nearby to retrieve an AED.
After four grueling rounds of CPR and two shocks from the defibrillator, the man finally took a breath on his own and regained consciousness. Paramedics soon took over, rushing him to Toronto General Hospital. Following an extensive treatment at UHN, the young man has made a full recovery and is back to living his life fully.
The Toronto Citizen Hero Award is shared between Dr. Jessica Liu, Dr. Hedieh Molla Ghanbari, and Daniel Tiberini. The young man’s mother was present during the ceremony to celebrate this incredible achievement.
When asked about how she felt about this honour, Dr. Liu said:
There is nothing like looking into another mother’s eyes and having her thank you for saving her son’s life, it’s absolutely incredible.”
-Dr. Jessica Liu
Internal Medicine
Dr. Jessica Liu is Division Head, Internal Medicine and Geriatrics at UHN – a specialized team of doctors, nurses and other medical professionals tasked to diagnose and care for some of the most complex cases at UHN. With 200 inpatient beds, the Internal Medicine service is by far UHN’s largest.
At UHN, the Internal Medicine team operates with a unique mandate: there is no cap on the number of patients they treat. Dr. Liu leads UHN’s busiest on-call service, where physicians are asked to assess and admit over 700 patients from the Emergency Department every month. She has experience creating and implementing new models of care and was one of the very first physicians to lead the Internal Medicine COVID-19 wards at Toronto General Hospital and Toronto Western Hospital. She is also an award-winning teacher on the resident and medical student teaching wards.
Fuelled by donor support, UHN can take on the sickest, most complex cases from across the province and the country. This is where the Internal Medicine team truly shines. As specialists, they expertly navigate chronic, multi-layered conditions with a deeply patient-centred approach. Ultimately, the unwavering generosity of our donor community is one of the driving forces behind UHN’s ability to deliver this incredible, life-changing care.
