I have been working as a nurse in a busy trauma unit for 15 years and love my job.

 

But I also have another passion - learning about Toronto's history: events, people, architecture. Three years ago I started to lead free tours around Toronto's different neighbourhoods. In this tour I decided to combine my two passions: medicine and the history of Toronto.

 

During the walk we will talk about Canadian-American Florence Nightingale, her mother dreamed of a nursing career for her daughter, but she made her name in the beauty industry. We will make stops next to different hospitals located around University Avenue and talk about their history, interesting people that worked there and how this area changed over time. We will discuss Toronto's most important medical discoveries and shameful moments: from the creation of insulin to the blood transfusion scandal. We will talk about the first female doctors and the prejudice they faced. I will discuss some interesting techniques the city used to solve sanitary problems and fight with flies and rats. We will pass by a school which had open air classes on the roof in order to fight tuberculosis. Next to the school there is a beautiful building designed by E.J. Lennox which had the first gym in the city with an indoor pool. We will talk about why Dr Fitzgerald was forgotten for decades despite his amazing fight against infectious diseases and his efforts to found the Toronto School of Hygiene.

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• Walk Start Location: College Park 777 Bay street, College and Bay.
  I will wear old fashion ivory hat.

• Walk End Location: Norman Bethune sculpture in the UFT.