QEII Foundation

Vanessa Dairo-Singerr, a Dalhousie University dentistry graduate, is pursuing a General Practice Residency (GPR) at Western University enabling her to gain more experience in hospital-based dentistry and the management of medically compromised patients.

Vanessa was born in Nigeria, and shortly after moved to Ireland and later to Canada. "Education about, and access to, oral health where my parents grew up in Nigeria was minimal," she says. The first time she and her family went to a dentist was in Ireland when she was six or seven. "I hope to increase access to dental care because of our past experiences," she says.

Vanessa was “ecstatic" to receive two QEII Foundation Diversity in Health Care bursaries, donor-provided funding that support students who are generally under-represented in healthcare fields. As a recipient, Vanessa hopes that she can "inspire others who come from similar backgrounds and have faced challenges to believe that they, too, can also pursue a career in health care." 💜 Read more: https://bit.ly/43zLNAa

Story credit: Dalhousie Faculty of Dentistry Dalhousie University

Generous donors to the QEII Foundation’s palliative care trust fund allowed the palliative care team at the Victoria General site’s 12-bed inpatient unit to purchase an accessible whirlpool tub.

Carrie Edwards was admitted to the QEII’s inpatient palliative care unit on February 23 with late-stage pancreatic cancer. The whirlpool tub brought her peace and comfort prior to her passing in early April 2026.

For Carrie, the warm water and bubbles also soothed her bed sores and the inflammation in her legs and feet. Diagnosed with pancreatic cancer four years ago and having undergone several rounds of treatment, Carrie was admitted to the palliative care unit after the extreme pain she experienced made living alone in her Dartmouth apartment unmanageable.

“It is just heavenly,” said Carrie. “Soaking in it makes me feel so good.” 💜

The Spring 2026 edition of the QEII Times is now available online. Read this story and more:

QEII TIMES: Therapeutic relief: new accessible whirlpool tub at the QEII QEII Foundation donors supporting patients through end-of-life careAs health services manager of Nova Scotia Health’s Central Zone Palliative Care Programs, Eric Newson is thankful for a new option to help patients experience comfort and relaxation as they approach the end of their lives.Generous ...