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Sue Robins
Aug 17, 20214 min read
Getting To Know You
To put the care back into health care, focus on relationships. To focus on relationships, build trust and mutual caring. To build trust...
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Sue Robins
Jul 24, 20213 min read
I Love You When You Are Mad
The other day, I overheard my son Aaron saying to our puppy Abby, "I love you no matter what." I do believe that Abby was being a turd at...
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Sue Robins
Jul 3, 20212 min read
Twenty days of radiation: A photo essay
If your heart is broken, make art with the little pieces. – Shane Koyczan I'm beyond thrilled that the Journal of Medical Imaging and...
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Sue Robins
Jul 2, 20213 min read
Explaining Bad Things
We did not celebrate Canada yesterday. Instead, we spent the day explaining to our son - who is 18 years old and has Down syndrome -...
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Sue Robins
Jun 27, 20215 min read
happy faces only: a commentary
happy faces only is a new book from author Karen Klak. I’ll show all my cards: Karen is my friend. I first met her at the Stollery...
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Sue Robins
Jun 23, 20214 min read
My Crystal Ball
My son Aaron is 18 years old. He imbibes in a beer at the pub where it is legal and is scrupulous about saving money to buy the latest...
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Sue Robins
Jun 11, 20214 min read
RIP Patient Engagement
My son had his second COVID shot yesterday. I know that I am supposed to be thankful for every crumb thrown to my disabled child. I am...
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Sue Robins
May 28, 20211 min read
Our Collective Trauma
Four years ago today I was in the middle of cancer treatment. I never got over it. I never went back to normal. It was not a gift. In...
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Sue Robins
May 24, 20213 min read
Do You Care About Disabled People Or Not?
I was recently on a panel for the Canadian Association for Health Services Policy and Research. The topic was an important one:...
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Sue Robins
May 19, 20212 min read
We Are All Perfectly Fine
“Please look after yourself. It is ok to have a good life.” As a nursing school drop-out who eventually was granted an English degree in...
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Sue Robins
May 3, 20213 min read
Mary Morgan's Obituary
My friend Mary Morgan died on April 13, 2021. Before she died, she lived. She definitely lived - a rich and bold life. She was loved by...
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Sue Robins
Apr 23, 20216 min read
The Vaccine Roll-Out Gong Show
Canada’s slow and painful vaccine roll-out is not surprising to anyone who has been immersed in health care in this country as a patient,...
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Sue Robins
Apr 17, 20214 min read
Grace for the Storytellers
It is not secret that I believe in the power of storytelling in health care. I have been coaching patients, families and staff to craft...
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Sue Robins
Apr 14, 20213 min read
There Was Something About Mary
My dear friend Mary died yesterday. She had a MAiD (Medical Assistance in Dying) appointment and now she is gone. I met Mary at a...
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Sue Robins
Apr 7, 20213 min read
Big Hearted in a Pandemic
This pandemic has deeply affected those with Big Hearts. I’m struggling to write coherently in the midst of this crisis. I fear for my...
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Sue Robins
Mar 30, 20211 min read
Our Joy Today
My (former) little baby boy turns 18 years old today. I am not going to give a commentary about Down syndrome or the pandemic. We are...
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Sue Robins
Mar 19, 20211 min read
The Loss This Past Year
I have been attending various caregiver support groups to try to make sense of what’s happened this past year. Talking through my story...
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Sue Robins
Mar 15, 20215 min read
Birds Art Life
It has been four years since my cancer diagnosis. In 2019 I published Bird's Eye View, my book about my cancer patient experience (among...
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Sue Robins
Mar 9, 20214 min read
Thirteen Ways to Be a Patient Ally
A while back, I was at a follow-up cancer appointment talking to an oncology resident in the clinic room. We were chatting about the...
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Sue Robins
Feb 8, 20218 min read
A Day In The Pandemic Life, Month 11
Our days revolve around my husband’s work-at-home schedule and our new pandemic puppy’s need to pee or poop. Mike (the husband)...
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