Ontarians have created a huge collage that was released on social media and billboards around the province today showing their appreciation for doctors this Doctors’ Day.
The Ontario Medical Association, which represents the province’s 43,000 doctors, asked Ontarians to take part in a new social media campaign this year to thank doctors for their expertise and dedication to patient care.
Thousands of people picked coloured tiles with messages saying how they wanted to thank their doctors, ranging from “My doctor helped me recover from COVID” to “My doctor kept my family healthy” and “My doctor’s diagnosis saved my life.”
Those tiles were used to form a huge “thank you with colour” collage showing a doctor and a patient that appears on billboards in 26 communities today and on social media.
May 1 was recognized by the provincial government in 2011 as the official day of appreciation for Ontario’s doctors. The date was chosen to mark the birthday of Canada’s first female physician, Dr. Emily Stowe.
Every day, Ontario’s doctors treat and care for more than 340,000 patients across the province. For more than two years doctors have been on the front lines of the pandemic, helping to keep their patients and their communities safe, often at risk to themselves and their families.
Landmarks around Ontario will light up in blue today in honour of Doctors’ Day, including Niagara Falls, the CN Tower, the Big Nickel in Sudbury and many city halls.
