News/Canada/Hamilton

Marcie McIlveen never thought she'd work in a hospital.Due to her negative experiences in treatment for substance use disorder on about 14 occasions, "I hated health care, did not like it, wanted nothing to do with it," McIlveen said.What she endured, however, has led to the work she does today. McIlveen is a peer support supervisor of a new St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton project — it involves people who've experienced addiction offering support to patients in the substance use program.Peer supporters keep patients company, get them comfort items and talk through problems.So how did someone who loathed hospitals end up spearheading a pilot? It started with handing out lunches to people in need. About five years ago, McIlveen was sober and looking for work. She started a job giving out fo...

In response to an Ontario-wide measles outbreak, with many cases occurring near Brantford, some public health units have expanded vaccinations to include infants as young as six months. Typically, the measles vaccine is given to children at one year old and then four years old. But with dozens of cases reported in the community, Grand Erie Public Health (GEPH) has made the first shot available to babies between six and 11 months, and the second to children before they turn four. GEPH is offering measles vaccination clinics and appointments can be booked through their website. Hamilton Public Health Services is also recommending the first vaccine dose be administered to infants under one year old if they're part of travel to other areas of Ontario or internationally.GEPH covers Brantford, a...