Medical Advisory Committee

The Make-A-Wish Canada Medical Advisory Committee is a dedicated group of healthcare professionals committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of children with critical illnesses who are granted wishes. This committee plays a vital role in assessing medical considerations, providing expertise, and collaborating with medical teams to create meaningful and safe wish experiences. By leveraging their knowledge and experience, the council helps Make-A-Wish Canada fulfill its mission of bringing hope, strength, and joy to children and their families during challenging times.

Dr. Heather Hodgson-Viden

Medical Advisory Committee Chair

Paediatrician, Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital

Saskatchewan

Dr. Jeremy Friedman

Medical Advisor

Associate Paediatrician-in-Chief, Department of Paediatrics, Hospital for Sick Children / SickKids

Ontario

Shawn White

National Board Director

Senior Manager, Government Affairs and Strategic Partnerships, GSK Canada

Nova Scotia

Dr. Bruce Crooks

Member

Program Director (Division of Hematology / Oncology), Izaak Walton Killam Hospital for Children (IWK)

Nova Scotia

Heather Falk

Member

Clinical Implementation Coordinator, Provincial Diagnostic and Surgical Recovery Task Force

Manitoba

Dr. Hema Patel

Member

Director, Division of General Pediatrics, Montreal Children’s Hospital and McGill University Health Centre

Quebec

Dr. Rod Rassekh

Member

Clinical Associate Professor, Division of Hematology, Oncology & BMT, University of British Columbia and Pediatric Oncologist, BC Children’s Hospital

British Columbia

Dr. Claudia Renaud

Member

Assistant Professor, Division of Cardiology, Montreal Children’s Hospital

Quebec

Darren Nantes

National Board Director

President and CEO, Nantes Capital

Nova Scotia

Dr. Candice Bjornson

Member

Pediatric Respirologist, Department of Pediatrics Professor, University of Calgary

Alberta

Dr. Esther Lee

Member

Pediatrician, BC Children’s Hospital Complex Care Program and Palliative Medicine Specialist, Canuck Place Children’s Hospice and Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics, University of British Columbia

British Columbia

Dr. Jessica Monteiro

Member

Pediatrician, Northern and Indigenous Child Health Program, Montreal Children’s Hospital and Assistant Professor (Clinical), Department of Pediatrics, McGill University

Quebec

Dr. Mahendra Moharir

Member

Director, Division of Neurology and Paediatric Stroke Program , Hospital for Sick Children/ SickKids and Professor, Dept. Of Pediatrics, University of Toronto

Ontario