Joan Lesmond - A nurse, educator and respected advocate, her 30+ year mission to advance the nursing profession, protect and strengthen public health care and empower women and girls through education is still going strong. She was the YWCA 2011 Woman of Distinction for Health Leadership.

Considered one of the top 100 nurses in Canada, Joan was admired for opening all manner of doors for women.

As Chair of the Ontario Caregiver Coalition, she challenged the disproportionate burden of care on women. As President of the Association of Ontario Health Centres, Joan ensured the examination of social determinants of health and promoted the importance of anti-oppression frameworks. And as an educator at Ryerson University, Joan taught students the equal importance of quality of care, ethics and community engagement.

She served as the executive director of the St. Elizabeth Healthcare Foundation, mentored the team at Women’s Health in Women’s Hands Community Health Clinic, sat on a number of boards including Women’s College Hospital and Health Force Ontario and remained on the Community Planning Committee as Past President of Regent Park Community Health Centre. She was a past president of the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario.

Below is the information for the viewing the funeral arrangements for Joan.

Viewing:   August 9 & 10th – 6-9pm
McEachnie Funeral Home
28 Old Kingston Road
Ajax ON L1T 2Z7
Phone: 905-428-8488

Funeral on August 11, 2011
at 10:30AM:
St. Bernadette’s Roman Catholic Church
21 Bayly St. East
Ajax ON L1S 1P2
Phone:  905-683-1533