Feeling the love at Osler

Ryan handles the flowers and Jonathon cooks the dinner.

That’s been their Valentine’s Day tradition every year since they started dating in 2015. They met as students at the University of Toronto and their first date (coffee on campus) went so well, Jonathon was late for his anthropology exam and Ryan skipped class.

The rest, as they say, is history.

This year’s Valentine’s Day celebration will be their seventh together, third as a married couple – and first as colleagues at William Osler Health System (Osler).

Jonathon was the first to join Osler in July 2019 as a Spiritual Health Therapy Resident. Later, he transitioned into his current Coordinator position. “As a person offering spiritual and emotional support, I’m continually amazed by people’s openness and determination to persevere with kindness during these challenging times, as well as to seek support for themselves when needed,” said Jonathon.

Two years later, Ryan was hired as a Corporate Communications Specialist in the Strategic Communications Department, with already strong ties to Osler. He was born in the old Peel Memorial Hospital, and his father received dialysis three times a week at the existing Peel Memorial’s dialysis clinic. “Based on Jonathon’s experience at Osler, and the high-quality care my father received, I knew Osler was an organization where my work could make a difference.”

Jonathon and Ryan got married in October 2019, right before COVID-19 changed everything. “We were really lucky,” said Jonathon. “Literally, before the world shut down, we got our wedding and honeymoon in.”

They say that working together, not only at the same organization but at one of the hardest hit hospitals in the province in the pandemic, has both its perks and pitfalls.

“There is comfort in knowing he’s close by,” says Jonathon, who works on-site at Brampton Civic Hospital while Ryan primarily works at Peel Memorial. Being part of the same organization, they say they are more attuned to the pressures of their respective roles than other couples might be. “If either of us are having challenges, we definitely use each other as sounding boards, talking through things,” said Ryan.

“I can recall a number of nights where I’ve had to work late, or on particularly distressing cases, and often Ryan already has dinner waiting for me when I get home, and vice-versa” said Jonathon.

Of course, there is a flip side to being so connected.

“There are times when we find ourselves talking too much about our work we do stop ourselves and say ‘no Osler tonight. Time out on Osler’,” said Jonathon.

It’s a rule they definitely plan to follow this February 14, as they continue their annual dinner-at-home tradition. “One of my many part-time jobs was as a florist so I’ll do the flower arrangement and one of Jonathon’s previous jobs was as a chef so he’ll make the meal,” said Ryan.

They both agree that finding moments like these to put work (and constantly buzzing work phones) aside and appreciate one another is so important especially after the challenges of the last two years.