JOANNE ASSELIN LEFT A GIFT OF CARING & UTMOST
PROFESSIONALISM BEFORE HER UNTIMELY PASSING

Joanne Asselin graduated from the Nursing Program at Vanier College in 1975 and then began working at the Montreal Children's Hospital. She eventually moved to the USA and worked at the Oconee Memorial Hospital in Clemson, South Carolina. Joanne worked in the ER as a staff nurse and for many years as the assistant Head Nurse in this very busy ER. Joanne died on November 26, 2006 of ovarian cancer at age 51. She left behind her husband, John Thomas and two daughters, Emily who turns 21 in the fall of 2009 with a full scholarship to University and Haley, 17, who will attend grade 11 in Clemson.

From all of the memorials and speeches given after her death, it is very clear that Joanne made a huge impact on everyone around her from her colleagues to patients to family & friends.

Mr. David Werden, a volunteer at the hospital where she worked, donated $100,000 to the hospital in Joanne’s honour, which resulted in the creation of the Joanne Asselin Memorial Nurses Station at Oconee Memorial Hospital. (See the photo below. Mr. Werden is third from the left)

At the dedication ceremony for the Nurses Station held on June 6, 2007, Dr. Patrick Johannes, the Director of Emergency Services at OMH, gave a moving speech which described very eloquently not only Joanne’s lifetime contribution to Nursing and to humanity in general, but also the very profession of Nursing itself. The full text of the speech is linked just below the photo.

Pictured at the Joanne Asselin Memorial Nurses’ Station are (left to right) Joanne’s sister Mary Asselin,
her mother Bridget Asselin, OMH Volunteer and donor David Werden, husband John Thomas (back),
mother-in-law Eleanor Thomas, daughters Haley and Emily Thomas and father-in-law Harry Thomas.

READ THE DEDICATION SPEECH FROM THE CEREMONY FOR THE MEMORIAL NURSING STATION
THAT WAS READ BY DR. PATRICK JOHANNES, DIRECTOR OF OCONEE EMERGENCY SERVICES