Welcome to our Message from Mark page! Here, you’ll find regular updates straight from our President and CEO Mark Fam, sharing what’s happening at our hospitals, our latest projects, and how we’re working to make a difference.

It’s Mark’s way of keeping our community in the loop by sharing a behind-the-scenes look at how our vision, mission, and values drive us every day to deliver an extraordinary patient experience.

Most recent message

Celebrating Black History Month: Honouring contributions, advancing change

February 1, 2025

February marks Black History Month, a time for us to celebrate the remarkable contributions of Black Canadians within Oak Valley Health, our communities, and beyond. It’s also an opportunity to challenge harmful narratives, advocate for equity and inclusion, and continue educating ourselves on how we can be better allies, and work to dismantle anti-Black racism.

As a person of colour and first-generation Canadian, whose family fled religious persecution, I sit today in a place of privilege but understand the importance of allyship, equity, and inclusion. However, I don’t have the same experience as my Black colleagues and patients, who confront anti-Black racism everyday. There is still much work to be done to dismantle anti-Black racism and oppression at Oak Valley Health.

By the end of this fiscal year, all leaders in our organization will participate in anti-Black racism training through both eLearning and in-person sessions. This training will be expanded across the organization next fiscal year. Over the course of February there will be team huddle discussions about the contributions Black leaders have made to the health system. As well, the challenging experiences my Black colleagues and patients face in hospital settings, and the multi-generational impact to health outcomes that Black communities face.

I am grateful to our Network for Black Employees (NBE), whose dedication has made possible a series of impactful events throughout the month. With their support, we have many events and education sessions planned, some of which are open to our community. I encourage you to consider joining us for our Black History Month Market on February 12 from 9 to 4 p.m. and our wrap-up event and student art competition on February 27 from 2 to 3 p.m. Both of these events will be held at Markham Stouffville Hospital.

In addition to these events, our social media channels will be proudly sharing Black voices and stories, celebrating and recognizing familiar faces at Oak Valley Health, including Herbeisha Williams, Olatundun Esho, and Curtis Munroe. 

At Oak Valley Health, we are committed to creating a space where everyone feels safe, supported, and valued. As health care professionals and community leaders, it is our collective responsibility to ensure that our work environments — whether in care settings or beyond — are inclusive and welcoming. This month, let’s continue having meaningful conversations about anti-Black racism, amplify Black voices, and take actionable steps toward dismantling biases and racism. 

This is one of many steps we can take together to make Oak Valley Health a place of belonging. It is an opportunity to live our honoured to care culture with both our colleagues and our patients through allyship and inclusion.

The past teaches us about the present, and the actions we take today, help us build a better future. Take this month to learn more about Canada’s past in anti-Black racism, and how we can all contribute to a more inclusive community, for the health outcomes of today’s generations and those to come.

Past messages

As Mark continues to share his thoughts with the community, past messages will be available here.

2025