Ryan's Legacy

In May 2005, Bruce and Myrtle Baskin’s son Ryan was rushed to The Ottawa Hospital’s Civic Campus after a serious car accident. He fought for his life in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for a week before succumbing to his injuries—one day before his 19th birthday. But not before his family made the difficult but compassionate decision to donate his organs and tissues to give five other people a new chance at life.

In the fall of 2005, they made another important decision—to donate funds to the Hospital as a thank you to the staff at the ICU. They created the Ryan Baskin Legacy Endowment Fund to help provide new equipment and important patient care items in the ICU.

“The caring people at the ICU during Ryan’s stay made the unbearable bearable,” explains Myrtle. “They were there to listen and wipe away the tears at two o’clock in the morning. Our son wasn’t just their patient; he was cared for like a family member.”

Thanks to the Baskins’ decision to give generously, others in our community will continue to benefit from the excellent care provided by the dedicated professionals at the ICU.