Parents give back to LHSC trauma team to continue daughter’s legacy

An undated image of Rachel Carroll. (Source: London Health Sciences Foundation)

Over the next decade, Lisa and Dennis Carroll have pledged $1,000 annually in order to establish the Rachel Carroll Wellness Award.

The award is in memory of their daughter Rachel, who “possessed a zest for life and a passion for travel.”

Rachel suffered traumatic injuries in a car crash while travelling to Costa Rica.

According to the release, the trauma team at LHSC played a “pivotal role” in her recovery, which allowed her to chart a new path focus on healing and spirituality.

“Rachel's accident and her subsequent hospitalization at LHSC was life-altering for her,” said father Dennis and stepmother Lisa. “Her recovery, though painful and long, was aided by countless compassionate doctors, nurses and staff.”

Her parents said a trauma social worker at LHSC named Karen Pierre helped Rachel in her recovery and helped the family with navigating through their journey.

“She embraced a simpler life, focused on health, family, and spirituality—a true embodiment of Pura Vida,” Dennis and Lisa said.

Rachel’s life was tragically cut short and she died of a brain aneurysm in October 2019.

“Receiving this generous donation is a reminder that even the simplest gestures to a healthcare provider leave lasting impressions on patients and families,” said Amy Maskish, a trauma nurse practitioner. “Rachel's memory, forever remembered in this award, serves as a symbol of gratitude from patients and families to those that provide them care.”

This year’s winners of the Rachel Carroll Wellness Award are Valorie White, a physiotherapy assistant, and Amy Gale, a charge nurse on the ortho trauma unit. They will each be awarded $1,000.

Their contributions were celebrated during the annual Trauma Survivors Night on May 28.

“The Rachel Carroll Wellness Award aims to recognize individuals who, like Rachel, demonstrate a love for learning and a commitment to helping patients heal from trauma,” the statement reads. “It is a testament to Rachel's spirit and the profound impact the trauma team had on her life.”