At this year’s Courage Awards, we had the pleasure of presenting the 2024 Impact and Legacy awards to two community-minded leaders in recognition of their kindness, generosity, advocacy work, and significant contributions to the Glenrose and greater community.
Impact Award presented to Lindsay Kelly
Resilient, compassionate, and dedicated are just a few words to describe Lindsay Kelly, the deserving recipient of this year’s Impact Award. Her life is a profound example of how personal challenges can be transformed into fuel for good.
In 1972, Lindsay had her first of two experiences with the Glenrose when a car accident left her with a severe spinal cord injury. As Lindsay recounts, she arrived at the hospital unable to walk and when she left, she was on her own two feet.
As the years progressed, so did her involvement in the community. With a professional career that spanned years in both the public and private sectors, Lindsay also spent many of her spare moments championing those in need, supporting organizations from mental health to arts, housing to youth empowerment, and women’s advocacy work.
Fastforward to 2023, Lindsay had her second experience with Glenrose after another serious but very different health crisis when she contracted a bacterial infection while vacationing in Mexico. As a result, Lindsay lost her left arm above the elbow.
Today, while she still faces significant health challenges, Lindsay remains a source of inspiration and passionate advocate for her community, a community which this time, has come together to uplift her.
“Whether through leadership or support, Lindsay’s time and energy have always been devoted to making a lasting difference in the lives of those who need it most,” says Mark Korthuis, President & CEO of the Glenrose Hospital Foundation.
We are thrilled to recognize Lindsay with the 2024 Impact Award.
Legacy Award in Memory of Patrick John de Grace
Pat de Grace first visited the Glenrose when a severe stroke in September of 2020 left him with paralysis on the left side of his body.
“Two months prior, he was told he would be going to a long-term care facility. At the Glenrose, no one said to Pat, ‘You can’t’,” said his wife, Laurie, when speaking on his time at the hospital.
And because the Glenrose believed in Pat when others didn’t, Pat’s belief in the Glenrose only grew stronger with every visit.
An accountant by trade, Pat was often described as ‘analytical, resourceful, and a researcher’, and in typical Pat fashion, he harnessed these skills to seek out the perfect trike to help him get back to one of his true passions – cycling. That’s when Pat and Laurie first discovered the Glenrose Hospital Foundation’s Courage Ride, which despite his hurdles, he rode in 2022 and 2023 with Laurie by his side.
And through riding, Pat became an ambassador for the Glenrose, showcasing what grit, determination, and resiliency can achieve.
Sadly, Pat passed away on June 24, 2024, from heart failure. At the 2024 Courage Ride, Laurie, also an active member of the ride’s organizing committee, rode in Pat’s memory on Team Pat de Grace.
“Pat’s drive to find a way forward, to keep doing what he loved while giving back, that’s something to celebrate. He is a pillar of strength, of hope—a reminder to never give up,” says Amber Benders, Director of Development at the Glenrose Hospital Foundation.
We are honoured to award Pat the Legacy Award, posthumously, in recognition of all he achieved and his profound impact on rehabilitation healthcare.
On behalf of the Glenrose Hospital Foundation and this year’s Courage Awards presenting sponsor, James H. Brown Injury Lawyers, congratulations to this year’s Impact and Legacy award recipients, Lindsay Kelly and Patrick John de Grace.
