Scheif's Healthcare Heroes - Dr. Paul Van Caeseele

Practice, patience and progress. Every NHL player spends time away from the ice watching game video both to analyze their own performance and to scout the opposition. In healthcare, studying the opponent is also extremely important, but involves less slapshots and more science. With COVID-19, scientists and healthcare professionals have been given the ultimate opponent to study.
Dr. Paul Van Caeseele, Medical Director at Cadham Provincial Laboratory, has spent the last two years learning everything he can about this opponent. With extensive background in the study of viruses and other communicable diseases across the country and around the world, Dr. Van Caeseele and his team at the lab had begun preparation when the first signs of a mystery virus began to emerge, long before it was fully clear what the world would soon be dealing with.

A hockey season can be called a grind, but making it through an 82-game schedule pales in comparison to the work and research that have gone into COVID-19. Paul has invested several NHL seasons worth of time studying the virus.
In his role, he has overseen all aspects of testing for COVID-19 and worked to balance the need for COVID-19 testing with other priorities of the lab. He has also supported public health officers and infection prevention and control personnel, all of whom have worked together to develop a deeper understanding of the virus.
"I admit that pandemics take a lot more energy and resilience, but they also are very unifying times when people reach out and help more than ever. It is truly astounding to see how much care and generosity people have in times like these." - Dr. Paul Van Caeseele, Medical Director, Cadham Provincial Laboratory