Abigail Obenchain has been an active volunteer at Sault Area Hospital since 2020, contributing her time, expertise and voice to help strengthen care for patients and families across the community.
This year, she is the recipient of the Health Care Award for the SooToday Community Builders Awards, presented by Heritage Home Hardware. This award is a recognition of her tireless efforts to ensure patients are heard and healthcare workers feel supported.
Obenchain began as part of the Patient and Family Advisory Council (PFAC) resource pool before becoming an active member of the Corporate PFAC.
She has served on many committees, supported projects and process improvements and consistently advocated for better access to healthcare, particularly for vulnerable and underserved populations.
“It’s been incredibly rewarding to have the opportunity to provide the voice of the patient to hospital projects,” Obenchain said. “I think that [the withdrawal management facility] is the best that it can be because the voice of the patient was so highly respected.”
Obenchain’s leadership extends beyond the hospital walls.
She has been instrumental in bridging gaps among community organizations, helping to foster learning and collaboration.
She also co-created the PFAC Gratitude Program, allowing advisors to recognize staff on a monthly basis to boost morale in various departments.
“I believe that healthcare worker morale is the foundation of the healthcare system,” Obenchain explained. “If our healthcare workers are overly stressed and unhappy, then we’re less likely to get good care.”
In 2023, she was honoured with Sault Area Hospital’s iCcare Award for her outstanding volunteerism.
Yet, she remains humble about recognition. When she learned of her Community Builders Awards win, she said: “I was extremely surprised, especially because I don’t know who nominated me.”
Obenchain continued, “I feel very humbled. There are so many doctors and nurses more deserving than me, but I see this as a chance to show that even non-healthcare workers can make a difference through volunteerism and advocacy.”
Obenchain also brings her passion for equity and inclusion into her work.
She is an inaugural member of SAH’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Working Group, where she helped launch Pride Month initiatives and designed a logo for t-shirts to foster welcoming spaces for the LGBTQQIA2S+ community.
She is known for her ability to communicate clearly and advocate with respect, always ensuring that her suggestions reflect integrity and a sense of justice.
Her dedication is deeply personal. “I was once poor in America with no health insurance and had to get my healthcare from Planned Parenthood,” Obenchain recalled. “When I moved to Canada in 1992, I was like, ‘Oh my god, universal healthcare is such an incredible blessing and I want to make sure it’s sustainable and healthy into the future.’”
That commitment only grew stronger when her son was born ill in 1996. “The hospital saved his life,” Obenchain said. “I will never stop being grateful for that.”
Today, Obenchain continues to challenge herself and others.
“I think it’s important to be part of the solution rather than sitting back and making judgments and complaining on social media,” she shared.
“If you are concerned about the quality of care you’re receiving, don’t just sit at home and complain to your friends and family or on social media. Ask to speak to the head of the department. Contact patient relations. Then share your concerns in a respectful way.”
Through her advocacy, empathy and determination, Abigail Obenchain has proven that one person’s voice can help strengthen the healthcare system for everyone.
The Health Care Award is presented to an individual or group that has had an important impact on the health care of the community.
Congratulations, Abigail!
The Health Care Award is proudly sponsored by Final Touch Property Maintenance Services.