Finlay’s Voice: A Mother’s Fight to Fix Canada’s ER Crisis with Hazel van der Werken
Release Date: 01/15/2026
Finlay’s Voice: A Mother’s Fight to Fix Canada’s ER Crisis with Hazel van der Werken
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info_outlineHow long is too long to wait in an emergency room? For 16-year-old Finlay van der Werken, an eight-hour wait for a doctor proved fatal.
In this powerful episode of The Gritty Nurse Podcast, host Amie Archibald-Varley sits down with Hazel van der Werken to share the heartbreaking story of her son, Finlay. After being rushed to an Ontario hospital with what began as a migraine, Finlay was triaged as an CTAS 2 (urgent case) but left in a "constant state of terror" for hours as his oxygen levels plummeted. By the time he was finally seen, he was in septic shock.
Hazel discusses the systemic failures that led to Finlay’s preventable death and why she is now channeled her grief into Finlay’s Voice—a national movement demanding urgent reform in pediatric emergency care.
In this episode, we dive into:
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Finlay’s Story: The harrowing 8-hour wait at Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital.
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Sepsis Awareness: Identifying the "silent killer" that the WHO has named a global health priority.
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The Legislative Push: What is Finlay’s Law, and how would it mandate maximum wait times and safe staffing ratios for children?
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Advocacy in Action: How parents and healthcare providers can support Finlay’s Petition to ensure "no child dies waiting."
This is a must-listen for nurses, healthcare advocates, and parents. It’s time to move from complacency to action to protect our most vulnerable patients.
About the Guest: Hazel van der Werken is the mother of Finlay and the co-founder of Finlay’s Voice. She is currently advocating for a coroner’s inquest and the passage of Finlay’s Law in Ontario.
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Important Links & Resources:
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Sign Finlay’s Petition: https://www.finlaysvoice.com/finlay-s-law
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Learn More about Finlay’s Law & Voice: https://www.finlaysvoice.com/
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