Dear Classmates & Friends,
We are grateful that the Class of Rehab ’78, family & friends have chosen to donate to the School of Rehabilitation Therapy in memory of Tina Demmers.
Gifts collected will provide much needed assistance to students travelling to placements in rural communities, to honour Tina's love of livingon the farm. We will also inform Tina’s family of the gifts that are made.
To make your gift online, please follow the instructions after selecting the Give Now button on this screen.
Thank you for your support.
Tina A. (Vooys) Demmers
Tina graduated from Courtice High School in 1974 having excelled in academics, drama and studentgovernment. Tina loved to sing and participated in several musicals. She then attended Queen’s University where she graduated from the Queen’s School of Rehabilitation Therapy in 1978.
She married Martin Demmers, BSc.’78 (Chem.Eng.) in 1978 and moved to Kitchener, ON, where she volunteered at a Cystic Fibrosis Swim Program and worked at St. Mary’s Hospital.
In 1984 Tina and Martin bought a farm and moved to Scugog Island near Port Perry.She becamea Sole-Charge Physiotherapist at Port Perry Community Hospital. At the time the departmen twas located in a 10ft x 20ft sunroom.
Over the years the Physiotherapy department grew, and Tina was in charge of a department that included both in-patient and out-patient physiotherapists. In 1995 a new wing was opened with a new expanded Physiotherapy department. Much praise was received from patients and hospital administration alike for Tina’s contribution to the creation of the new Physiotherapy space.
Tina’s responsibilities increased and after a short term merger with Uxbridge Hospital, the Port Perry Community Hospital joined forces in the newly created Lakeridge Health Corporation in Durham Region.
Tina eventually became the Site Director of Lakeridge Health Port Perry. She was a big supporter of education and of the LEARN program at Lakeridge with Queen’s University. She was a strong advocate of Physiotherapy Clinical education and was instrumental in creating a Rural Health Clinical placement, in the Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy program at Queen’s.
In 2009 after 25 years at Lakeridge Health Port Perry she left and helped run the family farm, Maplewinds, growing Certified Organic Vegetables and raising a Charolais Cow-calf herd. Tina still loved to sing both as a soloist and in the choir!
Tina was an untiring advocate for Physiotherapy Clinical education. She cared a great deal for her patients and people she met, affirming and valuing each person. That started with her beautiful smile.
Tina was a cherished wife, mother of four beautiful daughters and Oma to two boys.She was diagnosed with Leukemia in early 2014 and went home to her Saviour six months later. She is still singing!
