Our Hospital, Our StoriesHonouring Leslie E (Odette) Berezowsky: A Radiologic Technologist’s Lifetime of Service and the Power of Generosity
Posted on: Aug 15, 2024Leslie dedicated most of her life to caring for patients inside the walls of the Royal Alexandra Hospital. Since her passing, her legacy continues to live on.
Leslie is remembered for being a caring friend to everyone around her including her five sisters, who recall how she loved deeply and loved well. This compassion extended into her work as a
Radiologic Technologist at the Royal Alexandra Hospital where she completed her initial training in
1967, devoting a long career to her craft, and later retiring in 2007, extending her benevolent nature and medical knowledge to thousands of patients.
Her ambition began early on as she wrote in her grade nine yearbook that she wanted to enter the
medical field. She did not let the limited career options available to women during this time
intimidate her and always stayed at the top of her class, working hard to create financial stability
and opportunities for herself.
While building her career, Leslie met a Radiologist, and love of her life, Walter (Wally) Berezowsky,
who was just as adventurous as she was and immensely proud of her work ethic. The two went on
to travel Greece, Ireland, Bermuda, and the Maritimes. Leslie marked off bucket list items like
greeting polar bears in Churchill, flying over the Grand Canyon in a helicopter, and crossing the
trans-Atlantic in the Queen Mary II.
Painful news struck when Wally was diagnosed with dementia, but rather than running from the
disease, Leslie’s commitment to him only deepened. The pair even attended Wally’s 50th high
school reunion, where upon returning home, Wally couldn’t help but tell everyone how he was with the most beautiful woman in the room. Leslie quickly adjusted from partner to caregiver and
extended the warm patience and good-natured humour she was so used to sharing with her
patients at the hospital, to Wally.
After many years of caring for her beloved Wally, Leslie encountered her own health challenges in
the form of a cancer diagnosis. As expected, she continued to live her life with her trademark
warmth and compassion, always extending her love to her friends, family, and community despite
her declining health. She sadly lost her battle in 2019 but continued to keep those around her in her heart and at the top of her mind, bequeathing a significant donation to the Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation. A gift which not only commemorates her spirit, time, and impact on the hospital, but will continue growing her influence through funding innovative programs, next-generation equipment, and advanced research.
By leaving this generous gift, Leslie became a member of the Royal Willow Society, a group recently established to honour donors past and present—those who have left legacy gifts and those who have declared the Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation in their wills—for their contributions and welcome them to connect around long term impact. Please join us in thanking and celebrating Leslie for a life well lived, and for leaving a lasting impact on our hearts, our hospital, and our community.
For information about how you can cement your legacy, or to learn more about the Royal Willow
Society, please visit our Legacy Giving Page or contact Andrew Otway: aotway@royalalex.org or
Ebenezer Fordjour: efordjour@royalalex.org today.