Feature image: Dennis Clark is pictured in the NICU at the KGH site, cleaning equipment. He has short brown hair, blue eyes and has tattoos on both arms. He’s wearing blue scrubs.
Clark joined the KHSC universe as an environmental services assistant in March 2019, but prior to that he was a grime fighter with Elite Window Cleaning.
Credit
Matthew Manor

Meet Clark Kent… whoops… we mean Dennis Clark.

You see around Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC) he’s sometimes known as Superman.

Why do you ask? Well back in 2016, we teamed up with Elite Window Cleaning to host the first ever Superhero Day for our Pediatrics department and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

Clark, who was a grime fighter with Elite at the time, was chosen to be the Man of Steel.

“I think it was the obvious choice for me, since Superman and I have similar haircuts. It was the first time I had dressed up as a superhero since I was a little kid,” recalls Clark.

“My feet were just appearing down the top of the windows, when I started to see excited faces. I remember becoming emotional and reminding myself to stay in character, these kids are brave so I need to stay strong for them.

“We swung around for about 10 minutes while interacting with everyone on the other side of the window and high fiving through the glass. It was an overwhelmingly joyous experience.”

Clark and the other caped crusaders also toured the spaces and visited with some excited patients, families and staff.

“We were given the warmest welcome. I remember thinking the staff here are the heroes, I’m just in a costume doing a cool thing, but these doctors, nurses and cleaners are here every day.

“It was really special. The amount of love and joy it brought out in people was amazing. I'll always cherish those memories.”

Little did he know, he’d be back to protect those same spaces, only this time armed with an ID badge.

In March 2019, Clark joined the KHSC universe as an environmental services assistant.

And get this, one of the areas he watches over is the NICU.

“What I enjoy most about my job is being able to help assist people in their time of need. I’m proud of the work I do here. I take pride in my cleaning, as it prevents outbreaks and further illness.

“Our job is to ensure the entire hospital remains sanitary, and I think my colleagues and I do a great job.”

Dare we say… a super job? Because it’s true. Our environmental services assistants make a difference each and every day.

Clark may have traded in his cape and tights, but he’s now part of the KHSC team mission, to transform care, together.