Julie Vanyolai is pictured at a care desk talking to a colleague whose back is turned to the camera. She has strawberry blonde/red hair, which is tied up in a bun, and blue eyes. She’s wearing blue scrubs and has a stethoscope around her neck.
Julie Vanyolai is known for facing challenges head on and turning them into opportunities. Her passion, drive and compassion has made her one of the most skilled and respected respiratory therapists at KHSC.
Credit
Matthew Manor

Julie Vanyolai’s days are like snowflakes; no two are ever alike. And the respiratory therapist wouldn’t have it any other way.

You see, the diversity of her role, the patients she cares for and her colleagues constantly inspire her, even after 17 years with Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC).

“I knew early on I wanted to work in health care,” explains Vanyolai.

“The idea of supporting people with something so essential, like helping a newborn take its first breath or comforting a patient taking their last, motivated me to pursue respiratory therapy.”

Julie Vanyolai is pictured standing, facing a piece of equipment. She’s tapping a button and holding a suction tube. She has strawberry blonde/red hair, which is tied up in a bun, and blue eyes. She’s wearing blue scrubs and has a stethoscope around her neck.
Vanyolai is celebrated for her kindness and compassion. She believes when people lead with kindness it not only sets a positive example, but also inspires others to do the same.

Her drive to monitor, assess and treat individuals who have difficulty breathing has made her one of the most skilled and respected respiratory therapists at KHSC.

She’s known for turning challenges into opportunities, all while sporting a smile.

Which is comforting because she mainly works in critical care areas, like the Emergency Room or Neonatal and Intensive Care Units.

“I care for patients of all ages, from the tiniest premature babies whose lungs aren’t fully developed and asthmatic children to trauma patients needing life support and elderly patients with chronic obstructive lung disease.

“I enjoy making a difference in the lives of my patients, some of whom are having the worst day of their lives.”

Julie Vanyolai is pictured standing next to a piece of respiratory therapy equipment, and is looking directly into the camera. She has strawberry blonde/red hair, which is tied up in a bun, and blue eyes. She’s wearing blue scrubs and has a stethoscope around her neck.
Even after 17 years as a respiratory therapist with KHSC, Vanyolai says she’s constantly inspired by the people she works with and the patients and families she cares for.

And that’s exactly what Vanyolai and the entire respiratory therapy team do… make a difference.

“We’re responding to calls where patients are acutely short of breath, assessing and suctioning patients with tracheostomies, or completing home oxygen assessments. We’re also assisting with establishing airways, initiating and maintaining ventilators, or inserting arterial lines.

“You’ll also find us responding to code blues or trauma team activation calls.”

Julie Vanyolai is pictured caring for a young patient in an incubator/isolette. She has strawberry blonde/red hair, which is tied up in a bun, and blue eyes. She’s wearing blue scrubs and has a stethoscope around her neck.
Vanyolai mainly works in critical care areas at KHSC, like the Emergency Room or Neonatal and Intensive Care Units.

See, we told you, every day is different.

But there are some constants: Vanyolai always leads with kindness, and the respiratory therapy team has each other’s backs.

“We begin our shifts assigned to specific areas with routine tasks, but when acuity is higher than normal, we support each other by taking on more patients and cross-covering in multiple areas.

“When we lead with kindness, we set a positive example, inspire others to do the same, and foster an environment where people feel safe to express themselves and work towards a common goal. We truly work as a team.”

Just like snowflakes, her days may be unique, but lucky for us, Vanyolai has the passion, determination and skill to make every patient’s breath count.

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