Winter/Spring 2026 Literary Lunch Hours
See individual sessions for free registration.
Take a break from your routine and tap into your creativity for a lunch hour during our free literary lunch hours this season. Please register in advance for each session to receive meeting access.
Wednesday, March 25, 2026
Film Storytelling in Palliative Care
Online from 12:00 – 1:00 pm ET
From the Island of Listeners, Rachel Gray and Kim Kilpatrick share their process for putting together a film that incorporates hand painted oil animations and draws upon stories collected from patients, caregivers, and healthcare providers in the Bruyère Palliative Care Unit.
Participants will have the chance to reflect on narrative approaches through a disability informed lens and consider how to integrate accessibility into their work.
Rachel Gray
Rachel Gray is an interdisciplinary director, artist, and creative producer based in Ottawa working across film, opera, performance, and visual art. She leads collaborative projects that bring together artists, researchers, and communities to translate underrepresented experiences into immersive, accessible forms.
Kim Kilpatrick
Kim Kilpatrick is a blind storyteller and performer based in Ottawa with 20+ years of professional experience. Kim uses wit, warmth, and exuberance to craft vivid stories that challenge assumptions about disability and invite audiences into deeper listening and connection.
Wednesday, April 29, 2026
Playwriting and Theatre Arts in Healthcare
Online from 12:00 – 1:00 pm ET
Drawing on his experience as an award-winning playwright, Charles Hayter shines a spotlight on the connections between Narrative-Based Medicine and playwriting.
Together, we’ll explore key dramatic principles and their connections to our healthcare experiences. With the stage set, participants will work through a scene writing exercise and reflect as a group.
Charles Hayter MA, MD
Charles Hayter is a physician and award-winning playwright based in Toronto. His most recent book is Cancer Confidential: Backstage Dramas in the Radiation Clinic (University of Toronto Press, 2022), a collection of stories based on encounters with cancer patients during his career as an oncologist. He is currently dramatizing the book for act2studioWORKS in Toronto.
About the Literary Lunch Hours
With an emphasis on interactivity and collaboration, our Literary Lunch Hours provide space for members of the NBM Lab community to learn about new work in the field, engage in dialogue, and exchange ideas.