The NBM Lab community gathered in Toronto on Wednesday, April 10, 2024 to celebrate a wonderful year of narrative 

We enjoyed a rich and diverse variety of readings, from moving personal poems and erasure texts, to compelling memoir, fiction, and essays, with our theme of “the body in practice” woven through them all in fascinating ways. 

Our writers ranged from Lab learners sharing work in public for the first time to published authors and Lab workshop facilitators.

Radiation oncologist and author Charles Hayter offered profound reflections on the challenges even an experienced practitioner faces upon turning caregiver, while Nick Pimlott shared his insights on the nature of family medicine and how it can be unexpectedly transformed through the power of reading.

Lab participant Sucheta Heble offereda powerful piece on what happened to her own “Intentions” when she suddenly found herself a patient, and Hesam Nozoori shared youthful memories of the ins and outs of athletic training and its meanings — the body in practice most literally.

We also heard wonderful stories and poems from poet and friend of the Lab Alisha Kaplan, participant Kate Kusiak, and poet and respirologist Punam Mony Nimchonok. 

Together these readings made for a wonderful reflection of the diverse Lab community, as well as a deeply felt invitation to pause and imagine our healthcare landscapes reinfused by narrative.

The evening unfolded with lively conversations and meaningful exchanges among our Lab friends, fostering connections and making new plans. We’re grateful to all our participants and look forward to more gatherings in the next year, in person and online.