The PSOMA’s Autumn 2025 Pediatrician of the Season, is Dr. Jodi Rosner, general pediatrician in Kitchener, Ontario. She was nominated by the chief of her department, Dr. Carolyn Hutzal, highlighting her advocacy work in fundraising for the Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario (POGO), stating “with POGO grants from [Dr. Rosner’s] fundraising we have been able to enhance our care of children in our local POGO satellite at Waterloo Regional Health Network [WRHN] including a dedicated social worker providing psychosocial support to families, a full time child life specialist and music therapist to help kids during painful procedures and chemotherapy side effects, and this year we were even able to add a slushie machine to our clinic to help those with painful mucositis. Through Dr. Rosner’s fundraising efforts in our community, she has helped us to create a welcoming and supportive place for children to receive cancer care close to home.”

When I sat down with Dr. Rosner, she offered a glimpse into her multifaceted professional life. “My typical week is quite varied,” she explained, dividing her time between general pediatrics consulting, acute level 2 NICU, specialized diabetes clinics, and eating disorder clinics. Outside the hospital walls, Jodi runs a busy private practice providing expert pediatric consultation. She also maintains an active lifestyle through running and tennis, while nurturing her intellectual side through participation in a local book club.

When asked about her decision to practice in Kitchener-Waterloo, Jodi’s response revealed her thoughtful approach to career planning. “It was really about finding the right balance,” she shared. Initially having an interest in hematology/oncology, the birth of her son made her reflect on how to achieve work-life balance as a pediatrician and mother. Having grown up in nearby Guelph, along with Kitchener-Waterloo’s local POGO Satellite clinic, she was drawn to the region; “This location allowed me to continue my work with oncology patients while staying close to our family support network.”

Reflecting on her 24-year tenure at Grand River Hospital (now Waterloo Regional Health Network), Jodi’s eyes lit up as she described the evolution of patient care throughout her career. In particular, her work with the juvenile diabetes clinic has been rewarding. “Diabetes care, has transformed dramatically,” she noted. “The approaches we use today are worlds apart from when I first started.” When pressed about what else has kept her passionate through nearly a quarter-century of practice, Jodi didn’t hesitate: “It’s the connections with patients and their families.” Going back to her work with the pediatric cancer population, providing palliative home visits to children in her community, “My first patient, a young man with a rare hepatoblastoma, he left such an indelible impression on me.” Her experiences with this young man, his family, and many other families ultimately led to her founding a charity race for children with cancer.

The charity race, “Kitchener Kids with Cancer Run & Walk” it turns out, has become something of a phenomenon under Jodi’s guidance. She first conceived of the idea while running a half-marathon, and while pushing through the physical challenge of her race, reflected on the marathon children and families endure after a pediatric cancer diagnosis. Those experiences she’d had with families in the POGO clinic inspired her to do more. That day, she reached out to her marathon’s organizers and invited them to a lunch to discuss starting a charity race. “We started small in 2014,” she recalled, “with just 135 participants raising about $17,000. Today, it’s grown into a significant community event.”

In 2018, Jodi was awarded the POGO Community Partner Impact award for her work on this run, and now in its twelfth year, the event raised $122,000, increasing the total raised by this event since inception to $732,062.

She described the logistical challenges they’ve overcome as they grew. “We’ve expanded to include corporate sponsorships, team participation, and even corporate wellness activities. It’s become much more than just a fundraiser.” Her dream is to eventually take the race province-wide, with every POGO centre running a similar event on the same day. When asked for advice on starting an advocacy event like this, she encouraged pediatricians find a need that aligns with your passion, surround yourself with good, helpful people, and just DO IT.

The conversation shifted to Jodi’s clinical leadership roles, where she heads both the Eating Disorders Clinic and the Juvenile Diabetes Clinic. “These roles evolved naturally throughout my career,” she explained. “What I value most about these positions is the opportunity to build longitudinal relationships with patients. Watching them grow and overcome challenges over the years is incredibly rewarding.”

As our interview drew to a close, Jodi emphasized what makes pediatric practice in Ontario special. “The comprehensive coverage we have here allows us to provide truly holistic care,” she said. “And the collegial support within the Ontario Pediatric group is remarkable, with tertiary down the road, we’re never really practicing in isolation.”

Thank you, Dr. Rosner, for the work that you do for children and families in Ontario, and for inspiring us to advocate for our patients in small, and (really) big ways!

If you know a pediatrician who is doing amazing things in their community, be it excellent clinical care, innovative work, advocacy projects, education, or leadership, please consider sending a brief letter of nomination to pedsontario@gmail.com for the Pediatrician of the Season, Winter 2025.