Pioneering Nurse & Health Advocate
Before dedicating over 30 years of her career to improving healthcare in Ontario, Lillie Johnson already had an impressive resume. Born in 1922 in Jamaica, she worked as a nurse, teacher and midwife across the Caribbean and Europe in the 1940s and 50s.
After immigrating to Canada in 1960, Johnson became the first Black Director of Public Health for the Leeds, Grenville & Lanark District Health Unit. She advocated fiercely for marginalized communities, fighting to improve conditions for Caribbean migrant farmworkers in the region.
Outside of her trailblazing public health work, Johnson also taught healthcare courses at Humber College in Toronto. Her sustained passion for both education and caring for others stemmed from her upbringing, where family and schooling were deeply valued.
Founding A Crucial Health Organization
In 1981, Johnson founded the Sickle Cell Association of Ontario. Motivated by seeing the painful impacts of sickle cell disease first-hand as a nurse, she dedicated herself to supporting those with the disorder.
For over 30 years, Johnson has educated medical professionals, policymakers and the public about detecting symptoms and managing care. Thanks in part to her tireless advocacy, Ontario added sickle cell disease to its newborn screening program in 2005.
Johnson also co-founded TAIBU Community Health Centre in 2008 to specifically serve Toronto’s Black populations. “If there is anything I have learnt from Miss Lillie, it is to fight,” said TAIBU’s executive director. “You should fight for those who really need some changes in their lives and fight for those who deserve better.”
Awards & Accolades
Now more than 100 years old, Lillie Johnson has racked up awards and honors that demonstrate her trailblazing impact:
- 2009 Public Health Champion, City of Toronto Board of Health
- 2011 Distinguished Alumnus Award, University of Toronto Faculty of Nursing
- 2015 Torchbearer for the Pan-Am Games
- Invested into the Order of Ontario
Though Johnson has technically been retired since 1988, she has never stopped her lifelong advocacy to advance healthcare and support marginalized communities. Her sustained drive for both innovation and compassion will continue inspiring future generations of nurses and health professionals.
