Lived Experience Representative; Canada

Santa Cuda is a dedicated caregiver with over 30 years of experience navigating the healthcare system for her parents. Her mother, a cardiac patient at UHN for 27 years, and has undergone multiple coronary procedures. This experience has given Santa invaluable insights into patient advocacy and proactive care management.

Committed to patient-centered care, Santa has been a UHN Patient Partner since 2019, contributing to several impactful initiatives across UHN like the Patient & Family Escalation of Care, Speak Up for Safety Workshop, and the Senior Emergency Medicine Centre Steering Committee, Caregiver Advisory Committee and The UHN Quality & Safety Committee. In 2023, she spoke at the UHN Quality and Safety Summit, sharing her experiences.

Santa holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Toronto and has run her own business for over 20 years. As president of her business association, she has led initiatives to change policies and laws benefitting residents and small businesses. She has been recognized for her contributions as a business owner, community volunteer, and UHN Patient Partner.

Santa has recently completed leadership and data analytics programs. Passionate about healthcare delivery, she strives to improve patient outcomes and empower other caregivers in advocating for their loved ones.