More than three decades after her passing, Barbara Mansfield’s commitment to education and compassionate health care continues to change lives through the Barbara Mansfield Studentship—a unique opportunity that blends clinical shadowing with human-centered learning for future medical and nursing professionals.
Barbara, a lifelong learner and educator, had a passion for understanding the human side of health care. After her diagnosis with metastatic breast cancer in 1990, she collaborated with her oncologist, Dr. David Ginsburg, to co-teach Queen’s medical students — she, as the patient voice, and he, the physician.
This powerful partnership sowed the seeds for what would become the Barbara Mansfield Studentship.
“Barbara didn’t want to be remembered with just a plaque,” says Dickson Mansfield, Barbara’s husband. “She believed everyone should have an opportunity to learn—especially about the emotional and psychological side of care. This studentship was her way of making sure that message continues.”
Established after her death in 1992 through a gift in her will, the studentship funds a four- to six-week summer placement at Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC) for nursing and medical students.
Participants experience a broad spectrum of cancer care—not just oncology rounds, but also time with social workers, palliative care teams, dietitians and spiritual care providers.
The goal? To foster empathy, deeper listening and an understanding that “the patient is not the disease.”
Dr. Catherine de Metz, a radiation oncologist who oversees the studentship program at KHSC, emphasizes its holistic design.
“We want students to recognize that health care is multi-dimensional—it's not just about writing a prescription. Patients come with unique stories, and we have the privilege to support them through one of the hardest times in their lives.”
The studentship—which goes mainly to learners from Queen’s University and St. Lawrence College—is an experience that transforms young health-care professionals at a pivotal time in their careers. As part of their placement, students are required to present reflections on their experience, often revealing new perspectives on what it truly means to care.
“Barbara could have just left everything to me,” says Dickson. “But we talked about creating a legacy that mattered. We both had rich lives, and no children, so this was our way of giving back and helping shape better caregivers for tomorrow.”
The Barbara Mansfield Studentship stands as a testament to the power of legacy giving and to the idea that with thoughtful planning, one life can continue to teach and inspire long after it ends.
“It’s comforting to know that even now, Barbara is helping people learn,” Dickson adds. “That’s exactly what she would have wanted.”