Former patient is looking for the man behind “the voice” –

Gary Davis (right), a former leukemia patient at Ottawa Hospital, meets with Pierre Charbonneau (left), the voice behind the hospital’s phone menus and automated calls. Pierre’s soothing baritone brought comfort to Gary at a vulnerable time in his life.

For patients undergoing treatment or receiving care, comfort can come from the most unexpected places.

Such was certainly the case for Gary Davis, who was diagnosed five years ago with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL), a rare and aggressive form of blood cancer. At one point during treatment, doctors believed he would not make it through the night. Thanks to leukemia specialists at Ottawa Hospital, he made it through and is now cancer-free.

Since then, Gary has been attending regular check-ups. Before each visit, he receives an automated call from Ottawa Hospital reminding him of his appointment.

Every call has the same deep, inviting voice.

“When I first heard that voice, I was at a very vulnerable time in my life,” explains Gary. “There was something about his tone and manner that filled me with comfort, so I loved it when he ‘called’ me.”

Although the voice on the other end of the line was pre-recorded, something about it resonated with Gary—so much so that he eventually felt the need to solve the riddle, “Who is this man?”

If you know, you know: The “Voice” of Ottawa Hospital

If you’ve ever called the hospital’s main phone line, you’ll be familiar with the soft baritone greeting, “Welcome to Ottawa Hospital.” For many patients, this voice is the first point of contact with the hospital. For patients like Gary, it has been a constant companion since his diagnosis, regularly reminding him of upcoming appointments.

Curious about the identity of this stranger, Gary began investigating. He soon learned that the person on the other end of the phone recording is actually an Ottawa Hospital employee.

Hear the “voice” of the Ottawa Hospital

After five years, the mystery has finally been solved

Pierre Charbonneau is a Technical Systems Analyst who has worked at the Civic Campus since 1995. “I’m a phone technician who happens to be recording voice overs,” says Pierre with sincere humility.

“What I do with my voice is thoughtful and intentional,” says Pierre. “I’m changing my voice. I have a certain posture and a smile that I put on when I’m recording.”

Pierre’s voice has been part of Ottawa Hospital’s telephone system for 25 years. When he was first asked to take on this important role, he was well prepared, having worked part-time as a disc jockey at parties and weddings since he was 12.

Though Pierre’s smooth baritone is the result of years of practice, he never really realized the kind of comfort he brought to some patients — not until recently, that is, when Gary reached out and asked to meet the man behind the voice.

Face to face with the man behind the voice

As the old saying goes, you should never meet your favorite rock star as they may let you down. We can confirm that was not the case for Gary, who had the opportunity to meet Pierre in Spring 2022.

“I wasn’t scared going to you,” Gary says to Pierre, “but I was wondering how it would turn out. I don’t feel as comfortable with everyone as I do with you. They had a mask and visor on, and even as we walked up the stairs, I was like, ‘I’m not uncomfortable.'”

The two sat in Pierre’s office on the Civic Campus and talked for almost two hours.

“We just got along,” Pierre recalls. “I was more than happy to chat with Gary and build that relationship with him.”

“Pierre as a person has an innate deep kindness that allows him to express what I hear,” explains Gary. “This friendliness cannot be reproduced. There’s kindness in his whole being and I think that’s what I’m referring to. And when I met him, I saw it.”

Although Pierre is close to retirement, he has no plans to retire his vote.

“I’ll do this as long as they let me,” says Pierre. “If it’s a small part, it’s a small part of the bigger picture that Gary went through.”

Pierre’s voice is now broadcast outside of the Ottawa Hospital… If you ever call Gary and get his voicemail, you’ll be greeted by Pierre’s smooth baritone!

You May Also Like …