David Harnden

Post Acute Specialty Services Quality and Practice Committee, Integrated Stroke Advisory Committee

David has been a resident of Grafton from birth to the present. Married to Marlene for forty years, the couple has two children and two grandsons. After graduating high school, David worked for a variety of building construction firms as a carpenter before starting his career in the recreation field. He worked at the hockey arenas in Colborne and Grafton. He assumed the position of arena manager at the Haldimand Memorial Arena in 1992 and held that position until November, 2014. During that time, David continued his education and earned the designation of Certified Ice Technician.

On November 13, 2014 David was admitted to the Northumberland Hills Hospital with stroke-like symptoms which were later diagnosed as an acquired brain injury due to a viral infection. He spent the next two weeks on the acute floor and then six weeks in the Rehabilitation unit. While there he experienced a caring, dedicated, respectful and compassionate staff. He did, however, have some concerns over the discharge procedures.

When the call went out from NHH for patient advisors, he felt that this would be the perfect opportunity to not only give back to the hospital and community, but to also address some of those concerns. He has been a Patient and Family Advisor with NHH’s Post Acute Specialty Services, including the Rehabilitation Unit he spent time on, since December 2016.


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