Former CP health reporter Helen Branswell remembered as excellent journalist and loving person
Helen Branswell, a veteran health journalist known for her pioneering coverage of SARS and COVID-19, has passed away. Colleagues remember her for her precision, dedication, and ability to translate complex medical science for the general public.
Why it matters
Branswell was a foundational figure in modern infectious disease reporting, setting the standard for how journalists cover global health crises.
Branswell joined the wire in 1986, first working as a reporter-editor out of the Halifax bureau. In the following years, she spent time in Calgary, Ottawa and London, England. She covered a range of stories and topics, including politics, foreign affairs and sports.
In 2000, Branswell moved to the Toronto bureau, and it was there that she discovered her passion for health and medical reporting.
She spearheaded coverage of the 2003 Toronto SARS outbreak. Branswell became a fixture at daily news briefings, never shying away from asking probing questions that helped readers better understand the emerging medical threat.
“Her work was absolutely stellar,” said former CP health reporter Sheryl Ubelacker. “She developed all kinds of sources and she was really on top of the story and probably led everybody on that particular epidemic. She did wonderful work.”
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