Honouring the Life and Legacy of Marion Stolte

By Sarah Ford

The Canadian bleeding disorders community mourns the passing of longtime volunteer and advocate Marion Stolte, whose dedication and leadership helped improve the lives of people living with bleeding disorders in Canada and around the world. For more than two decades, Marion devoted her time, knowledge, and compassion to strengthening patient organizations and advancing international collaboration within the bleeding disorders community.

Marion’s connection to the community was deeply personal. Her father lived with hemophilia A, and later her son was born with Factor VIII deficiency. Through these experiences, she developed a deep understanding of the challenges faced by individuals and families living with bleeding disorders. This personal connection shaped her lifelong commitment to advocacy and community support.

Marion and her husband, Eric Stolte, moved to Canada in 1987 and quickly became involved with the Saskatchewan Chapter of the Canadian Hemophilia Society. Together they became active members of the community along with their family, and Marion soon emerged as a respected volunteer leader.

Her early international involvement included participation in the Saskatchewan–Mongolia Hemophilia Organization Twinning Partnership from 2001 to 2005. Through this collaboration, Canadian volunteers worked with leaders of the Mongolian National Hemophilia Association to strengthen organizational capacity and expand support for people living with bleeding disorders.

Marion continued her international work through the World Federation of Hemophilia’s Hemophilia Organization Twinning Program, which pairs established patient organizations with emerging ones to build stronger networks of care and support. From 2004 to 2007, she was involved in the Southwestern Ontario Region–Serbia Twinning Partnership.

Her commitment to global collaboration continued through several leadership roles with the Canadian Hemophilia Society. From 2013 to 2017, Marion served as Chair of the CHS–Bangladesh Twinning Partnership, work that was recognized internationally when the partnership received the World Federation of Hemophilia Twin of the Year Award in 2015. She also supported the CHS–Bangladesh Youth Twinning Partnership from 2016 to 2017 and later served as Chair of the CHS–Philippines Twinning Partnership from 2018 to 2022.

From 2017 to 2022, Marion served as Chair of the CHS International Projects Committee. In this role, she helped guide Canada’s international partnership work and supported volunteers involved in projects around the world. Colleagues remember her as an inclusive leader who ensured every voice was heard while keeping projects focused on practical outcomes for patients and families. In recognition of her contributions, Marion received the Canadian Hemophilia Society’s International Contribution Award in 2023.

After moving to Ontario, Marion also contributed significantly to local activities through Hemophilia Ontario, particularly within the Southwestern Ontario Region. She was a dedicated volunteer in Hemophilia Ontario’s annual Christmas Pots and Wreaths fundraiser. For many years, she hosted the pickup at her home. These long days often meant standing outside in cold November weather, lifting boxes and greeting community members. Marion welcomed everyone with warm embraces and a smile. While the fundraiser supported important work, those days were also small reunions for the community, and Marion helped make them memorable.

Those who knew Marion best remember not only what she accomplished, but how she approached her work. She led with empathy, humility, and genuine respect for others. Her thoughtful leadership inspired many volunteers and strengthened the global bleeding disorders community.

Marion’s legacy lives on through the volunteers she mentored, the partnerships she helped build, and the many individuals and families whose lives were improved through her work. She will be deeply missed and warmly remembered.