We live in a society that not only normalizes alcohol use, but seems to endorse it. “It’s 5 o’clock somewhere,” after all.
Alcohol consumption has been steadily increasing over the years, and according to the University of Victoria alcohol monitoring project, people living in the Interior Health region have the highest rate of alcohol consumption in the province.
A white heart is a symbol commonly used to convey hope, pure thought and steadfast intention.
The White Heart Project was created by the Kelowna General Hospital Foundation and inspired by a deep appreciation for health-care staff and the tremendous sacrifice they are making.
In recent weeks, white hearts have sprung up across hospitals and communities throughout B.C.'s interior.
When Harm Reduction Coordinator Lesley Coates received the latest quarterly report on provincial overdose statistics, it confirmed what she and colleagues had been hearing anecdotally from the community for weeks. They had seen a steady, yet slow decline in overdose deaths over the last two years (139 in 2019, compared to 233 in 2018). The first three months of 2020 were painting a different picture.
Between January and March 2020, 46 people in the IH region lost their lives because of an overdose.
Two registered nurses from Royal Inland Hospital (RIH) proved Saturday that love will prevail even in the time of COVID-19.
When Amanda McKay and James Futerko couldn’t have the wedding of their dreams, they chose a different option that honoured their colleagues and the workplace where they met.
Cancer treatment can be one of the most exhausting emotional and physical experiences, both for the person living with it, and for their family.
Now imagine the added anxiety and complexity of needing care during the COVID-19 pandemic, and that exhausting experience has just become even more challenging.
When Williams Lake physician Dr. Ivan Scrooby and infection prevention lead Kelly Dillon were walking through a partially-remediated area of Cariboo Memorial Hospital (CMH) in Williams Lake earlier this year, inspiration struck.
Medical students based at the UBC Okanagan campus in Kelowna are helping front-line physicians in the battle against COVID-19 in the B.C. Interior.
With the temporary suspension of clinical training in hospitals and clinics across the province, many medical students began looking for other ways to support physicians and patients during the pandemic.
