Take a Breath: Teen Voices on Tobacco, Cannabis & Vaping contest is back for a second year. Interior Health is asking young artists to share their thoughts and experience for a chance to win a $150 gift card.

Teens living in the Interior Health region in grades 8 to 12 are invited to submit original artwork that shares a message about the impact of youth smoking/tobacco and cannabis use and vaping, inspired by one of the following themes:

People living in the interior region will soon benefit from a new Centre for Health System Learning & Innovation (the Centre) that is being established in partnership with Interior Health and the Kelowna General Hospital (KGH) Foundation. This centre is becoming a reality today with a commitment from The Jim Pattison Foundation of $5 million to the KGH Foundation.

New Denver and area residents are advised of temporary changes to emergency department hours at Slocan Community Health Centre due to limited nursing availability. 

Emergency services will be unavailable Tuesday, Oct. 31 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Patients can access care at Arrow Lakes Hospital at 97 - 1st Ave NE, Nakusp.

New Denver and area residents are advised of temporary changes to emergency department hours at Slocan Community Health Centre due to limited nursing availability. 

Emergency services will be unavailable Monday, Oct. 30 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Patients can access care at Arrow Lakes Hospital at 97 - 1st Ave NE, Nakusp.

In Clearwater, there is a tremendous amount of pride for the community and the health-care services it offers. 

“It’s a fun place to work with really great colleagues, with great patients, and a community that’s very grateful for their health care,” says family physician Dr. Kara Perdue, who also works in the emergency room at Dr. Helmcken Memorial Hospital. “We’re always looking for more people to join the team in order to expand that team and bring in new and fresh ideas to make this an even better place to live and work.

Residents in Salmon Arm now have access to a new mammography unit at Shuswap Lake General Hospital. 

The new mammogram machine was unveiled during an open house at the site on Oct. 4, a month before screenings begin in November. 

“Having mammography in Salmon Arm has been a great advancement for our community,” noted radiology tech at Shuswap Lake Hospital Kim Mead. “It’s allowing patients to receive a service locally rather than travelling kilometres down the road.”

Name: Julianna Duplessis
Job Title: Sonographer
Years of Service: 8
Worksite: Royal Inland Hospital
Community: Kamloops
Ancestral Territory: Secwépemc
Favourite Quote / Advice to live by: “God does not give us more than we can handle.”

Julianna Duplessis loves her job as a diagnostic medical sonographer at Royal Inland Hospital (RIH). 

From canning and preservation, to learning about medicinal tea from Secwépemc Elders and the importance of climate change, Indigenous leaders from within Interior Health and First Nation communities came together for important conversations at this year’s Interior Region Indigenous Food Forum at the Arbour in Tk’emlups te Secwépemc in September.

Interior Region Indigenous Food Forum 2023: Summary Report

Oliver and area residents are advised of temporary changes to emergency department hours at South Okanagan General Hospital due to limited physician availability.

Emergency services will be unavailable from 4 p.m. Friday, Oct 20 to 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 21. Patients can access care at Penticton Regional Hospital during this time.

All other inpatient services will continue as normal at South Okanagan General Hospital.

Merritt and area residents are advised of temporary changes to emergency department hours at Nicola Valley Hospital due to limited physician availability.

From 8 a.m. Friday, Oct. 20 to 8 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 21, emergency department services will be unavailable and patients can access care at Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops.

During this time, all other inpatient services will continue as normal at Nicola Valley Hospital.