For nearly three decades, a small playroom in Cariboo Memorial Hospital’s (CMH) emergency department has been a sanctuary for children and families in crisis. Known as Avril’s Room, it was created in memory of eight-year-old Avril Chevigny, who passed away on May 25, 1996, after a courageous battle with lymphoma/leukemia. Today, Avril’s legacy continues. As part of the CMH Redevelopment Project, Avril’s Room will be reimagined in the new emergency department (ED)—thanks to the dedication of her father, André Chevigny, and the support of Interior Health and the community of Williams Lake. “When I think back on those years, a lot of it was a fog—it seems like a dream now,” André says of the years Avril was battling cancer. “But what stands out is the community. Forty-seven RCMP officers shaved their heads, the Stampeders held hockey game, and we raised money for the hospital in so many ways. It’s mind-blowing how much people did for Avy.” Avril’s courage inspired everyone around her. “She was a great example,” André recalls. “I remember she would take her hat off and show everybody. She was proud of her little bald head.” For André, creating a space for children in the ED waiting room in her memory has always been about more than play—it’s about healing. “What’s the best way to get over your own hurt? Help others.” The new Avril’s Room will carry forward that spirit. “I’m excited that Williams Lake has the opportunity to continue something that’s been such a need and a success in our community,” André says. “To continue her name on through the room is such a reward and such a blessing for me.” André Chevingy (left) meets with chief of staff Dr. Jacques Neuhoff just outside of Cariboo Memorial Hospital (CMH) in Williams Lake. Dr. Neuhoff expressed his thanks and appreciation to André for supporting and helping to design Avril’s Room. He hopes the 160-square-foot space featuring Disney murals as well as log furniture and a TV will continue to provide comfort for families during difficult times. “There are lots of families with children waiting for tests, blood work, x-rays. Their siblings are waiting too, and they need a place to go.” André’s message to parents facing similar challenges is simple but powerful: “Be as positive as you can—not just for the child who is sick, but for the whole family. Sometimes we don’t like the cards we’re dealt, but you just have to deal with them with faith and positivity, because everybody’s watching, especially the siblings.” In 2025, André was presented with the King Charles III Coronation Medal earlier this year in recognition of his work helping to support families with children fighting cancer. André Chevingy receiving the King Charles III Coronation Medal. He credits the community of Williams Lake with supporting his family and Avril's Room at CMH 29 years ago.“It’s not about me, it’s about what we did as a family. I became a better person from what I experienced, and now I pass that positivity to others. Being positive, being grateful and thankful makes a difference in other people’s lives.” Avril’s Room and the Avril Chevigny Fund, which continues to help families financially who are suffering from childhood cancer, have touched countless lives over the years, and their impact continues to ripple through the community. “I run into people every day who say they’ve used the room,” André shares. “Her little playroom has helped so many people. It’s been healing for me too. Sometimes I come up here by myself because it’s a healing place for me.” As the new emergency department takes shape, Avril’s legacy of hope, resilience and community support will continue to live on. “I really want to thank Interior Health. I’m so excited that her little playroom has helped so many people over the years. I’m excited that Williams Lake has the opportunity to continue on with something that’s been such a need and a success in our community over the years. So, I’m just really grateful that we are able to relocate her room and do the same thing over again, and it will continue for another generation or two, hopefully.”

This is part one in our three-part series that explores food literacy in schools in the Interior Health region. Students at KLO Middle School in Kelowna are learning about growing food and the importance of caring for the land thanks to the addition of a modular farm on school grounds.  With the help of a community grant, the school installed a modular farm that uses hydroponics to grow leafy greens and herbs inside a large shipping container. Plants are grown without soil and are watered in a way that saves space and resources. Modular farms are easy to use, and can work in freezing temperatures as cold as -40°C. 

Name: Echo Porlier (she/her/hers)Job Title: Rural Nurse EducatorLength of Service: 20 yearsWorksite: Nicola Valley HospitalCommunity: Thompson Cariboo regionAncestral Territory: Secwépemc/Shuswap Interior SalishFavourite Quote / Advice to Live By: "A good education can change anyone. A good teacher can change everything." —Dr. Sudhir S. Balerao A self-described old soul, Echo Porlier enjoys the fundamentals of living: gardening, canning, preserving and reading. “I like to read physical books you can touch, smell and crinkle the corner to save your page!” She says these hobbies and tasks keep her grounded in her roots and provide an antidote to her varied and busy professional life as a rural nurse educator in Interior Health (IH). Inspired by her mom Diana Heighes’s nursing trajectory and her dedication and her ability to connect with patients, Echo pursued a similar path that allowed her to blend two of her passions: teaching and health care.

For nursing students eager to gain real-world experience, grow their confidence and contribute meaningfully to patient care, Interior Health’s Employed Student Nurse (ESN) and Employed Student Psychiatric Nurse (ESPN) Program offers a unique and impactful path into the profession. This paid employment program supports students enrolled in a Bachelor of Science in Nursing or Psychiatric Nursing program who have completed their second or third year of study. The program provides early exposure to professional practice, allowing future nurses to strengthen their clinical skills, explore different areas of care and show up as valued members of the health-care team.

Name: Diana Heighes (she/her/hers)Job Title: Registered Nurse (RN)Length of Service: 35 yearsWorksite: Royal Inland Hospital Day Care SurgeryCommunity: BarnhartvaleAncestral Territory: SecwépemcFavourite Quote / Advice to Live By: Equity for everyone. Diana grew up in the small of community of Chase, B.C., and moved to Barnhartvale just outside of Kamloops 22 years ago. At 16 years old, Diana started taking the courses required for nursing. After high school, she worked for a general physician in Chase. “I quickly realized how much I liked medicine,” she recounts. “My husband and I had two young children when he encouraged me to return to school to pursue my nursing dream.”

Guest post by Alison Houweling, harm reduction coordinator with Interior Health With International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD) here, I think about the concept of stigma. Stigma is a hot button topic and honestly, I think some people are tired of hearing the word. But it is one of the most significant barriers to people getting help.  Stigma often brings to mind the idea of judgment and negative views happening to a person. What is not explored is the internalized and perceived stigma that happens within a person. Understanding that aspect of stigma could be a gamechanger for how we connect with people who use substances. To better understand these internal experiences, I will share my own experience of stigma and substance use.

Name: Kimberly Ramier (she/her/hers)Job Title: Registered Nurse, Certified Practice – Opioid Use Disorder (CP OUD)Length of Service: 11Worksite: Williams Lake Mental Health & Substance UseCommunity: Williams LakeAncestral Territory: Secwepemc and Tsilqhot'in NationsFavourite Quote / Advice to Live By: This too shall pass. Kimberly (Kim) Ramier was born in the traditional and unceded territory of the Secwepemc and Tsilqhot'in Nations (colonially known as Kamloops) and has lived most of her life in Williams Lake. For Kim, accountability, acknowledgement and hope aren’t just words—they’re a way of showing up every day in her role as a registered nurse (RN). Her connection and love for her hometown has shaped her into a true nurturer. Whether it’s raising a beautiful family, or helping people in crisis, Kim has always had an immense and strong motivation to alleviate fear, pain and panic in those around her.  Kim’s path to health care wasn’t straightforward. At 17, she admits she was a little rebellious, taking two tries to finish grade 12. Later, while raising two children, she worked in the service department at an automotive dealership before deciding to pursue nursing in her early 30s. Earning her degree at 35 remains one of her proudest accomplishments. “We should not be defined by our struggles but admired for our successes.” - Kim Ramier

Did you know that Interior Health offers dozens of mental health and substance use services? Whether you need short-term treatments or longer term therapies, help in your community or at a dedicated facility, in-person or virtual, our services are confidential and safe, and free of judgment and stigma. 

International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD) on August 31 brings together a global community to take action on overdose. This year’s theme, One Big Family Driven by Hope, reminds us that these losses do not just shatter individual families; they fracture entire communities. “International Overdose Awareness Day is a time to bring communities together—to remember the lives we have lost, to support those still living with the impacts of this crisis, and to stand as allies in the work ahead,” shares Alison Houweling, a harm reduction coordinator with Interior Health. “Substance use is a health concern. Like any other health-related activity that can lead to adverse outcomes, it requires a health response: treatment of those outcomes and options that promote health.”