Name: Kelly Monks (she/her/hers)Job Title: Registered Nurse, EmergencyLength of Service: Six monthsWorksite: Kelowna General HospitalCommunity: KelownaAncestral Territory: syilx Born in South Africa, raised in Florida and England, and now serving as a registered nurse (RN) at Kelowna General Hospital’s (KGH) emergency department, Kelly Monks’s journey is nothing short of extraordinary. “Growing up across South Africa, Florida and England, I never developed a strong sense of identity tied to a specific place,” she shares. “Rather, repeatedly feeling out of place made me adaptable and perceptive of others.” In her work, Kelly emphasizes the importance of human connection. She believes that building relationships with colleagues and patients reminds us that we all have something in common. “As health-care workers, we’re familiar with the clinical environment and its language; however, it can be alienating for patients. Communication is key and I try to ensure that those I care for have what they need to feel heard and understand what is going on.” For Kelly, reconciliation is recognizing that everyone has past experiences that inform who they are today and being aware that we, too, carry our own experiences with us daily. “It’s finding a common respect and working in partnership for better care and better futures,” she says.

Interior Health (IH) provides health services to close to 900,000 people across the Interior region of B.C. But it takes more than health-care services to keep people healthy—it also takes well-run, safe facilities.  Heating, cooling and ventilation (HVAC) systems quietly safeguard patient safety, comfort and air quality every day.  By managing the way our buildings use and generate energy, we can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, lower utility costs, and create healthier spaces for patients and staff while reducing the impact we have on the environment. 

Despite living with kidney disease and having needed life-sustaining hemodialysis treatments for the past eight years, Leno Benetton, who just turned 97, is living a full life as British Columbia’s oldest dialysis patient. Leno lives in the District of Sparwood in the East Kootenay region. To meet his treatment needs, he goes to the Sparwood Community Dialysis Unit weekly. There, staff make sure he is well taken care of during his three-and-a-half-hour visits. The treatments involve a hemodialysis machine that filters waste and extra fluids from the bloodstream, functioning similarly to healthy kidneys. “Leno can attribute part of his good health to the dialysis treatments and the additional support his care team provides, but he is also doing very well taking care of himself,” says Brianna Mayer who works in the region as a renal dietitian. “Leno still drives, lives in his own home, cooks his own food and is very sharp. We are very impressed he still lives an active life in his home community, and he even gets out for some fun at his local casino.” A life-long worker and volunteer Brianna says when she asked him what his secret was to doing so well, he said he has been working since he was 13. In fact, he had a very active start to working life with at least 10 different jobs between the ages of 13 and 18. He continued to have a long and varied career, including three years with the Air Force in the early 1950s and ending with running a general store in Elkford, BC from 1982 to 1997 with his wife, Edith. He also has been a very active volunteer for a number of causes. This industriousness showed through in recent years when Leno fundraised $39,000 for the Sparwood dialysis unit. Leno spent three years in the Royal Canadian Air Force in the 1950s.“Leno identified areas in the dialysis unit that could be improved, and he decided he was going to do something about it,” says Paula Canlas, a dialysis nurse at the Sparwood unit. “He went to local businesses and asked for donations. The money Leno raised was used to purchase dialysis chairs, an ultrasound machine, and side tables. He also received a donation to replace the four TVs at each station.” She goes on to say, “Thanks to Leno, these donations have helped enhance the dialysis experience for many patients. He is a true inspiration to everyone! Currently, the Sparwood Community Dialysis Unit has three to four staff who serve about five patients each week, with most patients receiving treatments three times per week. A great attitude despite losses Many of Leno’s family members have had kidney disease because they share Alport syndrome, an inherited disease that damages the tiny filters of the kidneys and can be passed down from either parent. He has lost a sister, brother, niece and nephew, who all had both diseases and received dialysis treatment further west in Trail, BC. There is ongoing international research to better understand and treat Alport syndrome. Leno has also recently lost his beloved wife due to other health challenges.  Despite these significant losses, Leno is still looking on the bright side and says, “My goal is to live to at least 100!” About hemodialysis in BC: To learn more, see BC Renal’s Hemodialysis web page. This BC Renal story was first published on Nov. 7, 2025 and is shared with permission.

Everyone experiences changes as they get older that can increase the risk of falls and fall-related injuries. Even when a fall doesn’t lead to injury or hospitalization, it can impact a person’s confidence and discourage them from doing the very things that can prevent falls. The good news is there are small changes you can make to prevent falls that will help you remain active and independent as you age. Jenna Young, improvement consultant for Falls and Injury Prevention at Interior Health (IH), reminds us that preventing falls takes teamwork. "Fall prevention starts with small, simple changes that can make a big impact,” says Jenna. “It’s never too late to take small steps that improve your balance, environment and confidence."  

Name: Dr. Roseann Larstone (she/her/hers)Job Title: Corporate Director, Indigenous Cultural Safety and Anti-Racism EducationLength of Service: Five monthsWorksite:  Kelowna Community Health and Service CentreCommunity: VernonAncestral Territory: syilx Dr. Roseann Larstone carries her work with both purpose and drive. Roseann lives in Armstrong and is based in  the Kelowna Community Health and Service Centre, where she serves as Corporate Director of Indigenous Cultural Safety and Anti-Racism Education within the Indigenous Partnerships portfolio. She’s deeply grounded in her values and identity as a member of the Métis Nation, and she honours the territory of the syilx Nation, where she lives, learns and works. For Roseann, acknowledging the land is an active reminder of the lived experiences, individual and collective responsibilities, and commitments to peoples and place that guide her.  “For me, reconciliation is grounded in respectful relationships, awareness and acceptance of the shared history of Indigenous and non-Indigenous people in this country and working together toward a more just and equitable reality,” explains Roseann. Living within the colonial experience, she understands the ways in which interlocking systems bear down on Indigenous communities and families to influence lived realities. Her roots and cultural perspectives continue to shape the way she moves through the world. 

The fourth annual Interior Region Indigenous Food Forum (IRIFF) took place Oct. 22–23, 2025 in the traditional, ancestral and unceded territories of the Ktunaxa Nation in the community of ʔaq̓am. More than 80 participants came to the event, and together, enjoyed two days of storytelling, networking, learning and connecting.   The IRIFF is an annual gathering that brings Indigenous community members together to discuss Indigenous food systems, traditional foods and medicines. It’s a collaborative event, guided by an advisory committee made up of community representatives from Ktunaxa communities.  Participants at the St. Eugene Pavilion.“The Food Forum is a community-driven and ever-evolving event,” says Kris Murray, corporate director of Indigenous Health & Wellness.  “It’s really a chance to talk about food and every part of Indigenous food systems—planting seeds, growing, harvesting, canning and food preservation. It’s also about the social and cultural aspects of foods and how they contribute to our health and wellness.”  “Themes like the impacts of the climate crisis and modern innovations that support traditional practices are woven into these conversations,” Kris adds. “I love seeing the faces that come back to this event year after year, and the community that this event has created.” Event planning is led by a steering committee with members from Interior Health and First Nations Health. The committee implements the vision of the advisory—from venue to speakers to menus.  IH staff are grateful to have had the chance to host past forums within syilx, Secwépemc and Tŝilhqot’in territories.   Sharing stories and knowledge This year, the forum opened with a Ktunaxa creation story shared by Joe Pierre—a story passed down through generations that speaks to the coming of the ʔaqⱡmaknik̓ (people). Day one began with community storytelling sessions from ʔaq̓am, ʔakisq̓nuk and yaqan nuʔkiy, exploring how food connects to culture, land, healing and wellness within Ktunaxa territory.  Attendees then engaged in presentations on Indigenous seed stewardship by Tiffany Traverse, an Indigenous researcher and seed steward. Tzvetelina Petkova and Dr. Amèlie Mathieu presented on chronic wasting disease, a progressive, fatal disease that affects deer, moose and elk.  Seeds at the trade table.The evening featured a community dinner, drumming and socializing, and opportunities to trade tables and swap seeds. Day two began with coffee around a cozy fire at the ʔaq̓am Arbour where participants listened to stories from communities about their experiences and the impacts present and past Food Forums have had. The Food Forum Sharing Circle was facilitated by Jill Worboys, public health dietitian. The stories shared were captured by graphic recording artist Darcy Roshau.  Action at the trade table.The event ended with space for reflection and continued dialogue, highlighting the networking and sharing that forms the foundation of this event. As Interior Health staff, we leave this year’s Indigenous Food Forum with a commitment to strengthen our accountability to reconciliation and actively drive change within the health system.

With the cooler months here, many of us are spending more time indoors. We keep doors and windows shut tight to keep the cold out and turn the heat on. We may be warm and cozy, but the combination of closed doors and windows, and higher indoor heat, may be drawing in more of a harmful gas: radon. A leading cause of lung cancer Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers. And it’s the second-leading cause of lung cancer after smoking. In Canada, 16 per cent of lung cancer deaths are estimated to be caused by radon exposure, resulting in more than 3,000 lung cancer deaths each year. Importantly, radon exposure—and the risk of cancer—can be prevented. How do you know if you have radon levels in your home that exceed the Canadian Guideline? The only way to know for sure is to test. Here we’ve broken down the steps to test your home for radon and take action if needed.

We have launched a new event calendar on our website at https://www.interiorhealth.ca/event-calendar. Check out the calendar to view health-related events happening throughout the Interior region, from the Thompson Cariboo Shuswap to the East Kootenay, and everywhere in between.   Here are five reasons you'll want to bookmark IH's new event calendar.

Name: Ilka Stoyanova Chobanova (she/her/hers) Job Title: Registered Nurse, Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter (PICC)Length of Service: 18 years Worksite: Royal Inland HospitalCommunity: Kamloops Ancestral Territory: Secwépemc Favourite Quote / Advice to Live By: My favourite word is “Today.” My favorite quote is by Maya Angelou: "Do the best you can until you know better. Then, when you know better, do better." My philosophy is to do the right thing when nobody is watching; it’s the definition of integrity and one of the pillars of my moral code.   When Ilka Chobanova immigrated to Canada in 2003, she didn’t know how to speak English. Three and a half years later, she started working as a registered nurse (RN) with Interior Health.  “I remember feeling quite stressed when I had to talk on the phone with my health-care colleagues,” says Ilka, who was an internationally educated RN and had worked in Bulgaria and Germany. “At one point, I wanted to create a ‘survival kit’ for the future internationally educated nurses.”  Nearly 20 years since her IH career began, Ilka has made a tremendous impact. She specializes in peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) nursing. She assists patients when IV access is needed for bloodwork, CT scans or even chemotherapy treatments.   She was a 2025 regional winner for Western Canada in the CVAA/BD Excellence in Vascular Access Management & Infusion Therapy Awards. The awards recognize the important contributions made in vascular access management and infusion therapy practice with a focus on peripheral IV therapy. It was the first time a team member from Royal Inland Hospital (RIH) has been recognized with the award.