Name: Naomi Jensen (she/her/hers)Job Title: Executive Director, Quality & Patient SafetyLength of Service: 29 yearsWorksite: RegionalCommunity: KamloopsAncestral Territory: SecwépemcFavourite Quote / Advice to Live By: What’s most important to me—in work and in life—is leading with kindness, integrity and purpose. I am always reminded that even small actions can create meaningful impact, and that how we show up for others truly matters. Naomi Jensen, Executive Director, Quality & Patient Safety, lives in Kamloops on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Secwépemc Nation. Born and raised in 100 Mile House, Naomi began her career in health care during high school when she volunteered at the 100 Mile District Hospital. As a volunteer, Naomi was paired with a nurse whose compassion, skill and presence left a lasting impression. “The way she truly connected with her patients—listening deeply, making them laugh and supporting them through some of their most difficult moments—showed me what exceptional care looks like,” shares Naomi. It was in those early experiences that Naomi knew she wanted to be a nurse. For her, nursing has always been an honour and a privilege. She believes that people should be at the centre of their care, and that every interaction is an opportunity to make someone feel seen, respected and supported. Over the years, Naomi’s been inspired not only by the patients and families served, but also by the incredible teams she’s had the privilege to work alongside.

For liver transplant recipient Tony Maidment, going department by department at Royal Inland Hospital (RIH) to drop off holiday goodies for the staff who helped him is cathartic. “To be able to see every one of these people in the face, eye to eye, and say ‘thank you’ means a whole world of difference,” says Tony, who volunteers to hand out treats every year. “Psychologically, I’m still dealing with the remorse and the guilt of receiving somebody else’s organ. Seeing the staff every single year helps a lot.” The delivery of holiday goodies by transplant recipients to Interior Health (IH) staff is what Operation Popcorn is all about.  It happens every December and is a way for transplant recipients to give back to the health-care staff that is often involved in the tragic side of organ donation. With Operation Popcorn, the staff can meet people who were given new life. Operating room staff await their Operation Popcorn treats.“It’s neat to see the recipients come and interact with the staff. Just the look on their faces when they can see that all the work they do means something,” says organ donation specialist Leah Chesney with BC Transplant. “The staff mostly work with organ donors, so to have that other perspective is amazing.” Tony and Abby Farnsworth, who received a heart transplant at four years old, delivered boxes of popcorn and chocolate treats to the emergency room, operation room, renal unit and Intensive Care Unit (ICU). “It’s very interesting to see the impact that we have, even working in the ICU,” says Royal Inland Hospital ICU manager Jared Macgowan. “We work with some of the most critically ill patients in the region. That can have an emotional and mental toll on a lot of our staff. “Working with BC Transplant, we see the very challenging, tragic outcomes, so it’s nice to see that there’s a silver lining and that there are lives saved that come from organ donation.” Staff in the emergency room at RIH were happy to receive treatments from Operation Popcorn.Abby is always happy to meet the staff, even if she doesn’t remember much from her heart transplant journey. “It’s always a happy time because everyone is so excited for the treats,” she notes. “But it’s more about giving back to the doctors and nurses and hospital staff and giving thanks and showing our appreciation for all their hard work.” Now 24, Abby is coming up on the twentieth anniversary of her transplant, while Tony is eight years past his. Tony says he feels physically good and uses Operation Popcorn to continue to heal mentally. “My [psychological] healing process is ongoing. I received my transplant and now I’m a healthy person. Physically I’m perfect, everything’s good. My blood levels, doctors are very happy with. Mentally, I do things like this to help with healing.” Tony and Abby encourage people to sign up as organ donors. The Organ Donor Registry is through BC Transplant.

One of the most vulnerable times in someone’s substance use journey can be when they leave a hospital. After an overdose or medical crisis, it can be easy for them to fall through the cracks without help and supports. Substance Use Connections, launched at Interior Health (IH) in 2019 in response to the toxic drug crisis, is a vital bridge between hospitals and community health services and supports. “The evidence is really clear: when you make a good connection with a person who has been in a hospital, their chances of success are much higher,” shares Deb Salverda, team lead for Substance Use Connections.

When Interior Health (IH) recruiter Elizabeth Leston walks into a WorkBC job fair in Kamloops, she’s greeted by familiar faces. For the past two and a half years, Elizabeth has been working closely with the WorkBC Centre – Kamloops Thompson team, a partnership focused on helping local job seekers find meaningful, lasting careers in health care. “It’s such a great relationship,” says Elizabeth. “We all want the same thing: to help people find jobs they’ll love, and to make it easier for them to take that first step.”

To commemorate National Addictions Awareness Week, members of Yaqan Nuʔkiy (Lower Kootenay Band), Interior Health staff, and Creston community members came together on Friday, Nov. 21 for the fifth annual Canoe Walk, showing solidarity and support for those impacted by the toxic drug crisis, which disproportionately affects Indigenous Peoples and communities across Canada. Pictured from left to right: Jared Basil, Ktunaxa Cultural Framework Ambassador, Yaqan Nuʔkiy Nasukin Jason Louie, Rhonda Basil, Director of Health for Yaqan Nukiy, and Walter Felitsyn, Director, Clinical Operations – IH East Kootenay Long-Term Care, standing alongside the display case for the sturgeon-nosed canoe.The annual six-kilometre Canoe Walk from Creston Valley Hospital to the Lower Kootenay Band site, was established in recognition of the sturgeon-nosed canoe gifted from Yaqan Nuʔkiy to the Creston Valley Hospital in 2012. This canoe was originally carried by Yaqan Nuʔkiy members from the Lower Kootenay Band site to Creston Valley Hospital. A sturgeon-nosed canoe is “representative of life and is unique to Yaqan Nuʔkiy.” Nasukin Jason Louie greeting participants of the Canoe Walk at the Lower Kootenay Band site.Through the collaboration of Yaqan Nuʔkiy and IH, a second canoe walk was organized on November 23, 2022 and has been held annually since. Related Stories@IH: Providing health care and building relationships in Creston About National Addictions Awareness Week Held annually in Canada Nov. 17–21, 2025, National Addiction Awareness Week is organized by the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction. It promotes open dialogue on substance use, harm reduction, treatment and recovery. The theme for National Addiction Awareness Week 2025, “Anchoring Hope,” focuses on reducing stigma and providing essential support for those affected by addiction.  

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."