Dr. Matthew White (left) and Dr. Brenden van der Westhuizen (right) About 20 per cent of all unscheduled emergency department visits in Interior Health are the result of an injury, or trauma. Contrary to popular belief, most injuries are not accidents – the majority of injuries are actually predictable and preventable. It’s the simple things we can do that count – taking a pause before acting, not using the phone while driving, putting on a helmet or wearing a life jacket. We urge everyone across Interior Health to consider how you can help prevent injuries for yourself and those around you. Meet two of our trauma physicians here at Interior Health.

Dr. Ilona Hale, on a ridge above 12 Mile Creek near Golden. Name: Dr. Ilona Hale (she/her/hers) Job Title: Family Physician Researcher Years of Service: 25 Worksite: Kimberley Medical Clinic Community: Kimberley Ancestral Territory: Ktunaxa Advice to live by: "Walk with the dreamers, the believers, the courageous, the cheerful, the planners, the doers, the successful people with their heads in the clouds and their feet on the ground. Let their spirit ignite a fire within you to leave this world better than you found it..." - Wilferd Peterson Dr. Ilona Hale is no stranger to small-town life – she was born and raised in the mining town of Lively in Northern Ontario. Now, Ilona is a rural family physician in Kimberley, as well as a clinician researcher. “I’ve always considered it an amazing privilege to practice medicine – to have the opportunity to be part of peoples' lives every day, and share tools to help them, even if it’s in a small way. When I see people getting better, it makes me want to keep going.”

Michelle cross-country skiing at Dawn Mountain Name: Michelle Plenderleith (she/her/hers) Job Title: Operating Room Booking / Nursing Unit Clerk  Years of Service: 7 Worksite: Golden & District Hospital Community: Golden Ancestral Territory: Ktunaxa Advice to live by: Let go of the small things. Michelle’s favourite things about her job are three-fold:  Her coworkers, including nurses, physicians, and medical device reprocessing, administration and housekeeping staff The patients she has the opportunity to see and talk to, and helping them navigate the health-care system  How fast paced her role is, and that it changes day to day so it’s never boring

Name: Dr. Sue MacDonald Job Title: Executive Medical Director Years of Service: 7 Worksite: Kelowna Community Health Centre Community: Kelowna Ancestral Territory: Syilx Later this summer, Dr. Sue MacDonald will retire from her role as Executive Medical Director with Interior Health. IH Aboriginal Partnerships recently recognized Dr. MacDonald for her ongoing commitment and medical leadership in support of improving Aboriginal Health outcomes and access to culturally safe care. 

Name: Jacqueline Mattice (she/her) Job Title: Aboriginal Patient Navigator  Years of Service: 1 Worksite: Cariboo Memorial Hospital Community: Williams Lake Ancestral Territory: Secwépemc Advice to live by: "If you are working on something exciting that you really care about, you don't have to be pushed. The vision pulls you." - Steve Jobs Jacqueline Mattice was born in Lillooet and raised in the small community of Shalalth. She is one of eight children raised by the strength and dedication of her single mother. Jacqueline has a great sense of humour. She is kind, friendly and humble. Her work with Elders as a human resource assistant led Jacqueline to apply to the social work program at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops. “I knew at that time I wanted to assist Aboriginal people,” she says. Jacqueline completed her fourth year practicum at Royal Inland Hospital with Aboriginal Patient Navigator Deb Donald. “She taught me so much in my three months at RIH.” Jacqueline joined the Cariboo Memorial Hospital team as an Aboriginal Patient Navigator last June. “From the first day [the team] made me feel welcome and everyone goes above and beyond when I need assistance,” she says. 

Name: Nicole Walby (she/her/hers)  Job Title: Manager, Clinical Operations Years of Service: 1 Worksite: Royal Inland Hospital Community: Kamloops Ancestral Territory: Secwepemc Advice to live by: “Go into the world and do well. But more importantly, go into the world and do good.” - Minor Myers Jr. Nicole has deep roots in nursing. Her favourite part of being a nurse is when she’s present when a patient who has had challenging medical needs gets to go home – watching a client and their family leave knowing that she’s participated in meeting their treatment priorities. “I am inspired by the people that I work with. My cup is filled by seeing patients and families improve their health status through perseverance and education; watching new staff grow and develop; and seasoned staff advocate for best practice.” One of the projects Nicole most enjoyed being part of was working with the porter team to create support for the units. She appreciated how the group found it empowering to see the huge impact they made by taking on some non-nursing duties, and spending time with patients and clients that are lonely or confused. “I am frequently amazed at the level of compassion, dedication and enthusiasm shown by the people I am fortunate to work with.”

Name: Jessica Niemela (she/her/hers) Job Title: Audiologist Years of Service: 3 Worksite: Vernon Health Unit Community: Vernon Ancestral Territory: Syilx Advice to live by: “It’s not just about hearing, it’s about being heard.” – Gael Hannan Going through her own journey with hearing loss and wearing hearing aids provided inspiration for Jessica’s career choice.  “The journey is not always easy and requires a holistic approach that goes beyond wearing hearing devices,” shares Jessica.  The onset of permanent hearing loss can happen after birth, making it important for children to have their hearing screened prior to entering school in order to give them the best chance for academic success and social/emotional development. Jessica finds it most rewarding to work with children and families through their own journeys with hearing loss and to see them become their own self-advocates for accessibility.

Name: Dr. Kathryn Brown (she/her/hers) Job Title: Cardiologist, Regional Director of Cardiac Diagnostics, Medical Director of Cardiology Years of Service: 7 Worksite: Kelowna General Hospital Community: Kelowna Ancestral Territory: Syilx Okanagan Advice to live by: Life is 10 per cent what happens to you, and 90 per cent how you react to it. An adrenaline lover and avid traveller by heart, Kathryn is also a passionate and dedicated physician leader at Interior Health. She started her physician career as a cardiologist, and has now expanded her role to also serve as an administrator and leader as Regional Director of Cardiac Diagnostics and Medical Director of Cardiology. “Being a physician is inherently a privilege,” shares Kathryn. “You care for people at their most vulnerable, frightened, hopeful and every phase in between. To immediately be trusted, confided in, and have people place their bodies, their futures and their fears in your hands is an amazing and humbling honour that I try to live up to every day.” In this work, she helps improve and shape the future of heart health and care in our communities – yet another amazing opportunity she says she is grateful for.

Clint Blok, playing his guitar while camping Name: Clint Blok (he/him/his) Job Title: Community Integration Care Coordinator Years of Service: 11 Worksite: Penticton Urgent and Primary Care Centre Community: Penticton Ancestral Territory: Syilx Okanagan Advice to live by: Be the best version of yourself! When Clint began nursing school, he planned on working in the operating room (OR), but it turns out he’s never worked or done a placement there. Eleven years in to his career with Interior Health, Clint is a Registered Nurse (RN) Team Lead (or Community Integration Care Coordinator) at the Penticton Urgent and Primary Care Centre (UPCC).