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. The entrance to Dr. Helmcken Memorial Hospital in Clearwater.“The team we have here at the hospital and at our clinic is fantastic. It’s bright, smiling faces every time you come in. It’s a fantastic team to work with who work exceptionally hard, but are also able to have a lot of fun in their work. These are people who are going to be your friends and also your colleagues.” Interior Health’s Clinical Operations Manager for Clearwater and Blue River Heidi Schilling touts the great diversity of work and opportunities to master a multitude of skills. “Dr. Helmcken Memorial Hospital is a small rural hospital. We have six in-patient beds, we have a fully-functioning ER with a trauma bay,” she notes. “We’ve also got long-term care at the site [Forest View Place], with 20 long-term care residents.”

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.” Residents needing a mammography would previously have to travel to Vernon or Kamloops, or access the once-a-month mobile mammography service to stop in Salmon Arm.  The Shuswap Hospital Foundation, which fundraised $3.3 million for both the mammography unit and CT scanner, hosted the open house.  Breast cancer survivors attended an open house for the new mammography unit on Oct. 6.Many of the attendees are breast cancer survivors themselves and are part of the local Shuswap Dragon Boat Society.

Name: Julianna DuplessisJob Title: SonographerYears of Service: 8Worksite: Royal Inland HospitalCommunity: KamloopsAncestral Territory: SecwépemcFavourite 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).  She says every day is different and every diagnosis is different, keeping you on your toes.  “Every day is a new experience because as computers get better, so do the ultrasounds, so we see more and we constantly learn in this job. It’s not one you could be stagnant in,” noted Julianna, who’s been a sonographer for nearly three decades.

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 “One of the biggest things is there are a lot of grassroots folks doing this work in community on any end of the Indigenous food system, so it could be harvesting, could be canning, could be community gardening,” noted Interior Health’s Corporate Director of Aboriginal Health & Wellness Kris Murray, who helped organize this year’s two-day event. “Lots of those folks don’t get the opportunity to talk to other communities doing this work, so we had interest from [them] to do this.”

When you walk into a hospital, you may be accustomed to seeing hand sanitizer and medical masks at the entrances. But did you know a lot more that happens behind the scenes to keep our health-care facilities safe from viruses like COVID-19 and norovirus, and harmful bacteria that causes infections like c. difficile? At Interior Health, our infection preventionists (IPs) help protect everyone’s safety by providing education to staff, physicians and volunteers. They investigate infections and outbreaks, assess infection prevention measures, and even provide consultation for construction and renovation projects in health-care facilities. Meet some of our Interior Health IPs, and get to know the work they do.

In June 2023, Kelowna wife and mom of three Trixie Sylvester discovered she had breast cancer after a regularly scheduled mammogram. The cancer was deep inside her body, and could not be felt externally – her diagnosis came as a complete shock. Trixie was scheduled for a partial mastectomy in August. She had never had surgery before, and didn’t know what to expect. Through her breast cancer journey, she learned that even the most stressful and frightening situations have a silver lining. Her silver lining came in the form of an outpouring of love and compassion, not only from her family and friends, but also from every doctor, nurse and health-care professional she met at Kelowna General Hospital. Wanting to share her story with as many people as possible, she sent a message to Interior Health. “Even if I can help just one person going through what I am, that would mean so much to me,” she said. This is her story.

Name: Gillian Gabelhei (she/her/hers)Job Title: Occupational TherapistYears of Service:  11Worksite:  Brookhaven Care CentreCommunity:  KelownaAncestral Territory: SyilxFavourite Quote / Advice to live by: Nothing is so strong as gentleness, nothing so gentle as real strength. – Saint Francis de Sales Apart from a couple of years at university in Edmonton, occupational therapist (OT), Gillian Gabelhei has lived in Kelowna ever since moving to Canada from her birthplace in Durban, South Africa. She describes herself as easygoing, patient, practical and open-minded.

Name: Ian Luckhurst (he/him/his)Job Title: Manager, Clinical EducationYears of Service: 10Worksite: Professional Practice OfficeCommunity: RosslandAncestral Territory: Syilx and Ktunaxa NationsFavourite Quote / Advice to live by: "Go placidly amid the noise and haste and remember what peace there may be in silence." - Desiderata, 1927 Born and raised in Edmonton, Ian started his nursing career in 2006. His interest in science and pathology led him to specializing in critical and emergency care nursing. An outdoor enthusiast, Ian worked for nine years part-time as a certified critical care flight nurse, helping transport patients in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

Breastfeeding and human milk are not only important for the health and well-being of babies and infants, but for parents, families and communities. But did you know there are a lot of other benefits to supporting breastfeeding parents, and parents who express milk, in addition to the health and well-being of babies? Employers and community leaders can create inclusive and accessible environments for parents who breastfeed, chestfeed* or express milk at work and in the community. Read on to learn more about these benefits, and how you can help your organization, employees and community reap these benefits with tips and resources.