Christine Aiken is on stage in front of more than 200 people at the Penticton Lakeside Resort for an event billed the Memory Café. She speaks to the audience without notes nor a pause, then takes questions from the audience for the better part of an hour. To hear and see Christine, it would be impossible to know she has been living with vascular dementia for more than 10 years. This is Christine’s fourth Memory Café keynote talk. She’s spoken at Memory Café events in Oliver, Osoyoos and Keremeos, organized by Medical Arts Health Research Group. She regularly travels around the Okanagan sharing her experiences, ideas, wisdom and tips about living with dementia.

On January 22, the Health Sciences Academy, a collaborative partnership between Interior Health (IH) and School District 73 (Kamloops-Thompson), celebrated a significant milestone: the successful conclusion of its first-ever semester. Launched in September 2024, this innovative program gives grade 11 and 12 students a unique opportunity to explore exciting health-care careers by immersing them in a range of in-demand roles. With a strong focus on real-world, hands-on experiences, the program allows students to shadow IH health-care professionals, giving them the chance to observe, ask questions and learn the nuances of these highly specialized career paths.

Name: Sherry-Lynn Picheniuk (she/her/hers)Job Title: Patient Care Coordinator/Registered NurseYears of Service: 25 yearsWorksite:  Penticton Regional HospitalCommunity:  PentictonAncestral Territory: syilx/OkanaganFavourite Quote / Advice to live by: “Let’s fix the problem. What are our options?” A true team player who has “no countdown to retirement,” Sherry-Lynn Picheniuk is fuelled by the energy and trust of her colleagues at Penticton Regional Hospital (PRH). The patient care coordinator and registered nurse (RN), who has been with Interior Health (IH) for 25 years, says she hopes to continue supporting her team as long as possible while bringing joy to patients and clients.

Eight youth have been selected as winners for the 2024 Beyond the Buzz: Youth Voices on Tobacco, Cannabis, Vaping & Alcohol poster contest. Youth in grades 6–12 living in the Interior Health region were invited to participate in the contest. Judges from the Interior Health YOUTHWISE Advisory Group, all youth themselves, evaluated and scored each poster based on a specific set of criteria. The intent of the poster contest was to spark meaningful conversations about youth tobacco, cannabis, vapour product and alcohol use, and their impacts on youths’ health, environment and their communities. “By collaborating with youth, we learn and understand how they view the effects of tobacco, cannabis, vaping and alcohol on their lives, their friends and their communities,” says Dr. Fatemeh Sabet, a medical health officer at Interior Health. “The contest is also an opportunity to invite youth—who, with their developing brains, are more vulnerable the effects of the substances—to empower and educate themselves and others. If we can intervene earlier, we can help assure the long-term health of our younger generation.”

Foundations in the Interior region raise funds that support medical equipment, care needs, and innovative local initiatives in their communities. Each organization includes respected community leaders, volunteers and staff who are passionate about meeting the needs of patients and families in Interior Health. Thanks to the generosity of their supporters, we all have a stronger health system.  In this next story of our series on the incredible health-care and hospital foundations throughout our region, we interviewed Jerry Sanders, vice president and acting president of the Nicola Valley Health Care Endowment Foundation (NVHCEF).  

Name: Joanna (Jo) Harrison (she/her/hers)Job Title: Executive Director, Clinical Informatics, Digital HealthYears of Service: 18Worksite: RegionalCommunity: KamloopsAncestral Territory:  Secwépemc NationFavourite Quote / Advice to live by: “Life can be short and not all of us in this world get the gift of a long and healthy life. I try not to take that for granted so stay true to my values.” – Jo Harrison Joanna (Jo) Harrison knew from a young age she was interested in a career in health care. While most of her family are academics or engineers, Jo found herself drawn to the complexities of the human body. After earning a Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy in London, UK, Jo worked in a tertiary hospital and joined the Territorial Army Medical Corps as a lieutenant physiotherapist. “I spent many of my weekends dressed in green practising skills to respond, coordinate and manage large-scale trauma situations and run field hospitals,” recalls Jo.

Smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death in B.C. More than 6,000 people die a year in B.C. due to tobacco use. What’s perhaps even more concerning is nine out of 10 people who use tobacco started in adolescence, according to the BC Lung Foundation. January 19–25 is National Non-Smoking Week. To mark this week, we invited Aditi, a middle school student in Kelowna, to chat with Dr. Silvina Mema, IH’s deputy chief medical health officer about smoking and vaping. Aditi is a member of Interior Health’s YOUTHWISE Advisory Group, an advisory group of youth 13–19 years old who help improve youth-focused health and well-being services. Read on to learn more about tobacco, smoking and vaping. Learn why vaping isn’t harmless and some good reasons to quit. We also offer a list of free resources and programs to help you commit to quit for good in 2025.

Name: Karen Moison (she/her/hers)Job Title: Executive Assistant to Chief Financial Officer & Vice President, Corporate ServicesYears of Service: 6Worksite: Kelowna Community Health Services CentreCommunity: Okanagan/KelownaAncestral Territory: syilx/Okanagan (O-kan-a-gan) Nation Favourite Quote / Advice to live by: The world is yours to explore! Karen Moison was born in Richmond, B.C. and grew up in Ladner. She’s been living in the beautiful Okanagan for 30 years. She divides her time between two communities: West Kelowna in the Okanagan and Christian Valley in Boundary Country, a community she plans to make her primary residence in the future. Karen is a compassionate, loving person who is deeply family-oriented. She’s always seeking new adventures! Karen has been with Interior Health (IH) since December 2018. She started as a project and administrative assistant in Strategic Initiatives. Karen transitioned to support the simulation department before accepting a Human Resources (HR) recruitment assistant role.

After a warm start to winter across much of the province, British Columbians are encouraged to prepare for colder weather and winter road conditions in the days and weeks ahead. As temperatures drop, it’s important to be aware of the health risks of cold. Here's what you can do to ensure you remain safe and healthy.