We Are IH: African roots pulled public health nurse into maternity field

Joanne always thought she would follow in her dad's footsteps and become a teacher. Joanne instead chased after her mom’s career.

She’s a public health nurse with Interior Health in Kamloops with a specialty, like her mom, in maternity, providing breastfeeding guidance to expecting and new mothers.

“I spent many years as a camp counsellor and realized I’m probably not a great teacher,” she reflects. “But in nursing, you predominantly do teach, but it’s more one-on-one, so I really appreciate that more.”

Roots bring her into nursing

 Her heart always calls her back to Africa. It’s why she’s pursued nursing to take her around the world to help people.

She’s returned to that part of the world, visiting Tanzania with a clinical team to work there with albinism about skin care. It’s estimated fewer than 10 per cent of people with albinism in Tanzania survive skin cancer before the age of 30.

Joanne has also been to South Africa, working with children whose parents had HIV-AIDS.

“That’s outside my own scope of practice, so looking at skin diseases and lesions, and diagnosing malaria, was very interesting, [but] certainly not something I do here,” she says.

Joanne’s love of outdoors

Outside of work, Joanne loves to explore the backcountry hiking, an activity she’s picked up in the last five years.

“In my younger days, I did a lot of running and athletics, and now it’s tapering down to prevent injury,” she jokes. “I just love being outdoors.”

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