We Are IH: Climate change and nature are physician's passion

June 23, 2022

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.”

In this Story…

Learn more about her journey with IH

Explore a career as a physician with IH

Learn more about her journey with IH

For Ilona, the research work is rewarding in a completely different way: the progress is often slow but it feels like there is potential to change things on a bigger scale. One of her proudest moments at Interior Health is when her budding multi-disciplinary research group at the health centre in Kimberley got its first research grant.

Ilona canoeing on Duncan Lake with her husband, Dave.

Ilona and her husband, Dave, canoeing on Duncan Lake

“I’m excited to be expanding my research focus towards environmentally sustainable health care, both in our own community and beyond. There are so many things we can do – that are good for the planet, our patients and our communities – that can also save money.”

Ilona finds that people have been supportive and encouraging – more so than ever before. She believes they are realizing that this is a critical time, and that if we don't do everything we can to prevent ongoing climate change now, and prepare for the changes that are coming, we’ll face more critical situations in the near future.

“Although working on environmental issues and thinking about climate change sounds like it could be depressing, I’m a committed optimist and feel strongly that we can approach the issues with a spirit of hopefulness. There are many great examples of progress.

“For me, action is the antidote to despair and eco-anxiety. Another of my favourite quotes is: With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy."

Ilona and volunteer Sherrin Perrouault at the Food Recovery Depot.

Ilona and volunteer Sherrin Perrouault at the Food Recovery Depot, an initiative of Healthy Kimberley, a non-profile that Ilona chairs

Ilona grounds herself by being outside, either digging in the garden or backpacking in the mountains. Hands down – nature is her medicine. She also claims to play guitar quite badly, so much so that no one outside her family and very close friends have ever heard her play. “But still, it gives me joy so I keep at it!”

Ilona nominates Holly Buhler, Manager, Research Data & Special Projects to keep We Are IH going:

“Holly is a great colleague who has been an essential part of our research team for many projects. She is always approachable and makes time to help whenever needed. She can demystify stats for people like me (who know nothing about stats) and explain things in a way that helps us understand what we need to know. I feel very fortunate to have her on our team!” – Dr. Ilona Hale