We Are IH: Nurse runs marathons, travels the world to help kids

November 23, 2023
Brandy hiking Cathedral Provincial Park, also known as Cathedral Lakes, in Keremeos

Name: Brandy Hagel (she/her/hers)
Job Title: Registered Nurse
Years of Service: 5 ½ 
Worksite: Kelowna General Hospital Pediatrics 
Community:  Kelowna
Ancestral Territory: Syilx
Favourite Quote / Advice to live by: “If you put your mind to it, anything is possible.”

Brandy Hagel, the registered nurse (RN) from Kelowna General Hospital who took to social media to reunite a pediatric patient with their stuffed bunny, has always loved working with kids. She has also always been the type of person who goes out of her way to make a positive difference in someone’s day. 

So much so that in 2017 she combined her passion for running and desire to help others by taking on the challenge of running an ultra-marathon across Haiti to raise money for low-income families. She ran a total of 226 kilometres in just six days! 

Naturally, her empathetic, caring nature and desire to work with children ultimately led her to a career as a RN in pediatrics. 

“It is so rewarding to know that you are making a positive impact in someone’s day, and kids are the most resilient people I know. I love being able to help them understand that their illness doesn’t define them while we work together to get them healthy again.”
 

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