Elizabeth Eckert has cared for her son Anakin for his entire life. Born premature at 22 weeks, Anakin is legally blind, has hydrocephalus (a build-up of brain fluid) and epilepsy, and is neurodivergent. Now 22, he’s been through countless surgeries and lives full-time with Elizabeth—but he’s anything but inactive. He has a full social life, plays guitar and composes, writes stories, attends Okanagan College, has two jobs, and volunteers with Make-A-Wish Foundation and the 501st Legion.   Anakin (left) and mom Elizabeth pose for a photo during the pandemic. 

Spring is in the air, and for many of us in the Interior, it’s time to roll up our sleeves and dive into spring cleaning. Before sweeping, dusting and decluttering, however, there’s something else that could be in the air that’s important to be aware of: hantavirus.

There may come a time in your life or a loved one’s life where you’ll need extra help with living at home. A wide range of services are available to you right in your own home and in your community from Interior Health (IH).   “When provided with the assistance and support to live safely and independently in their own home, most people will choose that option over living elsewhere,” says Susan Labonte, regional director for Home Health. “Anyone can make a referral to Home Health, and once the referral is assigned to a Home Health clinician, we do a thorough assessment and recommend care and services appropriate for your needs.”

“Preparedness is not a luxury. It’s a necessity.” That’s the message Interior Health’s (IH) Health Emergency Management BC (HEMBC) team wants to get across to our communities as British Columbia braces itself for another challenging and unpredictable wildfire season. And, with wildfire evacuations already occurring in the north of the province, now is the time to review your emergency plan and take stock of your emergency kit, so you’re prepared. While there are some fundamental items that should always live in your kit—water, food, a battery-operated or wind-up flashlight and radio, personal medications, extra keys and cash—everyone’s personal situation is unique and there are no rules for what you can or can’t add to those basic supplies.

Name: Tammy Molina (she/her/hers)Job Title: Regional Practice Leader, Clinical EthicsYears of Service: 13Worksite: Kelowna Community Health & Services CentreCommunity: KelownaAncestral Territory: Okanagan-SyilxFavourite Quote / Advice to live by: “It's hard to choose one, but I think what often stirs up my heart and mind most frequently is ‘be the change you want to see.’” In her position with Interior Health (IH) as regional practice leader, clinical ethics, Tammy Molina collaborates with employees and medical staff (physicians, nurse practitioners, midwives, etc.) as they navigate what she calls “crunchy” situations that would benefit from an ethical decision-making process. “It’s so important for us to be able to intentionally examine our responsibilities, priorities, choices and impacts, and not only understand but also explain why we have made the decision we did,” Tammy says. “I enjoy being invited to walk through difficult scenarios with teams to pull back the layers and look at what values and priorities are in conflict and provide space to acknowledge the discomfort or uncertainty.”

Jennifer Monaghan was a healthy, active stay-at-home mom when she was diagnosed with a heart condition. “I came downstairs one night after tucking my daughter in, and no words would come out,” she recalls. Her husband recognized immediately that she was having a stroke. After being admitted to Kelowna General Hospital, she started to undergo a lengthy series of tests. It was in the course of testing that doctors discovered she had cardiomyopathy, a dysfunction of her heart. Jennifer would go on to spend a month in the hospital in rehabilitation and would later attend KGH’s Heart Function Clinic. “That was the beginning of my health journey,” says Jennifer. She was 43 years old at the time.

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 first story of our series on the incredible health-care and hospital foundations throughout our region, we interviewed Steven Hui, chair of the Revelstoke and District Health Foundation.

Name: Tiova de Kok (she/her/hers)Job Title: Regional, Project Lead, Perinatal Substance UseYears of Service: 21Worksite: Regional role, based out of 100 Mile District General HospitalCommunity: 100 Mile HouseAncestral Territory: SecwépemcFavourite Quote / Advice to live by: “Always be a little kinder than necessary.” - J.M. Barie Tiova de Kok – wife, mother, grandmother, nurse and lifelong learner – knew from when she was a small child that nursing was a life goal. She’s had the privilege of serving since 2003 and feels blessed to be surrounded by passionate, dedicated colleagues who support and bring ideas to life.  Born in Dinsmore, Saskatchewan, and raised in both Saskatoon and Tulsa, Oklahoma, Tiova believes that you can find art and creativity in everything you put your hands to.

Yanmei (Mei) Chen never thought she was cut out for a job in health care. The former educator from China, who immigrated to Canada in 2020, was skeptical about changing careers later in life. But the financial pressures of the pandemic on her family eventually compelled her to make a change. Mei heard about the Health Career Access Program (HCAP), a government-funded initiative launched in 2020 that provides a path for applicants with little to no experience in the health sector to get hired and receive paid training as part of their employment. The Kelowna resident said she sent a letter to Interior Health to “test the waters.” “I was amazed I got an email back,” she says. “I couldn’t believe there was a program that let you retrain while paying you a salary.” Interior Health (IH), like all B.C.’s health authorities, has been involved in the program since the beginning, and in March reached a milestone with our largest ever cohort of HCAP graduates — a whopping 73. The graduates are spread across IH’s four regions: East Kootenay (19), Kootenay Boundary (17), Thompson Cariboo Shuswap (11) and the Okanagan (26). They're now ready to begin their new careers as health-care assistants at various IH or contracted or private sites or facilities.