Stories@IH
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2 Minute Read
Community & Culture
We Are IH: Patient ambassador brings celebration and joy to work

Name: Coreen Duncan (she/her/hers)Job Title: Patient AmbassadorYears of Service: 34Worksite: Columbia HouseCommunity:  InvermereAncestral Territory: Ktunaxa and SecwépemcFavourite Quote / Advice to live by: It is important to be kind. Born and raised in Saskatoon, Coreen spent her high school…

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4 Minute Read
Community & Culture
Meet your recruiter: Rob Hurry, RNs, LPNs & HCAs (Cent. Okanagan)

Welcome to the Meet Your Recruiter series, where we bring you closer to the dedicated professionals behind Interior Health's recruitment team. In this series, you'll have the opportunity to get to know the recruiters who play a vital role in attracting and selecting talented individuals to join our…

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location
4 Minute Read
Health & Wellness
Plan your future health care with an advance care plan

Imagine being in a situation where you can't speak for yourself—who would you trust to speak for you? Or what if you needed to speak on behalf of a loved one, but don't know their wishes? This is the situation Kevin Dunk found himself in 10 years ago when his mom was admitted to the hospital in…

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4 Minute Read
Health & Wellness
Are you numb to the toxic drug crisis? Here’s why & what to do

In the eight years since B.C. declared a public health emergency because of deaths due to unregulated drug poisonings, we’ve seen more than 14,000 people die in this province. Do an online search about the toxic drug crisis, and the statistics jump out from the screen—numbers that are…

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3 Minute Read
Community & Culture
We Are IH: Med lab technologist plays direct role in patient care

Name: Michelle HolmJob Title: Medical Laboratory TechnologistYears of Service: 14Worksite: Kootenay Boundary Regional HospitalCommunity:  TrailAncestral Territory: Syilx and KtunaxaFavourite Quote: Be the change you wish to see in the world. — Gandhi Michelle Holm is a medical laboratory…

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Recent Stories

2 Minute Read
Community & Culture
Foundation spotlight series: RIH Foundation
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 second story of our series on the incredible health-care and hospital foundations throughout our region, we interviewed Heidi Coleman, CEO, Royal Inland Hospital (RIH) Foundation.
3 Minute Read
Community & Culture
We Are IH: Support Services member loves seeing patients smile
Name: Gheboa Zeleniski (she/her/hers)Job Title: Support ServicesYears of Service:  5 yearsWorksite:  Cariboo Memorial HospitalCommunity:  Williams LakeAncestral Territory: Secwépemc First NationsFavourite Quote / Advice to live by: "Everything happens for a reason." Born in Squamish, Gheboa (pronounced “Ja-bo-a”) Zeleniski comes from a large family of five brothers and two step-siblings. Her parents named her after an actress but changed the pronunciation slightly so her name sounded more French. Gheboa’s Indigenous ancestors are from Saskatchewan, and include her great-grandmother, Dorothy Macquabeak Francis. Dorothy founded the first Indigenous friendship centre in Regina and was awarded the Order of Canada in 1978. When she was a young girl, Gheboa and her parents travelled to a powwow in Broadview, Saskatchewan where her great-grandmother spent her early life. There, she was given the name “Peppermint Woman” by a North Dakota Medicine Man named Clifford Young Bear, a name that signifies strength and healing.
5 Minute Read
Health & Wellness
How you can protect and preserve our drinking water
We’re exploring one of our most important natural resources: water. In part 1 of this two-part series, Do you know where your drinking water comes from?, we shared resources about our water operators and suppliers, and how to find out if you water is under an advisory. In this story, discover how you can take care of your water supply and prepare for the spring and summer ahead.
3 Minute Read
Community & Culture
We Are IH: Change management professional supports others’ growth
Name: Christopher Russell (he/him/his)Job Title: Leadership & Organization Development ConsultantYears of Service: 2.5Worksite: Community Health & Services CentreCommunity: KelownaAncestral Territory: Syilx/OkanaganFavourite Quote / Advice to live by: “Growth and comfort do not coexist.” – Ginni Rometty, “All things are difficult before they are easy.” – Thomas Fuller A calm, empathetic and imaginative change management professional, Chris Russell is passionate about working in public service, and supporting the growth and development of others. From inspiring folks to see new career possibilities through facilitating workshops and development sessions, to being involved in the launch of the Change Leadership and Change Management programs and Interior Health (IH) Change Framework, Chris is a valuable resource as IH navigates change, big and small.
7 Minute Read
Community & Culture
Amplifying transgender voices: an interview with an IH employee
The Interior Health Employee Experience team recently sat down with Lee Chmilar, admin for psychiatry in Kelowna mental health & substance use, to learn a bit more about Transgender Day of Visibility (TDOV) and their journey at IH thus far.
6 Minute Read
Community & Culture
Work-integrated learning: Where education meets experience
Interior Health is dedicated to both fostering talent and advancing environmental sustainability— making work-integrated learning a win-win. Learn more from our very own Amanda Mckenzie, manager of environmental sustainability, and Avery Schneider, environmental sustainability intern.

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Mission Creek watershed
Health & Wellness, Research & Innovation
Do you know where your drinking water comes from?
When you take a drink of water, shower, water your garden or wash your car, have you ever paused to think about the journey your water takes from the source to your taps? If you’re among tens of thousands of people in the Interior region who rely on the city for your water supply, it’s easy to take for granted we have access to safe, clean drinking water. On the other hand, if you’re on a small water system, you likely have a more intimate knowledge about who provides and treats your water. You might be surprised to know the Interior is home to close to 2,000 permitted water system providers and operators – a person or organization that supplies and/or treats water. Some water system operators supply water to as few as a half dozen homes or an RV park. Cities like Kelowna and Kamloops provide water to tens of thousands of residents. 
A man and child in winter gear pose for a picture outside while each resting a hand on a snowman.
Community & Culture
We Are IH: Meet a pharmacist who helps IH manage drug shortages
Name: Kris Scott (he/him/his)Job Title: Formulary coordinator, pharmacy servicesYears of Service: 7Worksite: Kelowna CHSC (and home office)Community: West KelownaAncestral Territory: Syilx/OkanaganFavourite Quote / Advice to live by: “Continuous improvement is better than delayed perfection.” -Mark Twain From the time your health-care provider writes you a prescription in hospital to the time your nurse provides it to you, there’s an intricate process that takes place, one which is always evolving. One of the people helping guide this process is Kris Scott, formulary coordinator for Interior Health pharmacy services. “I'm passionate about quality improvement,” says Kris, who was born and raised in Prince Rupert, B.C. “Having the opportunity to work as a pharmacist in a unique regional role provides me with almost daily opportunities to contribute to system changes that can improve efficiencies for our IH pharmacy teams in supporting patient care. "At the end of the day, it's really being able to have a positive impact on patient care that inspires me and the work I do.”
A child stands in the forest as an adult applies spray product on their jeans.
Health & Wellness
Tips and tricks on avoiding ticks and safely removing them
Spring is here and the warmer weather means more people will be out hiking in tall grass or wooded areas. This can also mean an increased chance of getting tick bites. Ticks are small bugs that bite and feed on the blood of humans and animals and can sometimes transmit disease. Fortunately, there are precautions people can take to prevent illnesses that may be transmitted from tick bites.
say youth substance use project poster
Community & Culture, Health & Wellness
Reducing harm is an empowering approach and part of a recovery journey
Interior Health has expanded services for youth who use substances in eight cities in B.C.’s interior. To spread the word about this new substance use services we’re working with a team of youth Peers - the SAY Project - who share their lived experience in this blog, online and with video ‘memecasts’! These youth-focussed services include treatment and harm reduction. Brynn and Hayden are youth in the Interior who have lived experience with substance use. They teamed up with Interior Heath to promote new services for their youth peers. The SAY project was launched in 2023 to promote the new substance use services Interior Health created specifically for youth across the region. Hayden and Brynn (not their real names) helped create the campaign to spread the word about these services.

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