10th Anniversary of Health Care Rally Marked with Unveiling of Donor Wall
By 250 News
Tuesday, June 22, 2010 04:54 PM
Prince George-Valemount MLA Shirley Bond, UNBC President Dr. George Iwama, Northern Health CEO Kathy Ulrich look at donor wall.
Prince George, B.C.- Community leaders from throughout the North shared in a celebration today at the University of Northern B.C. The celebrated the 10th anniversary of the Health Care Rally, and the changes that have happened because of the will of the people of the north.
They unveiled a special donor wall, which recognizes all who made contributions to the Northern Medical Trust, a fund which gives financial support to those in the Northern Medical Program. Designed to resemble a DNA strand, the donors are intrinsically part of the success of the Northern Medical Program which was developed following the Health Care Rally on June 22nd of 2000.
Former Mayor Colin Kinsley remembers that rally, “It was very emotional, it was a hot June day, and seven thousand people turned up at the Multiplex to call for improvements to the delivery of health care in our region. What has happened since then is un-believable.”
What has happened since then is the graduation of 70 physicians from the Northern Medical Program. While many are still in the various stages of their residency, about half of the very first class which is ready to start practice have committed to rural communities. Jennifer Parker is one of them. On July 2nd, Jennifer Parker M.D. will hang her shingle out in Ft. St. John, “Although no one can say what will happen in the future, but from what I can see right now, I’m here to stay.”
Since the rally, UNBC has also graduated 631 nurses and 14 Nurse Practitioners.
( at right, two of the original three rally organizers, Gord Leighton and Ben Meisner listen to speeches, the third person behind the idea of the rally, Justice Glen Parrett was not able to attend the celebration today)
Training would be physicians from the north, in the north is the made in northern B.C. solution to a crisis of recruitment and retention. It is a program which is being copied around the world. Dr. Dave Snadden is the head of the program at UNBC, “We initially based our program on one that is operating in Washington State, of course we made some changes to better suite our resources. Well that same program has come to us now looking for ways to make a new program out of Spokane successful. We’ve had numerous visits from schools in Australia, and the U.S.”
Dr. Snadden says the program is so solid now, that it can move to the next step and that is to enhance its research component.
That research component was given a solid foundation today with the signing of a memorandum of understanding which formalizes the links between Northern Health and the University. Both organizations agree to “further education, research and innovation for the purpose of improving the Quality of life for people who live in the North.”
One of the measures to weld the link was what the executive director of the Northern Medical Society calls the “strategic name change of PGRGH to the University Hospital of Northern B.C.” Dr. Bert Kelly says the Northern Medical Society formed a Community Strategy Team in May of 2002, and since then, the team has worked to develop the Northern Medical Program, secure a new cancer clinic, and programs at the College of New Caledonia for lab technicians and radiologists. “That’s a lot of work in just 8 years” says Dr.Kelly.
The Northern Medical Society isn’t finished.
“We have a meeting with the Minister of Health in four weeks, and we are going to talk to him about adding a physiotherapy program to those offered at UNBC.”
While all who attended today’s celebrations agree it was the rally which gave the University and the Northern Medical Society the momentum to move forward, that doesn’t mean the work is finished, UNBC President Dr. George Iwama referred to the Health Care Rally and the changes it sparked as “truly earth moving” and says the signing of the MOU with Northern Health “ ensures the legacy of the rally continues.”
Dr. Bert Kelly adds that the Northern Medical Society has more to do “We are here because we refused to listen to the nay-sayers. At this time, the Northern Medical Society sees no need to change the prescription.”
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Posted by: shesmiles on June 22 2010 5:34 PM