John Vanderlee Award

I am incredibly grateful for this huge boost of support from the Canadian Nurses Federation and its donors. Before starting my BSN degree at Vancouver Island University, I had a strong and insatiable drive to empower people. Through work and volunteer activities I was able to achieve this goal, but often felt limited with the depth at which I was able to provide support. I was compelled to learn new skills and increase my knowledge so I could help people at a deeper level. I believe a nursing education is the perfect avenue to increase these abilities. Whether it is supporting and empowering patients to take control of their health, or helping and encouraging other members of the health care team to provide excellent patient care, nursing offers a foundation that is unlike any other profession.

I am currently very flexible on where I end up working as a nurse. My passion lies in empowerment and supporting people in their healing, which I believe is available in many areas of nursing. As a nurse who is male, I will be in a unique position to bring a diverse perspective in helping patients reach their healing goals. I am able to model to other males and inspire them to be masculine in a healthy, compassionate, and tolerant way. It is an honor to receive the John Vanderlee Award.