Judy Hill Memorial Award

I grew up in the northern interior of BC, and my foundations instilled a deep curiosity about the interplay of social and ecological geographies. This interest brought me to study and work in ethnobotany, place-based conservation, and food systems revitalization, the common thread of this work being the link between the health of the land and the health of communities. For the past decade, I have lived rurally on Vancouver Island as well as remotely on BC’s south-central coast, and I’ve learned so much from those communities about issues surrounding access to quality, dignified and culturally safe health care.

I entered UBC’s accelerated nursing program with a desire to work in community health. I’ve seen the trust that people often place in nurses in the remote and rural context, where health care needs are unique to place. I’ve also witnessed how nurses can play a potent role in advocacy and addressing systemic health inequities. I plan to continue to build my nursing skills to a level that can serve remote communities, including certified practice in remote nursing and reproductive health. Currently in my third semester, I am humbled at the enormity of knowledge, skill and heart that nursing entails. All gratitude to the CNF and donors for this award, and for investing in nursing students.