​National Nursing Week is a time to celebrate and honour the essential role nurses play in supporting healthy, self-determining and vibrant First Nations children, families and communities. This year, we're sharing messages from leaders across the regions, reflecting on the power of nurses to transform health care.

Naomi Williams, Vice President of Regional Operations, Fraser Salish Region

We want you to know we see you. We see you upholding cultural safety, trauma-informed practice, and deep listening and learning to create welcoming and inclusive spaces for xwélmexw​ people.

We see how you weave First Nations knowledge with clinical expertise to honour traditional medicines, land-based teachings, and community-led approaches to wellness. We see your commitment to improving health and wellness by transforming clinical environments into places of connection, learning and cultural strength.

We see you, and we lift our hands to you, for the many ways you meaningfully paddle alongside First Nations across the Fraser Salish Region.

Lisa Montgomery-Reid, Vice President of Regional Operations, Interior Region

During National Nursing Week, the Interior Region recognizes the extraordinary contributions of nurses to transform health systems into culturally relevant, community-driven spaces of wellness.

Your dedication to relationship-centred care strengthens the health and wellness of the communities we serve, and your work reflects compassion, adaptability, and deep respect for community knowledge and priorities. Whether it's advancing public health initiatives; supporting team-based primary care; or responding to crises and emergencies, the care, leadership, and commitment you bring each day makes a lasting difference in the wellbeing of individuals, families, and communities across the region.

Crystal French, Vice President of Regional Operations, Northern Region

We sincerely thank you for your unwavering commitment to providing culturally safe, compassionate care across the communities we serve. Your dedication, problem-solving and advocacy are the foundations that keep care directly in community.

You consistently go above and beyond, stepping up without hesitation when challenges arise, including partnering with Northern Health to catch up on immunizations after cold chain events. Without your hard work, none of this would be possible. 

Please know that we see you, we value you and we appreciate everything you do, more than words can fully express. Thank you for the heart you bring to this work every single day.

Kim Brooks, Vice President of Regional Operations, Vancouver Coastal Region

To all Community Health Nurses serving First Nations communities across the Vancouver Coastal region, I want to honour the care and presence you bring to your work each and every day.

Your commitment to showing up with compassion, cultural humility, empathy, and an unwavering dedication to improving health and wellness is a shining example of culturally safe and accessible healthcare.

You walk alongside individuals, families, and communities through some of their most difficult moments, offering care that is grounded in respect for history, lived experience, and community protocols. Your efforts make a meaningful and lasting difference, and we are deeply grateful for all that you do.

Brennan MacDonald, Vice President of Regional Operations, Vancouver Island Region

To our Community Health Nurses across Vancouver Island – thank you for the care, dedication and leadership you bring to your work every day.

Your contributions extend beyond clinical care, grounded in cultural humility, strong relationships and a commitment to wholistic wellness. Whether supporting community-led services, strengthening access to care, or walking alongside individuals and families, you're the backbone of care and your impact is felt across communities. We are grateful for the role you play in advancing health and wellness and honour the meaningful difference you continue to make. Gilakas'la - Kleco Kleco - Huy ch q'u.

Gary Housty, Vice President of Quality and Chief Nursing and Allied Health Officer

National Nursing Week invites us to honour “The Power of Nurses to Transform Health." Across First Nations communities in BC, Community Health Nurses demonstrate this impact through clinical wisdom, courageous leadership, and a deep commitment to wholistic wellness. Grounded in cultural safety and cultural humility, you build trusted relationships that uplift individuals, families, and communities. In the spirit of káx̌ḷá—to lift up in my Haíɫzaqv language—I lift up each of you for the ways you inspire healing, strengthen community wellbeing, and advance self‑determination in health. Thank you for the meaningful difference you make—today and every day.

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