BC Health Care Awards recipients announced

Friday, Mar 26, 2021

The awards recognize people who have gone above and beyond in BC’s health care system.

Recipients of the 14th annual BC Health Care Awards have been announced in a pre-recorded awards video presentation.

The awards, which were delayed in 2020 because of the pandemic, recognize individuals and teams who work to ensure that BC’s health care system remains among the best in the world, by providing outstanding care or contributing to improved practices.

The awards are given in six categories to projects improving health care delivery through innovative and collaborative approaches and to people making a positive impact and inspiring those around them.

Health Care Hero Award sponsored by Pacific Blue Cross

Because there were so many nominations this year, this category had two Award of Merit recipients in addition to the Gold Apple winner.

Linda Warner, Clinical Research Manager, BC Children’s Hospital is this year’s winner of the Gold Apple Award.

Linda is a champion and advocate for those in need in her own community and abroad. A humanitarian at heart, Linda believes in effective health care for everyone, everywhere. In addition to her work in BC, she has volunteered with charities in marginalized communities devastated by destruction and poverty, including Dominican Republic, Mexico, Haiti, and Tanzania.

Her crowning achievements include volunteering as a pediatric nurse in Haiti with Rose Charities, a Canadian charity helping people overcome poverty through education, community support and health care, and working to improve growth and development among children, especially with regards to improved immune systems, as Clinical Research Coordinator for the national CHILD Study.

Click here to learn more about Linda’s story.

Award of Merit recipient Dr. Richard Merchant is an anesthesiologist at Royal Columbian Hospital who helped set up the cardiac surgery program and pioneered the rapid surgical recovery protocol for cardiac surgery. The protocol, which is known as enhanced recovery after surgery, is designed to quickly return patients to their baseline health. The program has led to a 50% drop in the length of patient hospital stays after surgery, a reduction in the rate of complications, and improved patient satisfaction. 

Award of Merit recipient Suzanne Lehbauer, Executive Director, Castlegar Hospice Society, played a critical role in the Castlegar Hospice Society’s groundbreaking virtual reality program. The program uses a virtual reality set up to allow patients to visit travel destinations, their homes, and family events such as weddings, resulting in precious memories and improved quality of life.

Congratulations to all the nominees and winners from the 14th annual BC Health Care Awards!