Catching Up & Happy New Year

Sticky

January 2025

Postings on the blog have been few in the past few months as we have been working hard refreshing and updating the content on the website in preparation for a fresh look on our new website coming soon.  Here are a few catch-up  items that we saved that will be of interest to our readers.

Congratulations to Vivian Eliopoulos, President, and CEO of Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH), winner in the Health and Wellness category of the YWCA Metro Vancouver Women of Distinction Award presented by Scotiabank. The Awards ceremony took place on May 13, 2024, at Westin Bayshore. Over 35 years ago, Vivian started her career as a nurse at Vancouver General Hospital.   For more information  https://www.vch.ca/en/vivian-eliopoulos-0

A new book, ( March 2024)  Flight of the Wild Swan, by Melissa Pritchard is a work of historical fiction that “tells the story of Florence Nightingale, a brilliant, trailblazing woman whose humanity has been obscured beneath the iconic weight of legend.” A reviewer says, “A majestic novel of Florence Nightingale, whose courage, self-confidence, and resilience transformed nursing and the role of women in medicine.”

The Florence Nightingale Museum in London England has an interesting newsletter!

Below are some highlights:

The May issue features a display and article about the WW2 Flying Nightingales.

https://making-history.ca/2021/05/23/flying-nightingales/ https://making-history.ca/2021/05/23/flying-nightingales/

The June issue features a Red Cross feeding cup.

In the September issue a featured object from the Museum’s collection is a bracelet and its box that belonged to Florence Nightingale. The bracelet includes hair from Nightingales’ family and a note which says, “FN’s bracelet; containing her father’s, mother’s, Parthe’s and Shore’s hair which she wore under her sleeve all the time in the Crimea, given by her to LSN [Louis Shore Nightingale].”

Celebrating Nurses in 2024

Many thanks to BCHNS member Brenda Flynn who alerted us to this interesting article from the May 9, Merritt Herald, Merritt nurses on the front line of Spanish Flu. Cameron Bridge, Manager of the Nicola Valley Museum & Archives, tells of the impact of the flu in the community with a focus on the many nurses who gave care to those stricken by the disease. To read the full article click here.

In April the Florence Nightingale Museum decided to spotlight a personal object actually belonging to Miss Nightingale. This personalized ivory carriage pass is located within the museum and was a gift to Florence Nightingale from Queen Victoria in the 19th century. To read more click here.

 

Kathleen Louisa Lee, a registered nurse, dedicated nearly four decades of her life to the residents of North Vancouver. Born and raised in Langley, she received her education at Toronto Western Hospital, graduating around 1920. Her journey of service began at the first North Vancouver General Hospital, where she cared for patients. Later, she continued her impactful work at both locations of the NVGH.

Kathleen’s unwavering commitment to the public led to her promotion as the head matron at the second hospital, a position she held from 1934 to 1960. In this role, she skillfully directed all nurses within the hospital, ensuring the well-being of patients and overseeing their care. She died in 1973 and is buried in the family plot in Murrayville cemetery in Langley BC.

Sources: Photograph  NVMA, 11005,  Museum of North Vancouver (MONVA)

North Shore News March 3, 2024

Florence Nightingale’s Wheelchair finds a new home

The customised wheelchair used by Florence Nightingale in the years following her return from the Crimean War has gone on public display in the UK for the first time. It is now part of a new permanent display at the Florence Nightingale Museum.

The early 20th century mahogany and iron chair, with red and tan floral brocade seat cover, was used by Florence Nightingale in her Mayfair home as she fought her own chronic illness. Despite the challenge of ongoing disability, Nightingale campaigned to transform healthcare and inspired generations of nurses across the world in ways that continue today.

To read more about how this gift happened click on the picture below.

Nightingale’s Wheelchair

A Sneak-peak……..

The sequel to Marion Crook’s bestselling and award-winning memoir, Always Pack a Candle,

is coming out on April 2, 2024.

 

In Always On Call: Adventures in Nursing, Ranching, and Rural Living intrepid public health nurse Marion Crook juggles marriage, children, and a vast array of patients and cases in rural British Columbia in the 1970s.

It has been over a decade since Marion arrived in the Cariboo for her first job out of nursing school. The vast rural territory that once left her awestruck now feels like home, as she embraces life on the ranch with her husband, Carl, three young children, and numerous farm animals. Recounted with warmth, compassion, and riveting detail,  Always On Call is a fascinating portrait of the hectic life of a rural nurse and highlights the importance of the helping professions.

Look for more details about the sequel in the Spring 2024 BCHNS newsletter.

Many thanks to Heritage House Publishing  for the heads-up information!

 

We Remember all our Military who serve and served

Lieutenant Commander Stephanie Buckingham

I joined the Naval Reserve in1970 during the October Crisis.  I served with HMCS Malahat, HMCS York and HMCS Carleton.  I retired from the Naval Reserve in 1997 moving to the Supplementary Ready Reserve.  My last position was Interim Commanding Officer HMCS Carleton in Ottawa, Ontario. We thank Stephanie for her past service in the military and also those who are serving our country today!