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Pictured: Dr. Leah Lambert (middle) receiving her award at the NNPBC awards gala.

The Nursing and Allied Health Research and Knowledge Translation (NAHRKT) team at BC Cancer created a Cultural Safety Working Group in 2022 in response to learning opportunities they identified in their provincially dispersed department. Two years later, this small group is being recognized for inspiring their colleagues to conduct research and health systems work in a more culturally safe way that meaningfully considers the needs of Indigenous Peoples.

The ACP Nursing Working Group has received a BC Cancer Excellence Award in the category of Teamwork and Collaboration in Action.

The BC Cancer Excellence Awards provide an opportunity to shine a light on the inspiring people and teams who help ensure that British Columbians receive world-class, patient-centered cancer screening, treatment and support, and benefit from new discoveries that are helping change the face of cancer.

​Patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) can have elevated risk of experiencing difficulties in swallowing and malnutrition. To prevent this, enteral nutrition through feeding tube (TF) insertion is encouraged when undergoing chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Whilst TFs are a proactive measure, the unpredictability of nutrition-impacting symptom development and the absence of consistent guidelines for informed decision-making of TF insertion can result in unnecessary TF procedures and patient distress.

Each year, oncology nurses from across Canada gather at the Canadian Association of Nurses in Oncology/Association canadienne des infirmières en oncologie (CANO/ACIO) conference to connect, share knowledge and advance their expertise in oncology nursing, patient engagement and interdisciplinary practice.

At the 2024 CANO/ACIO conference in St. John's, Newfoundland, BC Cancer nurses made their mark, hosting innovative presentations and workshops that showcased their leadership in advancing oncology nursing excellence.

Dr. Jae-Yung Kwon is an affiliated researcher with the BC Cancer Nursing and Allied Health Research and Knowledge Translation department and assistant professor at the University of Victoria’s School of Nursing. His work is focused on promoting person-centred care and enhancing quality of life for cancer patients. Jae-Yung recently presented his research findings during the Poster Session at the International Society of Quality of Life (ISOQOL) conference, and was awarded the 2023 New Investigator Award.