Local health worker honoured

Orillia Packet and Times

Years of being a champion for those suffering from chronic kidney disease have earned provincial honours for Carolyn Bowman, manager of the Simcoe Muskoka Regional Kidney Care program, hosted by Orillia Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital (OSMH).

Bowman was presented with the Human Touch Award by Cancer Care Ontario and the Ontario Renal Network Thursday in Toronto.

The Human Touch Award honours frontline cancer and renal health-care professionals, providers and volunteers who provide exemplary and compassionate care in Ontario.

“I was surprised and extremely touched to have been nominated by my colleagues and I am truly honoured that Cancer Care Ontario and Ontario Renal Network chose me for the award,” said Bowman. “I have dedicated my award to our former CEO, Glen Penwarden, who had a vision 25 years ago to bring dialysis services north to serve the residents of Simcoe and Muskoka.”

Since she started at OSMH as manager of the dialysis program in 1992, Bowman has propelled the program from a four-chair hemodialysis unit to a 54-chair regional program with 92 peritoneal patients, 17 home hemodialysis patients and more than 1,000 kidney-care patients with five satellite units at Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre in Barrie, Collingwood General and Marine Hospital, Georgian Bay General Hospital in Penetanguishene, Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare in Huntsville and Stevenson Memorial Hospital in Alliston.

Bowman is a colleague, mentor and friend to her team in the kidney-care program. She makes a point to know the patients and families in the dialysis program at OSMH by name. She is compassionate, supportive and knowledgeable, always questioning how her efforts will help the patient. She makes those around her strive to strengthen their commitment to improving the lives of renal patients.

“Carolyn is an outstanding nurse and manager. She has been an instrumental force in the expansion of the regional kidney-care program and a champion for bringing new ways of treating dialysis here to OSMH,” said Cheryl Harrison, vice-president of patient services, regional programs, and chief nursing executive. “Carolyn has dedicated her life to helping people with chronic disease, giving them new life and making them feel empowered. This provincial award is very deserving and we are extremely happy that she has been recognized for the passion and the leadership she brings to her role.”

“Compassion is vital in health care as it has the ability to shape the patient and family experience,” said Michael Shearer, president and CEO of Cancer Care Ontario. “This year’s award recipients have gone beyond what is asked of them to provide patients with exceptional care.”

The seventh annual Human Touch Awards were co-sponsored by the Canadian Cancer Society, Ontario division and made possible by a donation from the RBC Foundation.

Photo:
Carolyn Bowman, manager of the Simcoe Muskoka Regional Kidney Care program, receives the Human Touch Award from Neil Stuart, chair of Cancer Care Ontario. The presentation was made at Cancer Care Ontario’s annual general meeting last week in Toronto