If your 2017 was anything like mine, the year moved at lightening speed and was heavily loaded with projects focused on improving or protecting the lives of those around you.
Here’s my highlights of 2017…
- Re-working the Framework for Pharmacist Prescribing in BC to focus more closely on collaborative practice and the potential benefits to patient engagement
- Conducting extensive engagement on the new Framework for Pharmacist Prescribing in BC, reporting on the difference the new focus on collaboration and patient safety made through over 10,000 comments received, and seeing the feedback used for decision making
- A full year’s worth of livestreaming the College of Pharmacists of BC’s Board meetings – transparency on Board decision making has reached a whole new level and is equally accessible to the public, pharmacy professionals, and stakeholders
- Helping host Fraser Health’s first Health Hackathon focused on timely topics like the opioid overdose crisis
- Hosting OpenDataBC’s Vancouver Open Data Day Annual Hackathon
- Attending the 2017 Canadian Open Data Summit and learning how all levels of government are using data and civic tech to perform smarter and do more with less.
- Helping patients displaced by BC’s wildfires learn how to get any medications they may need with though an online campaign.
- Continuing to build awareness of how to use Naloxone (and the SAVEME protocols) to save a life and prevent a opioid overdose death through a suite of resources and an online campaign
- Helping PeaceGeeks with their work on creating a Services Advisor Pathways to help bridge gaps in needs for newcomers in BC
- Leading the development of the College of Pharmacists of BC’s strategy to fulfill its pledge to improve BC pharmacy professionals’ work with First Nations and Aboriginal People and seeing the positive waves it is beginning to make
This year it was also especially important to take a stand against racism and discrimination. I invested more time in learning and acknowledging what’s happening on a international and local scale and NPR’s Code Switch became one of my favourite podcasts for exploring how race, ethnicity and culture are shifting. I also participated in my first anti-racism rally together with about 4,000 other awesome people at the Stand up to Racism Vancouver Rally on August 19. I plan to continue to show up to take a stand against racism in 2018.
To keep myself physically and mentally sane, I started SoulCycle to boost by cardio (something I normally run away from) and allowed myself to say no to things (for a change) when I was running low on energy.
I also welcomed Stanley – a giant, floppy, English Mastiff puppy – into my life. His curiosity with how this world works and unbiased love of humanity are always the highlight of my day! And I love running his instagram account (which is now more popular than mine)!
Next year looks to be another year where much passion and vigour will be needed to implement positive change – and I’m excited to take action.
I also recognize what an important role mentors, friends and people who just inspire you to want and be better play in your life and the projects you work on. Thank you Bob, Andrea, Renee, Mohammed, Aaron, Davin, Drew, Adrian and Mark among others!