13 Aspiring Health Care Professionals Awarded Bow Valley Health Care Scholarships
Today, we are delighted to announce that the Canmore Hospital Foundation, in collaboration with the Canmore Hospital Ladies’ Auxiliary, has awarded Bow Valley Health Care Scholarships to 13 local residents pursuing education in healthcare fields, with plans to return to the Bow Valley for their careers.
Our Student Bursaries program, funded jointly by the Canmore Hospital Foundation and the Canmore Hospital Ladies’ Auxiliary through the generosity of our donors, is designed to support aspiring healthcare professionals in our community. We recognize that healthcare education involves extensive, challenging, and costly academic journeys. Therefore, we aim to support passionate individuals from the area who plan to bring their skills and dedication back to the Bow Valley to benefit our communities for generations to come.
This year, we received many outstanding applications from dedicated, hardworking, and inspiring locals who all share the ambition to make a lasting impact in our community and in the lives of others. We are excited to announce that we’ve awarded the most scholarships ever since beginning the bursary program three years ago. Among the scholarships awarded was our newest addition, the Bow Valley Indigenous Health Professional Bursary. This specific opportunity for Indigenous applicants was imagined and funded by a generous community member who has committed to ongoing support for this bursary in particular. So, without further ado, let’s meet this year’s incredible recipients.
2024 Bow Valley Health Care Scholarship Recipients
Please join us in congratulating our 13 Bow Valley Health Care Scholarship Recipients: Alida Kelly, Chris Kirouac, McKinley Procinsky, Emiko Arai, Danika Burkes, Rhea Funke, Chloe Boucher, Polly Graham, Elleri Dunn, Jessica Elmazi, Samuel Hendry, Alina Arvisais, and Avery Bennett.
This phenomenal group represents a broad range of healthcare studies, from those pursuing master’s degrees in Social Work, Nursing, and Counselling Psychology to medical school students and undergraduates in nursing and psychology—the list goes on. Not only are they dedicated students, but their commitment to their craft is evident.
Reading the stories that led these passionate individuals to pursue careers in healthcare was an uplifting and heartwarming experience. They each have deep roots in the Bow Valley, with some connections even dating back generations.
“Receiving a scholarship from the Canmore and Area Health Foundation means more to me than just financial support. My dad, myself, and my sister were all born at the Canmore Hospital, my grandmother was a nurse in Canmore, and volunteering at the Canmore Hospital as a high school student was a pivotal experience in my journey to becoming a healthcare professional, so it feels like my life coming full circle in a very special way!” said one recipient, Alida Kelly.
Alina Arvisais shared, "Receiving this funding is very meaningful since it helps reduce the financial pressure of my studies. This allows me to better focus on my studies and other educational opportunities during the school semesters. It is an honour to receive this scholarship, and I am especially grateful for the support from my home community as I continue my studies. I look forward to using the skills and knowledge I will learn in school to contribute to the local community when I graduate."
“My family is everything to me, and my grandparents were always like my second set of parents. My grandparents and their family were the ones to settle us in Canmore when they found work in the mines, so my family has deep roots in Canmore. Unfortunately, my grandpa was diagnosed with cancer during my first undergraduate degree and passed away, but the physicians and nurses were absolutely amazing and incredibly supportive of my family,” another recipient, Chloe Boucher, shared. “Learning from the healthcare professionals who took care of my grandpa, as well as those working where I volunteer, and seeing the impact they have on the lives of their patients, drove me to nursing school, as I want to have that same impact and support other families the way mine was supported,” she continued.
Enriching Bow Valley Health Care
It was exciting for us to see that many of this year’s applicants have already begun their careers in healthcare in the Bow Valley, with some even working at the Canmore General Hospital.
“Over the past three and a half years, I have been employed primarily at Canmore General Hospital, working in both the inpatient and emergency departments. This role has enriched my professional skills and deepened my understanding of the local community,” said Chris Kirouac, who is now pursuing his Master of Nursing. “With this support, I can immerse myself in the NP program, maximizing my learning and professional growth. This scholarship is deeply appreciated and provides substantial encouragement from my community, reinforcing my commitment to give back. It fuels my determination to contribute effectively to local healthcare and advance my nursing career in meaningful and innovative ways within the Bow Valley.”
Hearing from our recipients has reinforced our commitment to growing this program with the support of our generous donors. We’re encouraged and excited to hear the plans this year’s recipients have for their futures as healthcare professionals in the Bow Valley.
“I look forward to bringing everything I learn at university back to the Bow Valley to support my community. Canmore will always be my home, and I’m grateful that nursing will allow me to contribute to it,” McKinley Procinsky, a scholarship recipient, told us.
“By relieving some of the financial burden of medical school, the Bow Valley Health Care Scholarship enables me to achieve this goal. I am grateful to the Canmore General Hospital, Canmore Hospital Ladies Auxiliary, and the Canmore Hospital Foundation and feel honoured to be recognized for my dedication to the community,” said another recipient, Samuel Hendry.
We’re honoured to be able to offer this opportunity to people like our 2024 scholarship recipients, and we’re incredibly grateful for the support we’ve received from our community to make this possible. If you would like to contribute to the education of future Bow Valley healthcare professionals, we encourage you to donate to our Programs Fund.
Thank you to the applicants, everyone who donated to support the program, everyone who helped us spread the word, and to our community at large. This is a special place with a bright and healthy future.