The Family Champion Award is presented to a former or current caregiver, family member, or friend who has worked tirelessly to improve the quality of life of older adults who live in a long-term care or assisted living home or receive home health services. This award recognizes the importance of family members’ contributions to the seniors’ care sector across British Columbia, including their advocacy, leadership, and commitment to quality improvement.
This year, BC Care Providers Association (BCCPA) and EngAge BC is pleased to present four nominees for the award. The 10th Annual BC Care Awards winners will be announced later this month. Read about the 2024 Family Champion nominees below.
Lisa Dawson
With her father being in long-term care for 13 years, Lisa has been a strong advocate for advancing the quality of care and life for residents in long-term care, as well as those who work there. Lisa advocates for a diverse, multi-sector long-term care advisory committee to work with the Ministry of Health. She believes that advancing the quality care and quality of life for residents in long-term care requires a paradigm shift, that is a change in the mindset and funding model to meet the evolving diversity and needs of residents.
Lisa stepped into the role
of co-chair of the LBHH Family Council (FC) in 2018. Since then, she has been a consistent voice not just for her father but also for the other families and residents of the 215-bed long-term care home. With Lisa’s leadership in acting on collective issues, the FC has generated many ideas and been engaged with many care wins, such as fundraising campaign raising funds to purchase items directly affecting resident quality of life and curating the resident and family handbook, end of life protocol and admission process.
Lisa’s passion in improving long-term care goes beyond the home. At the regional level, Lisa is a Co-founder and Chair of the Vancouver Coastal Association of Family Councils (VCAFC) and at the provincial level, she serves as Vice-President and Secretary of the Independent Long-Term Care Councils Association of BC (ITCCABC). She is also aligned in seniors advocacy groups, such as BCHC, ARRC, FCBC, JSA, and VCH PVN and has provided contributions to various research projects with the University of British Columbia and the University of Ottawa.
Rick Kowalik
Rick’s commitment to improving the quality of life for individuals at Glenmore Lodge shines through by being a positive voice from a family’s point of view. He visits the lodge everyday, interacting positively with residents and staff and is a peer support for resident family members. In family council, he is a positive advocate for the residents in Glenmore Lodge’s care.
Since his wife
moved into the care community, Rick attends every meeting, shares his insights from spending time in the care community, speaks up for the residents needs when required, and supports his fellow family members. A positive and respective voice in the care community, Rick continuously provides suggestions to improve the quality of life for residents. He is also a member of the Peer Support Network where he is available to offer support to families and loved ones moving into the care community and offer his time to help others in need.
A positive member of the community, Rick brings such joy and sunshine whenever he visits. Not only does he make a positive impact on other residents in the care community, his commitment and love for his wife is unmatched. He is devoted, kind, caring, and a constant bright light in her life.
Irene Chan
After her husband moved into SUCCESS Multi-Level Care Society’s home in 2011, Irene joined their family council in 2012 to help advocate for all our seniors and family in the care home. During this time, Irene would join many programming and special events throughout the year to help and support the home and to ask residents for feedback. As a counsellor, Irene was very supportive of fellow family members who joined the care home and was always made available to help new residents settle into the SUCCESS family. She was a great role model for the family council and helped make many recommendations that benefited the lives of residents.
After her 
husband passed in 2019, Irene stayed on the family council until a replacement was elected. In 2023, Irene joined the SUCCESS Goodwill Ambassador which helps fundraise for different projects each year to help better the lives for residents. This past year, they had a successfully raised funds for more than 20 ceiling lifts for the care home.
Twice a month, Irene volunteers individually and hosts a special music group for the seniors at the care home. ‘Singing with Irene’ is a program that Irene designed to teach seniors how to sing as she is an accomplished singer and musician herself. During each visit, Irene plans a special song that the seniors are familiar with and will prepare the lyrics, teaching residents how to sing the song. She brings in instruments, such as her harmonica, to help residents familiarize with the tunes. Irene also brings homemade percussions, using aluminum cans to make shaking instruments for the seniors to play along to songs. Her dedication and love for seniors at SUCCESS Multi-Level Care Society Home really shines through with all the hard work and dedication she puts into her program and fundraising efforts.
Nancy Boisvert
Nancy is a special friend to a person in care at Summerland Seniors Village and has been her Power of Attorney for many years. She is a professional business and marketing consultant with over 3 decades of experience, has helped countless entrepreneurs understand and hone their business plans.
In the fall of 2022, 
she shifted her focus to helping those who are aging and their friends and families, who are or will become their caregivers. Understanding that planning for aging is complicated, Nancy helps in assisting with general and Power of Attorney administrative tasks.
Nancy has certifications in Brain Story Accreditation, Trauma Informed Care, Dementia related Education, Suicide Prevention, Risk and Assessment. She is highly regarded by the Family Council Members, WCSHM Senior Leadership Team and the LTC Clinical Team.
With a wide skill set, Nancy’s unique combination of practical experience and business skills makes her services highly sought after, and her advice and consultation invaluable to her many clients.
Thank you to our generous sponsor for the 2024 Family Champion Award:
