YOUTH INITIATIVE LAUREN MATHESON Lauren Matheson is an exceptional candidate for the Youth initiative of the year award. Lauren was diagnosed with acute scoliosis of the spine that radiated in two separate curvatures. Undergoing treatment in 2014, she required two permanent steel rods to be fused to her spine. Difficult for any teenager to overcome, it had serious implications on her aspirations of continuing to compete in track and field at a national level (Prior to her surgery she was a nationally ranked sprinter in her age class). Since her surgery (one that saw her height increase by 4 inches after the treatment) Lauren has been in intense physio treatment and strength training. In just one year, Lauren was able to compete again at the provincial level, and again qualified for nationals (though she did not make the trip to Quebec this summer). What helps set her apart is her advocacy for the health industry. Since her surgery, Lauren has begun a fundraising campaign in Northern BC to donate to the BC Children's Hospital annual fundraising campaign for 2016. Lauren is presently a northern health volunteer, spending tome in the Prince George Hospital. An honors student, Lauren is pursuing a post secondary education in the healthcare field with the goal of working in the healthcare profession. YOUTH INITIATIVE ZAFFRON CUISINE Persian Cafe and Catering Zaffron Cuisine has taken the initiative to provide healthy food options for youth in Duchess Park high school in the past three years, and to UNBC students in the past four years. The healthy lunch options have been brought to the youth to promote healthy eating at young age. Students are now looking forward to the day that Zaffron Cuisine brings food to school. This healthy lunch option includes a balanced and nutritious lunch made from fresh ingredients with no preservatives. YOUTH INITIATIVE UNBC WELLNESS CENTRE OUTSTANDING MULTICULTURAL CONTRIBUTION NOMINEES Awarded to a company/individual/organization who has made an outstanding contribution towards the health and wellness in the multicultural community. AWARD SPONSORED BY: I ki CC Immigrant and Multicultural Services Society The UNBC Wellness Centre office provides Northern Post-Secondary Students with the tools and support necessary to achieve their fullest potential. UNBC's Wellness Center continuously supports the health and well-being of youth in our community and youth who have come to Prince George to pursue success in the North. UNBC Wellness Centre Health Services helps students manage illness and health concerns, obtain information on relevant health and lifestyle topics, engage in health promotion, and manage healthy lifestyle changes during their university experience. Health Services offers physician, nurse practitioner, and nurse clinics. Students are welcome to come in year-round for prescription renewals, health assessment and treatment, sexual wellness (including STI testing and pap smears), tobacco cessation counselling, referrals, and health education. Flu shots are also available in the fall. Northern uganda Development foundation Dr. Chris Opio is an Associate Professor, Ecosystem Science and Management on University of Northern British Columbia. In 2007, he set up the Prince George-based Northern Uganda Development Foundation (NUDF) which mainly supports access to clean water but also seeks to improve farming techniques, purchase goats, provide health education and teach Ugandans how to establish small businesses. When he was five or six, Opio contracted bilharzia, a serious water-borne disease that compromises the immune system - which can, in some instances have devastating effects including sterility or insanity. His was the experience of many rural Ugandans. As the son of peasant farmers, he grew up in abject poverty. Even after he survived, he and the other villages faced constant suffering from other bacteria like E. coli, which often caused diarrhea and stomach illnesses. Upon leaving Uganda, Opio promised one thing - to do something to just make life better for people who are still drinking that water so that they don't suffer the way he and his siblings did. By next month the organization will have built 74 wells that serve 120,000 rural people in the central east African country. Each well costs about $2,500 and the clean water has helped reduce sickness by 85 per cent. Health & Wellness INNOVATOR NOMINEES To be awarded to a company/individual/organization who has developed or implemented a new approach that enhances the wellness of the citizens of Northern British Columbia AWARD SPONSORED BY: Caring for our community BC Cancer agency Eleanor is the Prevention Programs Administrator Northern Region for the BC Cancer Agency Centre for the North. She has been contributing to the multicultural community for more than 5 years. Her efforts include co-organizing activities with the Immigrant and Multicultural Services Society to raise awareness and prevention of breast cancer in women in the multicultural community. Her proactive approach and initiative have also found her acting as a liason to connect and introduce the Immigrant and Multicultural Services Society to other health agencies throughout British Columbia to extend the scope of access information and programs. INNOVATOR Canadian cancer society, north health, BC CANCER AGENCY, university of BRITISH COLuMBIA & ATHABASCA UNIVERSITY The Canadian Cancer Society, Northern Health and BC Cancer Agency, along with researchers from the University of British Columbia and Athabasca University, capitalized on one another's strengths and expertise in order to develop a new approach to address health challenges faced by northern men. POWERPLAY, a workplace wellness program that challenged participants to eat well and be more active, was piloted by four male-dominated businesses in Northern BC: Excel Transportation, Lomak Bulk Carriers, Ridley Terminals and the City of Terrace. Steve Dewalt, a shop manager from Lomak said, "Now with the POWERPlAy program everyone shares more; about their weekend, their activities, it has helped build the team" "It's fun, it brings everyone together and produces teamwork," agreed Lorenzo Webb, a welder with Lomak. "In being more active I feel amazing. I have more energy to do more things in a day" MULTICULTURAL MULTICULTURAL DR. ANuRAG SINGH Dr. Anurag Singh is a Nephrologist and Medical Director for Kidney Services at Northern Health, Clinical Assistant Professor, Faculty of Medicine, UBC & Adjunct Professor, School of Health Sciences, UNBC He is well recognized as a leader in both the multicultural and healthcare community. Dr. Singh is passionate about making real changes to improve care for people in communities across the north. This level of commitment and service stands as an example of success and inspiration for the multicultural community. wARNERADAM Mr. Warner Adam is the Chief Executive Officer of Carrier Sekani Family Services for the past 21 years, which services eleven First Nations communities in the Northwestern region of BC. Mr. Adams mandate is to develop and deliver Family and Children, Health and Legal/Justice Services. Mr. Adam holds a certificate in Public Administration of Aboriginal Governments from the University of Victoria. He is a strong supporter of hyolkistic healing using indigenous values and belief system. Warner is committed to community capacity building for the positive growth of children, and autonomy of indigenous peoples. The organization started with a staff of three in 1989 to a multi-cultural staff of over 150 employees. Mr. Adams other contribution includes the establishment of the BC Aboriginal Child Care Society. Mr. Adam has been instrumental in the development of Child Care programming in First Nation communities throughout bC. The society has created over 700 licensed childcare seats and develops resource materials for First Nations Early Childhood Education. Until the establishment of this society, First Nations communities had very minimal child care programs. Other contributions include the negotiations of agreements related to the transfer and devolution of Family and Child Services from the BC government as well as the negotions of transferring health services from Health Canada to Carrier Sekani Family Services. Mr. Adam was instrumental in developing a training program for mediators resulting in certifying over 10 first nations mediators for the north, prior to this training, the north had one non native mediator who flew in from Vancouver. Warner has served on numerous community, federal, provincial and first nations boards and committees. He has served on the Carrier Sekani Tribal Council executive, and the Lake Babine Nation Council and treaty tables. MULTICULTURAL MULTICULTURAL CHRIS OpiO MS. ELEANOR TAYLOR