Camp fYrefly is an annual summer retreat for gender and sexually diverse youth. The camp, which alternates between Regina and Saskatoon, celebrated its tenth anniversary in early August. For all those associated with the camp, that’s a decade of bringing together young people who are often struggling with their sense of self and a decade of saving lives.

Arrows drawn in coloured chalk adorn a sidewalk that winds past a teepee and between trees toward Luther College at the University of Regina. At the end of the chalk rainbow road is a message: Welcome to Camp fYrefly. We love you.

Inside, Jolie Brewer BEd’12 runs her hand through her short rainbow-coloured hair. She apologizes for her tears. Brewer often finds her work as Saskatchewan Camp fYrefly’s co-chair emotionally overwhelming. She didn’t expect today’s tears so early. She bobs a teabag up and down in a to-go cup as morning sounds echo down the hall. Groggy hellos blend with the scent of fresh coffee and hot omelettes. Most of the youth are already gathered at long tables in Thorn Hall, save for the late sleepers.

Camp fYrefly is a four-day annual summer retreat that alternates between Saskatoon and Regina. The camp welcomes teens and young adults who identify as questioning, gay, transgender, bisexual, intersex, two-spirit and allied. Campers are welcome to be themselves at Camp fYrefly. It’s often the first time they aren’t the minority. Those closest to the program say Camp fYrefly saves lives.

“They’re all broken in some way,” she says. “It’s heartbreaking, because they struggle to reach out for help.”

Brewer has been part of the camp for about seven years. Each year is different, but Brewer speaks of similarities in the rookie attendees: tiny creatures with no self-confidence. “They’re all broken in some way,” she says. “It’s heartbreaking because they struggle to reach out for help.”

Brewer’s voice breaks and she takes a deep breath, acknowledging Camp fYrefly is the first safe place many of the youth have ever been. But she marvels at some campers’ transformations. “By the last day of camp, those once scared little people realize how beautiful they are,” she says.

The camp has been built through the efforts of dozens of volunteers who have contributed thousands of behind-the-scenes hours to make each year possible — and better than the last.

There is a story of self-discovery behind every person who comes to the retreat, including staff and volunteers. Brewer found the camp not long after her husband Jett came out as transgender. The road to now was rocky for the pair. “I don’t know that our relationship would be as strong as it is today without camp. I know camp saves lives,” she reiterates. The couple celebrated 16 years together in 2018.

One-third of fYrefly campers identify as First Nations or Métis, with many coming from northern Indigenous communities such as La Ronge or La Loche. Saskatchewan Transportation Company once provided bus passes to youth in these communities, but the provincial government shut down the service in May 2017. The closure made it more difficult to attend, but it didn’t stop northern youth determined to take in the camp. For the past two years, a grandmother from northern Saskatchewan has driven four two-spirit youth — three from Cumberland House and one from Southend — to camp. That’s 650 kilometres, one way.

fyrefly logo

Darlene Lanceley, the Knowledge Keeper at camp, exits Luther College and strides to the camp teepee tucked on the grass. An Indigenous leader, most often an Elder, is always present at Saskatchewan’s Camp fYrefly to provide spiritual guidance, stories and healing.

Lanceley begins a smudge as the young adults head to rooms 211 and 215 for the sex ed and healthy relationships workshops. There are workshops focused on mental health and identity, but activities also include yoga, bead working, break-dancing, robotics, and
arts and crafts.

The campers break into small groups to debrief, but they aren’t the only ones who need to unwind. The leadership crew carries the weight of the campers’ burdens in addition to their own. But they know to lean on one another for support.

Brewer reaches out and raps the table twice with her knuckles. “With its 10th anniversary, it’s becoming a well-oiled machine,” she says.

The camp has been built through the efforts of dozens of volunteers who have contributed thousands of behind-the-scenes hours to make each year possible — and better than the last.

“It was exhilarating. It was as if we were breaking ground,” says professor emeritus James McNinch, recalling the camp’s establishment in Saskatchewan 10 years ago. McNinch was the dean of education at the University of Regina — the first dean who was openly gay.

McNinch takes a minute, pushing his dark glasses up the bridge of his nose before crossing his legs. He sets down his cup and rubs his collar bone. He remembers how safe spaces for gay and lesbian kids, let alone transgender, were near-absent in the province circa 2008.

James McNinch
Professor emeritus of the U of R Faculty of Education James McNinch helped bring Camp fYrefly to Saskatchewan. (Photo by Trevor Hopkin)

Safe spaces are still hard to come by. Bullying is still present even within schools that have a GSA — or Gay-Straight Alliance, although the phrase Gender and Sexuality Alliance is gaining favour because it reflects a more inclusive perspective.

McNinch says the kids who aren’t supported, “for whom being queer is quite a challenge,” have the toughest battle.

McNinch led the way for the camp, using his position as dean to generate momentum. Camp fYrefly first began at the University of Alberta in 2004 under the leadership of Andre Grace and Kristopher Wells, who work in the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Education. It wasn’t long before they noticed youth coming from Saskatchewan. They approached McNinch to run a camp in Saskatchewan and he enthusiastically accepted.

McNinch brought the camp to life with help from Carla Blakely and Russell Mitchell-Walker, as well as Saskatoon co-chairs Anthony Bidulka and Herb McFaull, and support from the Faculty of Education, the University of Regina and the University of Saskatchewan. The first year, the camp was held at a private facility in Saskatoon and was a success. The location remains a secret for the sake of the organizers and sponsors.

Campers find strength in numbers and learn how to help others along the way. In Alberta, the retreat had always been held on campus but that didn’t seem feasible for Regina at the time.

“We couldn’t imagine that 10 years ago, the campus was a safe space,” McNinch says. “So fYrefly settled into the countryside.”

Food, craft supplies and AV equipment were trucked out to Lumsden Beach Camp, which is operated by the United Church. McNinch and his partner Michael Hamann rented a trailer so they could stay on site. The wooden cabins and rustic scenery were a change of pace from the neat, private rooms in Saskatoon. Hamann was one of the camp cooks.

“Very few understand what it’s like to feel marginalized as the only gay person in a small town or the only transgender person in your school,” he says.

McNinch admits it was exhausting to haul out supplies and prepare meals for 75 people for four days. But the natural beauty on the shores of Last Mountain Lake and the valley’s isolation fostered a special sense of freedom. McNinch recalls a moment from Lumsden when campers were transfixed by Indigenous artist-in-residence Adrian Stimson. They watched Stimson emerge from beneath a buffalo robe adorned in fishnet stockings, a priest’s collar and a crucifix. According to McNinch, at camp, truth and reconciliation work is underway to reverse systematic colonial repression of First Nations’ gender and sexuality.

Lumsden Beach Camp hosted fYrefly three times. By the time 2016 rolled around, camp co-ordinators felt the Regina campus would better suit their needs. Luther College was chosen, but the move was not without growing pains.

“They didn’t quite understand our need for seclusion,” McNinch says.

Residence renovations and summer courses were underway, University students were smoking, and the cafeteria was a madhouse as preteen science camp kids shared the dining room with the queer campers.

“It was quite different from fYrefly being out at Lumsden Beach Camp, where we were just there with the birds,” McNinch says.

Regina co-chair Michael White BEd’03, MEd’07, a registered psychologist and Saskatchewan’s Camp fYrefly counsellor for nine years, leads a workshop at Luther College.

 (Photo by Rae Graham)

Saskatchewan fYrefly co-chair Michael White BEd’03, MEd’07 is a registered psychologist and has been Saskatchewan’s fYrefly counsellor for nine years. He recalls spending one and a half hours listening to an Indigenous camper who lived in northern Saskatchewan. The transgender teen detailed years of traumatic abuse and neglect experienced while lost within the foster care system.

“Very few understand what it’s like to feel marginalized as the only gay person in a small town or the only transgender person in your school,” he says. White grew up in Stephenville, Newfoundland and Labradour, and didn’t come out until later in life. “You don’t have to hide any aspect of your identity at camp.”

The answer was as obvious as it was terrifying. Penner cried as he pulled out his phone and messaged his partner: “I think I’m a boy.” He sighed at the response: “That’s okay.”

Moe Penner, 18, settles into the couch at Luther College. Fidgeting with his sleeves, the First Nations University of Canada Indigenous Social Work student recounts being 15, alone in the dark and in silence as he penned the pros and cons of coming out.

The answer was as obvious as it was terrifying. Penner cried as he pulled out his phone and messaged his partner: “I think I’m a boy.” He sighed with relief at the response: “That’s okay.”

Penner, assigned female at birth, questioned his identity for years. He spent hours in online forums and watching YouTubers. Eventually, he realized it was the gender that was wrong. His partner helped him come out to his mom, who was more accepting than Penner’s father, who said, “She’s 16. She can’t make her own choices.”

Two people in tent at camp fyrefly
Saskatchewan Camp fYrefly’s co-chair Jolie Brewer BEd’12 (right) and Moe Penner, an Indigenous Social Work student at First Nations University of Canada and a youth leader at this year’s camp. (Photo by Don Hall)

The anxiety from the lack of acceptance persisted and Penner spent days trembling and sweating while attending high school at Regina’s Winston Knoll Collegiate. Suicidal
thoughts would bubble to the surface of his mind.

Penner’s mom took him to a doctor, which helped, but still the mental anguish continued. He found a unique reprieve in the summer of 2016, when his mom dropped him off at Camp fYrefly for the first time. While the first day is always the scariest, it’s not long before campers fall in love with camp.

Penner didn’t hesitate when White asked if he would return in 2018 as a youth leader. “I was ecstatic. I was so excited. Somebody sees some potential in me,” he beams.

Now the new campers are windows to Penner’s past. Penner wants to tell them: “I’ve been through this. It’s okay. It will get better.”

Camp fYrefly is celebrated as Saskatchewan’s first gay camp. The demographic has shifted since it first started, with more youth identifying as trans, two-spirit or gender-fluid. The campers are also getting younger.

“They’re so much different than I was,” says McNinch, who graduated from high school in 1965, a time when “compulsory heterosexuality” was an expected norm.

In 1967, Justice Minister Pierre Trudeau pushed for changes to Canada’s Criminal Code; homosexuality was decriminalized in 1969 as part of those amendments. McNinch didn’t come out until much later in his life, when he moved to Saskatoon with his wife Sharon. A friend suggested McNinch go to a gay club, where McNinch had an epiphany. He moved to Regina after he and his wife separated.

“I see these kids who, like me many, many years ago, had to build new relationships and you can’t do that all alone.”

McNinch says the kids who aren’t supported, “for whom being queer is quite a challenge,” have the toughest battle.

Oh my god, McNinch thought, I’m worried about building resiliency for personal identity, when so many young people know so little about their bodies.

Gender and sexually diverse youth are at greater risk of depression, excessive drug use, suicide, a life on the streets or family estrangement, according to Canadian surveys, studies and academic literature. The risk intensifies in rural and remote communities that have fewer resources. Thankfully, youth emerge from camp with self-confidence and a sense of pride. Their peers become like family. But when they return home to their families, communities and schools, they are most often treated as before.

McNinch has heard tired lines like “He’s come back from camp and he’s more gay than ever.” That’s why fYrefly brings parents and guardians to camp for their own workshop. It’s held on the last day of camp, before they see their kids. Parents meet other parents. They talk about camp, as well as how to handle the future. McNinch has seen a dramatic increase in supportive parents, grandparents and caregivers. With each new set of campers, the session remains an integral part of helping expand the safe space beyond the four days at camp.

McNinch welcomed the 2018 campers at registration. He was there for the parent session and clean-up on the last day. Once again, he saw the evolution of shy campers who hugged and danced their way out the door.

His eyebrows rise as he notes the significant societal change of sexual diversity within his lifetime: “going from completely illegal, illicit and immoral to being legal and celebrated.”

“This idea of light and the light of who you are — that’s fYrefly.” says McNinch. “Hide it under a bushel,” he sings softly. “No. I’m going to let it shine.”

The overarching goal was always to reach a time when camp was no longer necessary. McNinch wonders if that day will ever come. He realizes newcomers are arriving from countries where open gender and sexual diversity is punishable or taboo. He remembers a teen’s question at a Saskatoon workshop: “Can you get pregnant from anal sex?”

Oh my god, McNinch thought, I’m worried about building resiliency for personal identity, when so many young people know so little about their bodies.

McNinch says that camp often brings up examples of why education is needed outside of camp. It’s why fYrefly in Schools is so dear to McNinch’s heart. It’s a practical expansion of camp that carries the fYrefly mandate into the community. The fYrefly in Schools co-ordinators work with school divisions and offer age-appropriate lessons on gender identity and sexual diversity within the Saskatchewan curriculum. They give presentations for students and staff on a wide range of topics that detail definitions, potential outcomes of homophobia or transphobia, and what life is like for queer people. They teach people how to be allies.

It was near the time of McNinch’s retirement when he began to relinquish some of his responsibilities with the camp. He muses about the last 10 years, and the meaning of fYrefly and its curious logo. People don’t always recognize the grinning, bug-eyed, insect as a fYrefly. The oft-misunderstood creature represents a being that creates its own energy and light.

McNinch remembers how Hamann, who was raised in a Lutheran Church, often talks about songs and verses of the Bible.

“This idea of light and the light of who you are — that’s fYrefly.” says McNinch. “Hide it under a bushel,” he sings softly. “No. I’m going to let it shine.”

About the Author

Kendall P. Latimer is a curious and creative freelance writer, photographer and filmmaker. She has been storytelling with CBC Saskatchewan since 2016, after previously writing and photographing for The Saskatoon StarPhoenix and The Bangkok Post.

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The College Avenue Campus Renewal Project has a special place in Margaret Anne Hodges’ heart, as the campus has touched the lives of four generations of her family.

Her grandmother, Anne Owen “Nancy” Goodfellow, took voice and piano lessons at the Conservatory and performed as an original member of the Elizabethan Singers in Darke Hall. Her mother, Alice Goodfellow BA’43, also pursued piano lessons and performed on campus, and later took classes through the Seniors’ Education Centre (now the Lifelong Learning Centre) after retiring from her career as a pediatrician. In her later years, Alice became increasingly concerned with the deterioration of the College Avenue Campus.

Hodges joined about 150 others for the official re-opening of the newly renovated space on October 5.

Hodges jokes that she is the “only person in her family to have never taken a class at the Conservatory,” but notes that Darke Hall was instrumental in her meeting her husband, Ed Willett (who did take classes at the Conservatory), as they both sang with Regina Lyric Musical Theatre in the venue.

Together, Hodges and Willett continue the long-time family commitment to supporting the arts in Regina and the College Avenue Campus. The family donated toward the Campus Renewal Project, and a classroom in the College Building bears the name of Dr. Alice Goodfellow Hodges. Hodges and Willett’s daughter, also named Alice, performs in music festivals and dances on stage with the Do It With Class theatre company, making her the fourth generation to benefit from programming at the campus.

Hodges and her family believe that education is the key to success and that music is part of a basic education. “Arts and intellectual pursuits go together. Science and art are similar – they build brain patterns and structures and help individuals to develop discipline and skill sets,” she says.

Margaret Anne Hodges and daughter Alice Willett Representing four generations of Regina residents whose lives have been touched by College Avenue Campus are (left to right) Margaret Anne Hodges and daughter Alice Willett. The pair pose in the revitalized College Building in a classroom named for Hodges’ mother, Dr. Alice Goodfellow Hodges. (Photo by Rae Graham)

The next phase of the revitalization of the College Avenue Campus includes the completion of a new Conexus Credit Union head office and an atrium that provides accessible access to a refurbished Darke Hall.

(Artist rendering courtesy of P3Architecture Partnership)

The Hodges' beloved College Avenue Campus is also home to the University’s Centre for Continuing Education, including the Lifelong Learning Centre and the Conservatory of Performing Arts. It is also the location of the Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy (JSGS), one of Canada’s leading policy schools.

Located on the third floor, the JSGS space is large enough to house all faculty and staff, as well as over 4,600 square feet of classroom, meeting and breakout space, and an open-concept lounge space dedicated to JSGS students.

October 5, 2018 ribbon cutting at College Avenue Campus Ribbon cutting ceremony at the October 5 grand re-opening of the College Building (left to right) Dr. Thomas Chase, Provost and Vice-President (Academic); The Honourable Ralph Goodale, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness; Dr. Vianne Timmons, President and Vice-Chancellor; Tina Beaudry-Mellor, Minister of Advanced Education; Mayor Michael Fougere. (Photo by Rae Graham)

Classrooms have been fitted with video conferencing technologies, and the new, modern features serve to enhance teaching and learning. Not to mention, the new atrium provides street-level access to the College Building and elevator access to all floors. Having all aspects of the school under one roof creates greater opportunities for collaboration and conversation between students and faculty.

“There's no better place to learn from Saskatchewan's leading public service and administration experts than at the JSGS in the newly renovated historic College Avenue Campus,” says Master of Public Administration student Jocelyn Crivea. “It is a fabulous space that overlooks Wascana Lake and the Legislative Building. I can't think of a nicer space in the city.”

Doug Moen, interim executive director of Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy one of Canada’s leading policy schools. (Photo by Trevor Hopkin) Doug Moen, interim executive director of Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy one of Canada’s leading policy schools. (Photo by Trevor Hopkin)

With the Saskatchewan Legislative Building just across the water, interim Executive Director Doug Moen recognizes the move to College Avenue as a great opportunity for the JSGS to develop greater connections with the Government of Saskatchewan.

“Our relocation to the College Avenue Campus is already proving to be an excellent asset for our graduate students who visualize a career in public service,” says Moen. “It also has expanded the opportunity for teaching and learning within the public sector, providing space for public servants to take advantage of the school’s executive education programs.”

The move also allows for the establishment of the Centre for the Study of Science and Innovation Policy (CSIP), an initiative that also helped secure crucial funding from the Government of Canada’s Strategic Investment Fund.

“We’re going to see new vibrant uses in these buildings, and we’re going to also see activity back on the site that we haven’t seen because the buildings could not be used to their full potential.”

“With the new space on our Regina campus, we are looking forward to expanding the Centre’s research and outreach in Saskatchewan’s capital,” says Peter Phillips, the Centre’s director and research lead on bioscience and food policy.

“This development will be a great opportunity to better connect with students and faculty in Regina to continue the facilitation of CSIP’s significant research endeavours."

Just a few years ago, the condition of the College Avenue Campus, which each year welcomes more than 8,000 learners and hosts dozens of community and cultural events, was a growing concern to members of the University community. After more than 100 years of use, the historic buildings were deteriorating. The heating system was unreliable – a problem in -30 degree weather – and there was a lack of air conditioning – a problem in +30 degree weather.

Harvey King, director of the Continuing Education Centre, tells a heartbreaking story of a father who was unable to go to any of his daughter’s recitals because of the lack of wheelchair access. With the College Avenue Campus Renewal Project, all of that has changed. The entrances are at ground level with ramps, and an elevator eliminates the need to climb the steep and seemingly endless staircases.

King's own daughter took classes in the fifth floor of the tower when she was three years old. “She doesn’t remember anything about the classes, but she still remembers the stairs,” King laughs.

Other issues addressed by the renewal project included the addition of sprinkler systems, air conditioning and energy efficiency upgrades, as well as bringing emergency exits up to code.

Announced in 2011, the $63.6 million College Avenue Campus Renewal Project involved the renovation of the College Building, Tower and Conservatory façade, and construction of new additions at the east and west ends of the College Building.

Harvey King, director of the Continuing Education Centre. (Photo by Trevor Hopkin) Harvey King, director of the Continuing Education Centre. (Photo by Trevor Hopkin)

Funding for the project included: a $28.7 million contribution from the Government of Canada’s Strategic Investment Fund (SIF); a donation of 2.6 acres of land from the City of Regina; and approximately $25 million in private and in-kind donations, including a unique $8.25 million partnership with Conexus Credit Union.

Artist rendering of the Conexus atrium that will solve accessibility issues to a refurbished Darke Hall. (Artist rendering courtesy of P3Architecture Partnership) Artist rendering of the Conexus atrium that will solve accessibility issues to a refurbished Darke Hall. (Artist rendering courtesy of P3Architecture Partnership)

“Conexus Credit Union has been a great partner,” says University of Regina President Vianne Timmons. “They are not a usual business – they’re a customer-owned, Saskatchewan-based co-operative. They have always been a supporter of arts and education in the province – the Conexus Arts Centre is a great example. They also have programs to provide financial planning and support to seniors. This project would have been impossible without their funding,” she adds.

The renovated College Building was ready in time for the start of classes in September. The restoration preserved numerous heritage elements, while upgrading the institution into a modern teaching facility. The four-storey Conservatory façade remains, and 16,000 bricks were repurposed, primarily on the west side of the Tower.

“Conexus Credit Union has been a great partner,” says University of Regina President Vianne Timmons.

All exterior steel windows, including hardware and hinges, were reused. Interior and exterior windows were repaired or refurbished, including interior wood sashes and new double-pane glass for energy efficiency. The upgrades include smart classrooms that are modern, safe and accessible, and wired for video conferencing, computers, data projection and audio. The campus is the perfect blend of old and new.

Carol Reyda, project manager for construction at the University oversaw the project on behalf of the University of Regina.

(Photo by Trevor Hopkin)

Carol Reyda, project manager for construction at the University, notes that the design for the additions to the College Building referenced the University of Regina's master plan from more than a century ago. The College Avenue Campus heritage buildings are early and exceptional examples of Collegiate Gothic architecture. “The goal for the new construction was not to recreate the heritage buildings, but to create a backdrop so they can really shine,” she says.

Plans for landscaping around the building were also taken from the original master plans. The campus was meant to have buildings on four sides and a courtyard inside. The drop-off loop at the back of the building is reminiscent of this courtyard feel. The new entrance to the front of the College Building is in the Tower, which was in the master plan but was filled with bricks instead. By opening up the archway and adding glass, you can see through the building to the lake on the other side.

“It’s reverting to those original plans of the building, where you enter the space and connect with Wascana Park,” Reyda says.

Donald Luxton, the of head of Donald Luxton and Associates, Western Canada’s foremost cultural and historical management company and the consultant working on the University’s College Avenue Campus Renewal Project, says the College Avenue Campus is one of the more historically significant sites in Western Canada.

“Many people have amazing connections to the campus. Sites like this really tell us about early Regina residents who lived here before we did, and they tell us about the potential for the future. It gives us some deeper meaning in our cities. I think these are all things that are crucial about maintaining historic landmarks.”

Donald Luxton, the head of Donald Luxton and Associates, Western Canada’s foremost cultural and historical management company and the consultant working on the University’s College Avenue Campus Renewal Project. Shown here inside Darke Hall. (Photo by Trevor Hopkin) Donald Luxton, the head of Donald Luxton and Associates, Western Canada’s foremost cultural and historical management company and the consultant working on the University’s College Avenue Campus Renewal Project. Shown here inside Darke Hall. (Photo by Trevor Hopkin)

President Timmons emphasizes the importance the donor community played in realizing the project. “Donors and the community were essential to the project’s success,” she says. “Because they are passionate about the College Avenue Campus, it inspired the project team to create something worthy of their interest. Without the donors and the community involvement, this project wouldn’t have happened. It’s a community building, and the University knows that, appreciates that and values that.”

The most rewarding aspect of the project for Reyda was when she poked her head into a classroom at the end of one of the first days of classes and asked an instructor what she thought of the space. “She raved about the acoustics and how nice and bright the rooms are. One staff member pulled me aside and said, ‘I feel like I’m coming to a palace every time I come to work.’ It’s rewarding when the users appreciate it and feel it’s a good functioning and inspiring building.”

“I'm proud to see a major federal program like the Strategic Investment Fund supporting the revitalization of the College Avenue campus,” says Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Ralph Goodale BA’71, who was on hand for the official re-opening in early October. “State of the art construction techniques are preserving a heritage building and transforming it into an innovative space for the Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy, continuing education for adults and the new Centre for the Study of Science and Innovation Policy – all in all a very valuable investment.”

Although she regrets that her mother passed away before seeing the College Building renewed, Margaret Anne Hodges is excited to see the space revitalized.

“Having an inspiring building that is set for the 21st century helps to ground students and support them into the future. It shows students that we care – we support you in your learning endeavours and believe in you,” she says.

“This is a wonderful day for the University of Regina."

“This is a wonderful day for the University of Regina,” remarked President Timmons at the re-opening. “The beautiful, historic College Building is a legacy that was left for us by forward-thinking members of our community more than a century ago. Revitalizing it over the past few years to make it a modern, accessible place of learning in the heart of Regina was once again a community endeavour, and we owe a great debt of thanks to the many dedicated individuals and organizations who provided the necessary support.”

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For her life-long dedication to medicine and her bold vision for health care, Dr. Elizabeth Bryce BSc’78 (Campion College), DSc (Honorary)'18 has received the University of Regina’s highest honour – an honorary degree.

Bryce is an alumna of the University of Regina (Campion College) having earned a BSc (Hons) in 1978. She went on to pursue medicine at the University of Saskatchewan and in a long and distinguished career has made significant contributions to medical microbiology and infection prevention. She is qualified in medical microbiology and internal medicine and is a clinical professor at the University of British Columbia.

“There was no particular ‘ah ha’ moment for medicine as a calling,” she says. “I loved science and thought I would enjoy the challenge of medicine and its ever-evolving nature.”

“Without question, it is the people – those I work with and those I serve – that provide me with the most satisfaction,” she says. “The patient comes first - knowing that you have changed an outcome or prevented a complication such as an infection is so rewarding.”

Bryce is the co-founder of the Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) Biological Response Advisory Team whose practices were adopted by Health Canada. She was seconded to work on the National Advisory Committee on SARS and Public Health during the height of the outbreak. She was also part of the team that planned how to manage biological events during the Summit of the Americas and the PanAm Games. As well, she served on the team that developed Canada’s hospital infection prevention response to the H1N1 pandemic.

She served as regional medical director for Infection Control at VCH Acute and is the co-director of the Provincial Infection Control Network of British Columbia.

“Without question, it is the people – those I work with and those I serve – that provide me with the most satisfaction,” she says. “The patient comes first - knowing that you have changed an outcome or prevented a complication such as an infection is so rewarding. My colleagues have been a source of inspiration, and the field of medical microbiology and infection prevention encourages you to be a critical thinker and to challenge the status quo. Life is rarely boring when you work in such an exciting environment.”

Bryce is the co-lead for the University of British Columbia Certificate in Infection Control program and the co-creator of several on-line educational infection control modules. Her animated module on how healthcare workers can protect themselves from infections has been translated and distributed throughout South America.

“I am touched and humbled by this award,” Bryce says of the honorary degree. “It serves to remind me of the many people who helped me along my career path.”

She has published numerous scholarly articles in many of the field’s top national and international journals and, along with her colleague Dr. Annalee Yassi, was awarded the Canadian Medical Association Journal Merit Award for Top Achievements in Health Research in 2011.

In 2012, she received the Champion for Change Award from the Women Presidents’ Organization (WPO) and GroYourBiz. The award recognizes global leaders who envision innovative ways of benefiting their community. More recently, she has received both the British Columbia Health Care Gold Apple Award for Top Innovation and the People First Award for Innovation for her team’s creation of a canine scent detection program to detect hidden hospital reservoirs of infectious diarrhea.

Bryce is an active volunteer and travels to other countries to help healthcare practitioners build safer medical environments that minimize the risk of exposure to transmissible diseases.

“I am touched and humbled by this award,” Bryce says of the honorary degree. “It serves to remind me of the many people who helped me along my career path. I am truly the product of the proverbial village – from those who have supported, guided and mentored me, to those who gave me the freedom and encouraged me to pursue an intriguing question or an innovative idea.”

Bryce received her honorary Doctor of Science on October 19.

[post_title] => Dr. Elizabeth Bryce [post_excerpt] => Before them came the likes of former prime minister Lester Bowles Pearson, singer Buffy Sainte-Marie and hockey great Gordie Howe. Meet this fall’s two honorary degree recipients; a world-class medical microbiologist and infectious disease expert, and a dedicated educator and respected history professor. [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => dr-elizabeth-bryce [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2019-05-30 09:49:20 [post_modified_gmt] => 2019-05-30 15:49:20 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://www.degreesmagazine.ca/?p=2197 [menu_order] => 0 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw )