Indigenous Nurses Day honours unsung heroes

April 10, 2026

Indigenous Nurses Day 2026 honorees — Congrats to the unsung heroes honoured on Indigenous Nurses Day. From left, Kimberly Viksush, Amber Louie, Valerie Kuilboer, Francine Gascoyne, and Danna Lyngard.

“It takes a community to raise a nurse.”

Those are the words of the late Lorraine Harry, a Central Island Health manager in Nanaimo whose influence left a lasting impact on the many communities and people she worked with throughout her nursing career.

Harry, a Master of Nursing graduate from UVic’s School of Nursing in 2014, believed in the importance of bringing cultural teachings into health care. Over her 30-year career in nursing, she advocated for the integration of traditional and spiritual practices and values into everyday nursing practice.

“Through her strength and empathy, she bridged gaps in healthcare, fostering understanding and trust among those she worked with,” says Leanne Kelly, an associate teaching professor in nursing at UVic.

Harry, a member of the χʷɛmaɬkʷu (known as the Homalco First Nation), passed away in August 2025. She was among six Indigenous nurses honoured on April 10 at an event hosted by UVic’s School of Nursing, Island Health, First Nations Health Authority, and Camosun College at Camosun’s Interurban campus.

Indigenous Nurses Day 2026 Lorraine Harry

UVic School of Nursing’s Indigenous Initiative Committee co-chairs, Brenda Mishak and Leanne Kelly, say that Indigenous Nurses Day is an important time to acknowledge the work of Indigenous nurses and celebrate the unsung heroes in our communities.

“Indigenous nurses past, present and future are difference makers in improving systems, leading change and improving patient-community outcomes,” says Mishak, an associate professor and UVic’s nurse practitioner program coordinator.

Other Indigenous nurses honoured on that day (pictured left to right in the main image) include:

Kimberly Viksush, Indigenous liaison nurse, Cowichan District Hospital
Amber Louie, Indigenous liaison nurse, Island Health
Valerie Kuilboer, Indigenous health manager, Indigenous health, Cowichan District Hospital, and interim manager at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital
Francine Gascoyne, director of nursing and primary care with the First Nations Health Authority in the Vancouver Island region
Danna Lyngard, semi-retired, Healthy lifestyles nurse, Cowichan Tribes

Indigenous Nurses Day organizers

Christina Chakanyuka, an assistant professor in UVic’s School of Nursing, says Indigenous Nurses Day celebrates all those who carry forward strength, knowledge, and collective care.

“On April 10th, we remember that Indigenous nursing is never carried alone,” Chakanyuka says. “Our nursing practice is rooted in community, guided by ancestors, and sustained through relationships, responsibility, and love – both with and in community.”

Indigenous nursing leaders in the BC Indigenous Health Nursing Research Chair program launched the Indigenous Nurses Week initiative in 2020. Next year, UVic will host Indigenous Nurses Day on campus.