Inverness County Celebrates Healthcare Heroes

April 24, 2025

Municipality of Inverness County Celebrates Healthcare Professionals’ Excellence at Awards Gala

The Municipality of Inverness County proudly celebrated the outstanding contributions of local healthcare professionals at the first annual Awards for Excellence in Healthcare, held at a gala event at the Canton Culturel de Chéticamp on April 23.

Nearly 140 community members gathered to honour the remarkable individuals and teams who go above and beyond in caring for residents across Inverness County.

2025 Award Recipients:

• Dr. Raymond Lok, Outstanding Physician

• Mary Anderson, Outstanding Nurse Practitioner

• Yvon Pino, Outstanding Allied Health Professional

• Edith Anne MacKay, Outstanding Nurse

• Lori Ann Gillis, Outstanding Palliative Care Professional

• Graham Patrick McIsaac, Outstanding Young Healthcare Professional

• Inverness Cancer Care Clinic, Outstanding Collaborative Care Team

“It was a beautiful evening, and a wonderful opportunity to celebrate our incredible healthcare workers,” said Warden Bonny MacIsaac, Municipality of Inverness County. “On behalf of the Municipality, I’d like to thank everyone who participated in the nomination process and joined us last evening to make the event so memorable. I also want to extend heartfelt congratulations to all the well-deserving winners.”

Each award winner received a unique stained-glass ornament, handcrafted by local Acadian artist Polycarpe LeBlanc of Polycarpe Glass Art. The designs reflected the natural beauty of their home communities: scenic views of Le Buttereau for Chéticamp honourees, and a depiction of Margaree Island for those from Inverness.

Attendees had the chance to hear from a variety of guests including Dr. Annalee Coakely, Assistant Dean of Student and Resident Affairs with the Cape Breton Medical Campus on behalf of Cape Breton University President & Chancellor, David Dingwall, Senator Réjean Aucoin,MLA Kyle MacQuarrie, Nova Scotia Health’s Eastern Zone Executive Director of Community & Rural Health, Glenn Cox and Director of Integrated Rural Health, Andrew Heighton. Ginette Chiasson was the MC for the event and gave a wonderful bilingual presentation.

Special Leadership Recognition:

In addition to the individual and team awards, two special honours were presented to recognize exceptional leadership in healthcare.

• Heather Gillis, Site Lead at Inverness Consolidated Memorial Hospital

• Johanne Doucet, Site Lead at Sacred Heart Community Health Centre

Both were celebrated for their dedication, leadership, and unwavering commitment to patient care.

Funded by the Office of Healthcare Professionals Recruitment and Doctors Nova Scotia, the Inverness County Awards for Excellence in Healthcare is set to become an annual tradition, recognizing and uplifting the healthcare heroes who make a difference every day.