Pictured: Kevin Hare receiving his award at the NPPBC awards gala.
Kevin Hare, senior executive director, operations, BC Cancer recently received the Award for Planetary Health from the Association of Nurses and Nurse Practitioners of British Columbia (NNPBC) and the Canadian Association for Nurses of the Environment BC Chapter (CANE-BC). This award recognizes a nurse who has fostered a culture of learning about the correlations between planetary and human health and led work to benefit both human and planetary health.
As a provincial co-chair of the BC Cancer Planetary Health Unit, Kevin works alongside fellow co-chair Dr. Maura Brown, to further initiatives aimed at establishing low waste, low carbon health care across BC Cancer including the Planetary Health Nursing Internship Program and the initiative to eliminate unnecessary exam table paper.
"Kevin's contributions to planetary health at BC Cancer exemplify the kind of transformative leadership needed to address the urgent challenges of climate change in healthcare," says Tracy Irwin, chief operating officer, BC Cancer. "His work has not only yielded immediate, measurable benefits but has also laid the groundwork for long-term, systemic change in how healthcare organizations approach sustainability and planetary health."
"It is no longer possible to separate the health of the planet from people's health and safety," says Kevin. "We need to shape a new future now in every aspect of our personal and professional lives to prevent the degradation of the natural systems that sustain life on this planet. The best way to make this happen is to integrate the personal and professional will and passion of those who are committed to making a difference for the collective planet."
Kevin credits his colleagues across BC Cancer with the unit's success to date.
"BC Cancer planetary health unit is a group of passionate individuals who are willing to act locally for a global impact. I am proud to have the opportunity to make a difference with this group of passionate, knowledgeable, and inspiring individuals as a BC Cancer family and team."