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Student awards aim to support greater equity, diversity and inclusion in nursing; meet the 2023/24 recipients
Summary:
Through the 2023/24 Award for Indigenous Nursing Students and the Award for Black Nursing Students, SickKids welcomed four award recipients to the hospital for clinical placement.
The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) is pleased to announce the winners of two nursing student awards – the Award for Indigenous Nursing Students and the Award for Black Nursing Students – aimed at supporting greater equity, diversity and inclusion in the nursing community. The awardees were selected based on their commitment to paediatric acute care nursing and health equity, as well as their exemplary leadership and determination.
Each award includes a $5,000 bursary and a clinical placement for nursing students interested in becoming a paediatric acute care nurse at SickKids upon graduation. The bursaries were funded through the generous philanthropic support of Women's Auxiliary Volunteers (WAV) and LCBO.
Launched in 2021, the awards signify one of SickKids' proactive measures in addressing anti-Indigenous and anti-Black racism. They underscore SickKids’ commitment to being a place where everyone can feel acknowledged, valued and respected. This initiative is part of our broader commitment to Indigenous health equity and Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.
Congratulations to the 2023/24 recipients
Award for Indigenous Nursing Students
Sierra Karman
“As an Indigenous student and nurse, I am beyond grateful to have been chosen as a recipient for this award with SickKids. I truly admire how SickKids makes immense efforts to implement cultural safety and recognition through the Indigenous Health Strategy. My passion for caring for young children began at a very young age and I always knew that I wanted to be part of their healing journey. The detailed research and studies done at SickKids is astounding and I cannot wait to be part of the team. I look forward to meeting my health-care provider goals and skills at The Hospital for Sick Children.”
Hailey Callahan
"My name is Hailey Callahan and I am an Indigenous Student from McMaster University. As a Metis woman, I am very honoured to be a recipient of this year's SickKids Indigenous Nursing Student Award. I grew up in a small town in Northern Ontario known as St. Joseph Island, and I made the decision to come south for my nursing degree. From the start of my degree, I knew that I wanted to work with kids. SickKids has been a dream job of mine, and to be able to have this opportunity to learn and work with the members of the SickKids team is a dream come true. I believe in providing the best care for all and making my patients feel that they are in a safe environment. I am looking forward to my experience with The Hospital for Sick Children and I want to thank everyone who has supported me throughout my journey. Miigwech!"
Award for Black Nursing Students
Anne Ekere
"My name is Nsikanabasi Ekere (Anne) and I was a SickKids Black Nursing Student Award recipient for my final consolidation semester.
As a Black nursing student at the time, I was extremely aware of the health disparities that existed in our society, particularly for marginalized communities and I was dedicated to addressing these disparities through culturally sensitive, culturally safe, and equitable care. I believe that my experiences as a member of a historically marginalized group allowed me to bring a unique perspective to my practice and contributed to a more inclusive healthcare system.
I felt very privileged to be the recipient of this award as I believed that was an opportunity for me to progress onwards in my journey to becoming a pediatric acute care nurse.
Working at SickKids allowed for heartwarming interactions that could truly brighten your day. Whether it was seeing a child's smile after helping them feel better, or witnessing their resilience in the face of illness, or a child taking their first steps after surgery or reaching a developmental milestone, these moments were incredibly rewarding and inspiring.
At SickKids, even small victories and milestones could be cause for celebration.
This SickKids placement offered numerous opportunities for inspiration, from heartwarming patient interactions to innovative treatment approaches. These experiences motivated me to continue providing compassionate and effective care to paediatric patients and their families."
Corryn Richards
"My name is Corryn and I’ve grown up in the Durham Region most of my life. I grew up as an athlete and have always had an interest in the human body and how it works. I completed my first degree at McMaster University studying kinesiology. Upon graduation, I explored many areas in the health-care field but continued to return to nursing. I am now in my final semester of my nursing degree at Trent University, and I am looking forward to completing my consolidation at SickKids.
As a child, I had varying interactions with the health-care field and as an adult was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease. I want to work with children and their families to increase diversity among health-care staff and advocate for patients and their families who may be going through a similar situation. Being a recipient of this award is very important to me as SickKids is committed to creating an environment that promotes justice, equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging – all of which are values that are important to me.”