IFNA celebrates outstanding contributions to family health

Today, almost 8,000 kilometers from home, assistant professor Catherine Laing, RN PhD, will receive the International Family Nursing Association’s (IFNA) Rising Star Award. Also acknowledged with the Distinguished Partner in Family Health Care Award will be an organization that Laing credits with providing much of the grist for her research, the Kids Cancer Care Foundation and its founder and CEO, Christine McIver (LLD’16). The ceremony takes place in Pamplona where IFNA’s 13th International Family Nursing Conference is being held.

“I am very excited to receive this award from IFNA because family nursing is at the core of my research and my teaching,” says Laing, who also received the College and Association of Registered Nurses of Alberta’s Excellence in Research Award this year.  “To be recognized along with Christine and Kids Cancer Care makes it extra special.”

Much of Laing’s research has been facilitated through Kids Cancer Care, including participant recruitment for her exploration of the therapeutic value of creating digital stories about the cancer experience. And Camp Kindle, Kids Cancer Care’s 160-acre oasis for children with cancer, was the impetus and inspiration for Laing’s exploration of the meaning of children’s cancer camps for children and families.

“Kids Cancer Care is honored to be chosen for this award,” says McIver. “Nurses are vital to the healing and recovery of children and families and anything we can do to help the profession innovate and respond to the changing needs of families, we’re happy to do it. We’re proud to partner with such a worthy field of work.”

The IFNA Rising Star category celebrates a new scholar who works to “advance family nursing by contributing to the dissemination and implementation of family nursing.” Their partner award recognizes those outside the discipline of nursing who “demonstrate sustained investment and excellence in advancing family focused health care.”