Lisa Kirkham is the latest winner of the SDG Counties Great River Docs Campaign.
SDG COUNTIES, Ontario – When Lisa Kirkham was just three years old she knew exactly what she wanted to be – a nurse.
“My nursing career has taken me down several paths from working on a medical surgery floor at the Ottawa Hospital, home health care, working for a team of doctors in a family medical centre, to managing the Covid Assessment Centre in Kemptville,” said the most recent winner of the SDG Counties Great River Docs campaign.
Kirkham saw an opportunity to enter into a full-time role as a nurse with the Rideau St. Lawrence Family Health Team, and with the added support of the Great River Docs campaign she’s making a difference – and loving it.
“I am happy to be part of building a healthier future for the people of SDG Counties,” she said. “With the expansion of nurses in the family health team, an opportunity became available for full-time employment with Rideau St. Lawrence Family Health Team. The role focuses on preventative health care for babies as well as chronic disease management.
“This focus will enable patients to receive the quality care they deserve.”
The Great River Docs campaign pays five qualifying medical professionals $5,000 each to sign employment contracts within the SDG Counties region. In order to be eligible, candidates must be licensed medical professionals qualified to work as physicians, physician assistants, nurses or nurse practitioners.
Earlier this year the Ontario government announced it would invest $4 million to connect more people to primary-care teams in Cornwall and SDG Counties. The funding will be used to expand existing primary-care services offered by the Seaway Valley Community Health Centre, Centre de santé Communautaire de l’Estrie, Glengarry Nurse Practitioner Led Clinic, and the Rideau St. Lawrence Family Health Team.
For more information on the Great River Docs campaign, visit www.sdgcounties.ca/medical-recruitment-contest