Contributed by Dale Min, Fraser Health.

“Any opportunity for positive action that includes everyone at Fraser Health has huge appeal to me. If we can all begin by committing to a change within ourselves, then we can move forward with integrity. That motivates me.” – Carole Falkner, Fraser Health’s Lead for Change Day BC

1.8 million people. 13 communities. 35,000 employees, care providers, physicians and volunteers. This is Fraser Health.

Health care matters to all of us. Like hockey, there is something about our health care system that is deeply woven into the fabric of Canadian culture. We Canadians take a lot of pride in our health care system, and justifiably expect nothing but the best.

Whether we stand in the position of receiving or providing care, we can all find ourselves somewhere along that spectrum. So in reality, we all do in fact have a prime role and responsibility to play in this journey of better health and best in health care. And this journey does not bind itself to the confines of Fraser Health’s hospitals and facilities. It also bleeds into our homes, our thoughts, our habits and behaviours, our foods, our resolutions, our… you get the idea.

When it comes to improving health care in a large and complex health authority, the possibilities appear to be endless. But if we stop and ask ourselves what we can personally do today to change or improve health care, we begin the journey of turning possibilities into action.

And what if that one action ended up saving someone’s life?

Good ideas alone aren’t tangible. Good ideas in action, however, can transform our worlds – and this idea is what has motivated us to make this important campaign go as viral as possible!

So Fraser Health’s main focus since the launch of Change Day has been to spread this empowering invitation far and wide across the health authority. Our strategy has deployed the following actions so far:

  • Formation of a “Change Day Superstars” campaign planning committee. It includes a wide variety of voices from communications, spiritual health, professional practice, allied health, leadership and organizational development.
  • Storytelling on our corporate newsletters, screensavers and intranet.
  • Online banners and flyers.
  • Building a presence on our social media channels. Check out our Facebook and Twitter accounts!
  • Engaging our senior leaders and executive team to join in on campaign activities.
  • Friendly site competitions to see who can generate the most Change Day pledges. More than 200 pledges were generated between the Quality team and Professional Practice, Ethics and Infection Control team.
  • Integrating the Change Day BC logo into email signatures.
  • Spreading the campaign outside of our walls and into the communities we serve.

The impacts of our collaborative efforts have already yielded encouraging fruit. With over 200 pledges made online (and hundreds more yet to be submitted) we know this is just the beginning. As November 17 approaches, we will be keeping our eyes and ears open to the “popping kernels” of pledges and creative activities that will be surfacing from the people and communities of Fraser Health.

We want to thank the Change Day BC team for inviting us to again partner and contribute to this fun and exciting campaign. By working together, we will unleash the full potential of health care in British Columbia and beyond.