Christine Wallsworth
I’ve volunteered in the health care system since 2012 as a Patient & Family Partner (PFP) with both VCH/UBC and Providence through both the Patient Voices Network (PVN) and Community Engagement Advisory Committee (CEAN). I joined these volunteer opportunities to give a voice to patients and families within the B.C. health care system.
I was a care partner to my late husband, who over the last 21 years of his life, had considerable interactions with various health-related professionals, hospitals and agencies. He was a cancer survivor, had numerous surgeries including having both hips replaced and had other co-morbidities that impacted his quality of life. But, more importantly, I took on an advocate role on his behalf as his cognitive abilities deteriorated through both Alzheimer’s and later, Lewy Body dementia.
I am passionate about patients having their voice heard, as well as being able to affect change within the health care system. For me, it’s important for the patient/care partner’s voice be heard, as well as my being able to affect change within the health care system. I am a founding member of both Providence’s Care Experience Advisory Committee and an advisory committee member and PFP adjudicator for their PHC Practice-Based Research Challenge. I have co-presented with Agnes Black in 2018 and 2020 at the IPFCC, where our CFHI funded project won the IPFCC’s Partnership Award.
I am also a founding member of a sub-committee, Patient Engagement Research Collaboration (PERC) within the BC-Patient-Oriented Practice-Based Research Collaboration (BC-POPRC) that was formed to ensure a robust patient and family lens in all practice-based research activities engaged in by various agencies/organizations in the lower mainland.