The 2025 theme for World COPD Day is “Short of Breath, Think COPD.” World COPD Day takes place on November 19th. This year’s theme aims to emphasize that although COPD is the third leading cause of death worldwide, it is often not diagnosed correctly. COPD is a common, preventable, and treatable disease, but extensive under-diagnosis and misdiagnosis lead to patients receiving no treatment or incorrect treatment. Appropriate earlier diagnosis of COPD can have a very significant public health impact. Earlier diagnosis and treatment results in better clinical outcomes, including improvements in symptoms, lung function and quality of life. A diagnosis of COPD should be considered in any patient who has shortness of breath, chronic cough or sputum production, a history of recurrent lower respiratory infections and/or a history of exposure to risk factors like tobacco, cooking fuels, or occupational hazards.
If you have questions about COPD or other chronic lung conditions like Asthma or Pulmonary Fibrosis – please contact the Lung Health Clinic 204-578-4203. The Lung Health Clinic offers education & self-management skills to better manage chronic lung disease and live life to the fullest. The Lung Health Clinic also offers Pulmonary Rehab Classes for people living with chronic lung disease:
Thank you to the Minnedosa Health Foundation committee for donating a big wheel power stretcher and bladder scanner with printer, totaling $30,000.
Lana Hogg, Health Services Manager-Acute is pictured with committee members.
Lana Hogg, Health Services Manager-Acute is pictured with committee members.
Gilbert Plains Community Fund Donates to Health Care
Pictured with equipment is Shauna Watt Dorscheid, Nurse Practitioner
Thank you to the Gilbert Plains Community Fund for their donation of $2500 to purchase Cryogun Equipment. The cryogun equipment allows providers at Gilbert Plains Clinic to use cryotherapy – a precise, controlled spray of liquid nitrogen – to remove benign skin lesions like warts and skin tags right in the Clinic.
Virden Health Care Auxiliary contributes funds to enhance local healthcare
Pictured is Dr. Hammell (at left) with members of the Virden Health Auxiliary. The Auxiliary and Prairie Mountain Health thank everyone for their contributions to both of the recent fundraising projects. -Picture and files courtesy of Virden Empire-Advance
For nearly 120 years, the Virden and District Health Auxiliary’s mission has been to enrich the comfort of those in care at the Virden Health Centre, Sherwood Home and West-Man Personal Care Home. With overwhelming support of service groups and the people of Virden and surrounding areas, the Health Auxiliary was proudly able to raise, in record time, funds needed to purchase an ultrasound machine for the hospital. The Health Auxiliary also acknowledged that the long-awaited LUCAS chest compression system is also now in use at the hospital. These two pieces of equipment further enhance the care provided at the Virden Health Centre.
In October 2024, Prairie Mountain Health received funding through the Cancer Care Manitoba, Centre of Hope, to hire a part-time Occupational Therapist. The Occupational Therapist’s role was intended to provide lymphedema management services for cancer survivors. Before this time, there was either a long wait for service or clients had to travel to Winnipeg for care.
Lymphedema is an abnormal accumulation of protein-rich fluid, which, when left untreated, can lead to chronic inflammation, hardening of the tissues, a decrease in function, and a decrease in quality of life.
Kayla Bueckert assumed the role of Occupational Therapist at that time and quickly completed extensive coursework to become a certified lymphedema therapist. She worked hard to integrate herself into the Cancer Care practice environment to work with referred clients effectively.
She works with clients who experience lymphedema in their breasts, upper extremities, lower extremities and in their head and neck areas.
Since Kayla started, she has had nearly 200 individual patient visits. She has begun collecting program data on how frequently clients need to see her before they can transition to self-managing their symptoms. She has also started to recognize the value of early intervention, where clients seen earlier in their symptom onset can have their symptoms treated and actively managed, preventing or delaying chronic symptom progression. She is actively working to reduce wait times for service and to expand the role of Occupational Therapy to meet clients’ needs beyond their experience of lymphedema.
Here is some feedback from clients who were seen by Kayla:
How long did it take you to get into lymphedema treatment? How knowledgeable were you about lymphedema before your symptoms?
It took 9 months to schedule an appointment with a lymphatic therapist in Brandon. However, I understand the new wait time after Kayla has begun is 4 months. Upon meeting my oncologist in Winnipeg for the first time, I had never heard of Lymphedema. The oncologist explained the type of surgery I would need and that I would be prone to developing Lymphedema. She briefly explained what to expect, but I didn’t fully understand it, and we didn’t go into detail about what can be done or how to be referred to a lymphatic therapist. ~Gerharda Reuvekamp~
How has lymphedema impacted your quality of life?
My quality of life was dismal at best. I was very depressed. I cried at the thought of how bad my situation would be as a senior in a care home and told my husband that I will be seriously considering MAID in my future. Kayla Bueckert at Cancer Care Brandon quite literally changed my life. My will to live. She was able to see me for 2 weeks straight, and I improved 50%! Since then, I have only been able to see her periodically due to her enormous case load, and my progress has slowed. ~Michelle Green~
What would you say the difference is after receiving some treatment and education on the topic?
The information I received from Kayla was so helpful. I felt (and feel) I was taken care of very well. She taught me how to manage the swelling, the importance of wearing my garments daily and how to do skin stretch massages. She also taught my husband how to do these for me. Many primary caregivers don’t know about lymphedema, which is a serious side effect of cancer treatments and also don’t know how to treat this (many think that taking a diuretic pill and deep tissue massage will help, but neither is the wrong treatment and might even make the condition worse). ~Gerharda Reuvekamp~
What are your thoughts on those in rural areas with little to no treatment for lymphedema?
It is setting these patients up for a life of misery. The aftercare for women after breast cancer surgery is abysmal. ~Michelle Green~
It’s very frustrating that not only has there been minimal access to lymphedema in Brandon prior to April 2025, but there is also very little KNOWLEDGE about it. I saw my oncologist, radiologist, physiatrist, three rheumatologists, two neurologists, two massage therapists (external to CancerCare), and two physiotherapists (external to CancerCare). I also had a nerve test done, and NO ONE thought of lymphedema as the cause of what was going on. The CancerCare team members are AMAZING, but the actual clinical help for managing side effects from cancer treatment is not there. After one hour with the OT at Brandon’s CancerCare Centre, I was able to start moving my arm. I wish I had known more about the risks of lymphedema, cording, and seromas. ~Elizabeth Glaseman~
If there is one thing you would like to say regarding your journey through cancer care, what would it be?
Cancer takes so much away from people; it’s difficult to survive but not be able to thrive because of side effects from life-saving treatment. You want to be able to put cancer behind you, to live the life you’ve been given a second chance at. But when you’re constantly dealing with things like pain, incapacitation, declining movement ability, etc., it takes a real toll on your physical and mental health. To go from someone who hiked 10 km every weekend, swam twice a week, and did yoga to now not being able to grab soup from a top shelf is really frustrating. I am 40 years old, and cancer treatment has left me in the body of an elderly person. ~Elizabeth Glaseman~
They have been a Godsend. My quality of life has improved dramatically. I wish I could see my OT more often. To think that each breast cancer patient is not automatically referred after surgery displays a failure of the Manitoba health care system. ~Michelle Green~
Based on the professional treatment and education I received from Kayla. I am very supportive of an additional certified lymphedema therapist in Brandon and/or rural areas, so that more people can get access to timely and effective treatment of this serious side effect condition from cancer treatments. ~Gerharda Reuvekamp~
Prairie Mountain Health is grateful to Kayla for her efforts in helping the clients she serves and for her fearless entry into a new practice environment for Occupational Therapy.
October of each year is National Occupational Therapy Month. Prairie Mountain Health has Occupational Therapists who work in hospitals, clients’ homes, long-term care homes, schools, preschools, and management. Occupational Therapists make a difference in the lives of Manitobans every day!
On October 18, 2025, Prairie Mountain Health hosted 46 high school and undergraduate students in the Brandon Regional Health Centre Therapy Services department. The Therapy Services Outreach Day was intended to showcase the professions of Audiology, Occupational Therapy, Speech-Language Pathology, Respiratory Therapy, Physiotherapy and the Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services by having students learn and try out clinical skills.
Students cycled through eight stations where they completed activities like teaching each other to walk like different animals (preschool physiotherapy), making a finger splint or measuring each other for wheelchairs (occupational therapy), reviewing an audiological case study (audiology), teaching sign language or completing activities with ear plugs (teacher of the deaf and hard of hearing), mixing liquids to different thicknesses to evaluate swallowing (speech-language pathology), sizing up crutches and walkers to teach mobility (physiotherapy), and intubating a mannequin (respiratory therapy).
Most students were from the Prairie Mountain Health region. A few students who joined from other Manitoban health regions and one student from Saskatchewan joined the event.
Feedback from the students was very positive. One student said “The small groups of people allowed me to participate, ask questions, and understand to the best of my ability! Everyone was so lovely and so educated I loved learning!”. Many students wanted further information on training and wanted more time at the stations to keep trying out their skills.
Clinicians helping out with the event showcased their skills and had meaningful engagement with students who may become future health care professionals. Kortney Blosha, Respiratory Therapist said “This has been one of the most effective recruitment events I have ever done”. Many of the Clinicians indicated they found students were very engaged and eager to come back for further shadowing opportunities.
Due to the success of the event, the Prairie Mountain Health management team will consider hosting events like this again in the future as a way to promote awareness about the various allied health care careers. These professions offer meaningful, stable, well-paying work for students looking to become future health care professionals.
If anyone is interested in learning more about how to become a health care professional as listed above, they are welcome to reach out to [email protected] to learn more.
Provincial Shared Health, Prairie Mountain Health and all Healthcare Organizations across Manitoba are working together in promoting Canadian Patient Safety Week.
This year’s national theme is an invitation to listen more deeply, ask important questions and take meaningful action – together. This includes all voices in making care safer; voices of patients, clients, families, the public (our future patients/clients) and all healthcare team members.
Recent data shows that in 1 in 17 hospital stays involved at least one harmful event. This data is only for acute care services.
In the past, patient safety efforts have been focused on potentially preventable physical harm. But healthcare harm can come in other forms, such as psychological, spiritual and social harm. Despite best efforts, rates of patient harm are not decreasing. Partnering with patients, families, communities and the public to learn and work together is important to strengthen safe care. Learn more at Healthcare Excellence Canada’s Spotlight Series page (Canadian Patient Safety Week)
Did you know? Many Manitobans wonder about what questions to ask?
Some patients, clients and residents may be worried about how their healthcare team will respond to questions. Comfort level with asking questions of healthcare team members may be affected by:
How they have been treated in the past while asking questions
Relationship with their healthcare provider
Experiences of trauma, systemic racism and/or stigma
Health literacy (a person’s understanding of their health, finding information about their health needs and using it to make health decisions)
It’s Safe to Ask is a resource for patients, clients, residents and their families on how to ask questions about their health and fully participate in their plan of care.
Tuesday Oct 28 – 12:00-1:00pm Have your lunch and Learn in collaboration with CHI
Tuesday Oct 28 – 11:00-12:30pm Live Webinar – From Awareness to Action: Beyond Harm, Toward Safer Care (English- with French translation available)
Wednesday Oct 29 11:00-12:00pm Live Webinar – Canadian Medication Appropriateness and Deprescribing Network – Taking multiple medications? 5 questions to ask
Thursday Oct 30 – 11:00-12:30pm Live Webinar – From Awareness to Action: Beyond Harm, Toward Safer Care (French- with English translation available)
Friday Oct 31 – 12:00 – 1:00 pm Live Webinar Shared Health Provincial Patient Safety Team It’s Safe to Ask
Mental Illness Awareness Week | October 5 – 11, 2025
Mental Illness Awareness Week | October 5 – 11, 2025
Mental Illness Awareness Week is a time to listen, learn, and work toward a better understanding of the realities of mental illness. Across Canada, one in five people will experience a mental illness in their lifetime. This week serves as an important reminder of the value of mental health education and awareness.
We encourage everyone to take this opportunity to increase understanding, share accurate information, and build mental health literacy within our communities.
The Canadian Mental Health Association is an excellent resource for learning about mental illness, including facts and myths, treatment options, mental health in the workplace, and how to support yourself or a loved one when concerns arise. Visit their website for more information: » General info on mental illnesses
Despite growing awareness, stigma remains one of the biggest barriers to accessing mental health care. Knowledge and compassion are two of our strongest tools in breaking down that stigma. This week, we encourage you to take time to educate yourself, start conversations, and support those around you on their mental health journey.
Prairie Mountain Health (PMH) held its 2024-2025 Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Wednesday, October 22..
Board chair Lon Cullen and Chief Executive Officer Treena Slate, along with other members of the PMH Executive Management Team reviewed the previous operational year (April 1-2024-March 31, 2025) with a focus on our services, strategies, priorities and planning.
The AGM provided another opportunity to acknowledge and recognize the tremendous efforts of health care staff, physicians and volunteers who continue to assist individuals and families who need care and support within the region.
View our annual report
The detailed 2024/2025 PMH Annual Report and audited financial statements are available on our website here.
September 2005- The grand opening of the Swan Valley Health Centre in Swan River on September 13, 2005. Manitoba’s Premier at the time, Gary Doer, officially cuts the ribbon at the well-attended event ceremonies.
Looking back 20 years ago around this time, staff and the public at several facilities in the northern part of what is now Prairie Mountain Health region were just getting used to their new sites.
In September 2005, the new Swan Valley Health Centre opened in Swan River. The old Swan River Valley Hospital experienced mold contamination and was demolished. Many in the area will remember how residents had to deal with services scattered around Swan River in temporary locations while the new facility was being built.
Staff from Manitoba Health, the Parkland Regional Health Authority and Swan Valley Health Facilities worked together at the time to complete a comprehensive plan for the new hospital. Extensive community consultations were held to review program and service details of the new facility.
August 2024-PMH CEO Treena Slate, Swan River Mayor Lance Jacobson and local recruitment committee member Duane Whyte joined Shared Health staff to recognize the new CT scanner, which began operation at Swan Valley. Health Centre in mid-2024.
When it opened, the new health centre feature a brand new Emergency Department. Diagnostic services, such as laboratory testing, ultrasound and diagnostic imaging were included.
And importantly, the new facility would house home-care, mental-health, public-health and services including occupational therapy, physiotherapy and speech language pathology, all under one roof.
In the planning, space was set aside to ensure dialysis services needs would eventually be available in the Swan Valley region, which occurred when the program started in November 2006.
Since opening, a cataract surgery program began in 2012 and most recently, diagnostic services were enhanced when a CT Scanner was added to the hospital in mid-2024.
Swan Valley Health Centre- An aerial view of the Swan Valley Health Centre in September 2025. Pictured just to the left, is the Swan Valley Lodge. Photo Credit Swan Valley Star and Times
Swan Valley Primary Care Centre
Provincial, PMH, and Swan River community representatives participate in grand opening ceremonies of the Swan Valley Primary Care Centre in July 2015.
In keeping with the anniversary theme, the Swan Valley Primary Care Centre, which opened in the summer of 2015, recently noted 10 years of serving patients, clients and residents of the Swan River area. The Primary Care Centre is conveniently located across the street from the Swan Valley Health Centre, which greatly assists the advanced access model with an added focus on collaborative care.
The primary care clinic is where you receive the majority of your health care needs and helps support continuous and coordinated care throughout a patient’s life.
The primary care staff at the SVPCC are part of the Swan River My Health Team. My Health Teams are multidisciplinary teams of professions (from various jurisdictions) who work together to improve access to health care services. Each My Health Team (MyHT) is uniquely developed to meet the needs of the community they serve.
When first established, the SVPCC initially offered primary care appointments and primary care outreach services.
Physicians at Swan Valley Primary Care Centre As of September 2025, physicians at the Swan Valley Primary Care Centre are (from left to right): Dr. Opeyemi Ola, Dr. Toyin Oluwatuyi, Dr. Uche Adediji, Dr. Samin Izadi, Dr. Kevwe Ekrebe, Dr. Savanna McKay, Dr. Leah Koetting, Dr. David Cazakoff and Dr. Ryan York.
Now, thanks to active recruitment and retention efforts and ongoing planning, an enhanced health care complement is providing greater access to services, which is helping divert pressures from the hospital’s emergency room. Recruitment over the years has included adding family doctors, nurse practitioners, a physician assistant and a My Health Team. The My Health Team is comprised of both Licensed Practical and Registered Nurses, a Service Navigator and Community Health Facilitator that provide focused care to vulnerable client populations.
Photo Credit Swan Valley Star and Times
Swan Valley Primary Care Centre- Pictured from left to right are staff and physicians as of September 2025 (from left to right). Front Row-Dr. Ekrebe, Dr. Adediji, Dr. Oluwatuyi, Dr Ola, Dr. Izadi, Dr. McKay, Dr. Koetting, Dr. Cazakoff and Dr York. Middle Row- Ashley Tibbett, Hilary Doverspike, Ernestina Agbemafle, Rachel Dahl, Bobbi-Jo Moshenko, Meghan Gray, Lilly Borrego and Indigo Szpilman. Back Row- Andrea Keller, Jenny Ives, Shannon Anderson, Tracey LaForce, Brenda Holinaty, Shelley Bushenlonga, Jensen Bardwell and Crystal Fawcett. Missing are: Dr .Adegboyega, Dr.Basta, Dr. Burnside, Charnae Betcher, Holly Kolodichuk, Erin Frampton, Dana Johnson, Raylene Barnes and Cathryn Marchuk.
Prairie Mountain Health Celebrates Malnutrition Week October 6-10th, 2025.
Prairie Mountain Health Celebrates Malnutrition Week October 6-10th, 2025.
This is How Dietitians Help Patients Heal: Tackling Malnutrition in Hospitals
Did you know that up to half of adults and a third of children in Canadian hospitals are affected by malnutrition? It’s a serious issue that often goes unnoticed. And no—malnutrition isn’t just about not eating enough. It’s about not getting the right nutrients your body needs to heal, fight infections, and stay strong.
When people are in the hospital—especially after surgery, injury, or dealing with chronic illness—their bodies need even more nutrients. That’s where dietitians come in.
Why Dietitians Are Essential
Dietitians are nutrition experts. They know how to assess a patient’s health, figure out exactly what nutrients are needed, and create personalized nutrition plans to support recovery.
They work closely with doctors, nurses, and other specialists to make sure nutrition isn’t overlooked. For example:
Swallowing problems? Dietitians team up with speech-language pathologists to create safe, nutritious meals or recommend tube feeding.
Digestive issues? They adjust diets to help patients absorb nutrients better.
Wounds or infections? Dietitians increase protein and energy in meals to help the body heal faster.
The Hidden Costs of Malnutrition
Malnourished patients often stay in the hospital longer, recover more slowly, and face more complications. This not only affects their health—it also costs the healthcare system around $2 billion each year in Canada. Malnutrition can lead to muscle loss, weaker immune systems, and a higher risk of getting sick again.
Catching Malnutrition Early
The good news? Hospitals in Canada use special tools to spot malnutrition early:
Canadian Nutrition Screening Tool (CNST): A quick two-question check done within 24 hours of admission.
Subjective Global Assessment (SGA): A more detailed review by a dietitian to confirm malnutrition and plan treatment.
Integrated Nutrition Pathway for Acute Care (INPAC): A system that helps hospital teams work together to catch and treat malnutrition quickly.
These tools help dietitians act before things get worse. By identifying risks early and providing the right nutrition, dietitians don’t just treat illness—they help patients recover faster and stronger.
Primary Health Care Centres in northern part of PMH celebrate milestones
Primary Health Care Centres in northern part of PMH celebrate milestones
Swan River MLA Rosann Wowchuk participates in the grand opening of the Waterhen Primary Health Care Centre on September 12, 2005.
This past September marked the 20-year anniversary of two Primary Health Care Centres in the northern part of PMH region, which opened in 2005. When opened, the two new PHC centres offered space for community health programs and services including expansion of the regional diabetes program, an improved mental health strategies and further development of chronic disease prevention initiatives. Community councils, the Department of Aboriginal and Northern Affairs, and Manitoba Health all worked collaboratively to bring the primary health care centres to fruition. The federal Primary Health Care Transition Fund provided financial support as part of 17 provincial projects that were announced two years earlier in 2003.
The Ethelbert Primary Health Care Centre was the first to open in the former Parkland Health region. It was a Community Health Resource Centre pilot project in 2000 and official grand opening ceremonies for the ongoing site were held in May 2001. Next year, the Ethelbert PHC will reach its 25 year milestone.
Manitoba Premier of the day, Hon. Gary Doer, joins local representatives to officially open the Camperville Primary Health Care Centre on September 12, 2005.
Today, staff at these centres are able to offer a wide-range of services closer to home including, but not limited to, treatment of minor illnesses and injuries, collection of blood and other lab samples; dressing changes, chronic disease self-management education and monitoring, health promotion programming, harm reduction support, pregnancy testing, cervical screening, education for expecting and new mothers as well as parenting support, and immunizations. Physicians, NPs, Allied Health Professionals provide additional itinerant services at the Primary Health Care Centers regularly.
Camperville Primary Health Care Centre staff in September 2025. (Left to Right): Ardelle Gabriel, LPN, Cassie Moosetail, Administration support, Brittany Lavallee, Community Health Nurse and Krista Chartrand, Health Promotion Liaison.
Waterhen Primary Health Care staff in October 2025. (Left to Right):Ardelle Gabriel, LPN, Tara Loring, Community Health Nurse, and Deanne Richards (Administration support).
Ethelbert Primary Health Care Centre staff in September 2025. (Left to Right): Ardelle Gabriel, LPN, Amy Paziuk, Community Health Nurse and Sheila Dudar, Administration Support.
