2014 BCPhA Pharmacy Awards

Cam Bonell, Clinical Community Pharmacist, Lakeside Medicine Centre, Kelowna

Cam Bonell is well-recognized by both patients and peers for his tireless work to help educate. He is a patient educator for the Central Okanagan Association for Cardiac Health rehabilitation program and has been co-chair of the Board of Directors since its inception in 1998. He works with the regional transplant clinic to
ensure seamless care for transplant patients and also educates newly-diagnosed renal patients. His patients value him as an important member of their health care team, seeking his advice on anything and everything.

Cam is hospital residency trained, but ultimately found his home in community pharmacy. He has been Kelowna’s regional coordinator for continuing pharmacy professional development for the UBC Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences for almost 19 years. Since 2009, Cam has trained many of his peers as a lead Administration of Injections Program trainer with the BCPhA. Within the profession, he is recognized as a knowledgeable speaker on a variety of pharmacy business and clinical topics.

Dawei Ji
Aaron Sihota

Both Dawei Ji and Aaron Sihota have shown remarkable engagement in the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of British Columbia.

As a first-year pharmacy student, Dawei designed and coordinated a Faculty-approved elective course on the business of biotechnology and pharmaceuticals. He
was involved in organizing events such as Pharmacy Awareness Week at UBC, and served on the Pharmacy Undergraduate Society (PhUS) Council as General Councillor during his third year. In his final year, Dawei completed a research project that explored how innovative clinical services could be effectively implemented within community pharmacy practice.

During his four years as a pharmacy student, Aaron served on the PhUS Council in various roles including a one-year term as President, and for two terms representing the Faculty on the university's academic governing body, the UBC Senate. He was recently invited to present at the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health Symposium on a project he completed with the UBC Pharmacists Clinic, exploring patient perceptions of the services provided by the Clinic and which groups of patients would best utilize these services. Like Dawei, Aaron has been a BCPhA Student Ambassador since the program first launched in 2011.

Larry Leung and Jason Min, Directors, Clinicare Pharmacists Inc.

Clinicare Pharmacists, founded by Larry Leung and Jason Min, is a nondispensing pharmacy organization that has been providing innovative patient care services since 2010. A dynamic team of specialists in clinical pharmacy practice, they are dedicated to working as part of the community health care team to improve patient outcomes.

Partnering with local nurses and Aboriginal community members, Larry and Jason established clinical pharmacy services for the home and community care programs of Bella Bella, Bella Coola, Klemtu and Mount Currie. Services include clinics (e.g., blood pressure, foot care, fall prevention), home visits, patient education and academic detailing to local health care team members.

Jason and Larry’s work has formed the basis of an Aboriginal Health elective now offered at UBC. They are lecturers at UBC’s Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences and School of Nursing, and patient care practitioners at the Pharmacists Clinic. They were also the 2014 recipients of the BC Community Achievement Award.

Don Fraser, CEO/President and Owner, Forewest Holdings

Don Fraser’s 29 pharmacies employ numerous pharmacists and provide much needed pharmacy services in small and large communities across BC. This role gives him the opportunity to shape pharmacy practice and support his pharmacists in offering injections, Medication Reviews and disease state management. His coaching and mentoring allows pharmacists to embrace scope of practice changes and look for ways to grow profitability while providing exceptional patient care. Don also invests in store design and technology to allow his team to maximize their delivery of pharmacy services.

Don was an early contributor to the Pharmasave organization, and served on the Pacific Board from 1991 to 1999 and again from 2002 to 2011. He was also on Pharmasave’s National Board from 1994 to 1996, and his passion and tremendous knowledge of the industry has been of huge value to the company. Don is a champion of community pharmacy, pharmacists and the valuable services and contributions that community pharmacy brings to patients across the province.

Ken Foreman, Manager, Pharmacy, Pharmasave Drugs (Pacific) Ltd.

Since graduating at the top of his class from UBC's Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences in 1976, Ken has contributed to every facet of pharmacy practice to ensure the profession continues to move forward. His career includes terms as president of both the BCPhA and College of Pharmacists of BC, guest lecturing at the UBC Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, and involvement with the Ministry of Health, Doctors of BC, and Chain Drug Association of BC. He has been instrumental in seeing pharmacy through many challenging times, including the introduction of PharmaNet in the 1990s to more recent negotiations with government, payers, and other stakeholders.

Ken was BCPhA deputy CEO and director of professional services from 2001 to 2005. He has been a trusted adviser to BCPhA staff and CEOs, and mentor to other Board members. Ken was also the deserving recipient of the 2010 Murray Dykeman Mentorship Award.

Mike Dilfer, Pharmacist, Target Pharmacy, Courtenay

To be a good teacher or leader, you have to be a good listener – and Mike Dilfer is an exceptional one. Students, peers and patients alike agree he has an uncanny ability to find out what people are really saying and help them. Mike regularly mentors pharmacy students and was nominated by those who admire his
passion for the profession and drive to learn. He always engages students and new coworkers, supporting them through both personal and professional challenges.

Leading by example, Mike gives every patient his focus while providing evidence-based care. His peers are inspired by his ability to form therapeutic relationships with clients and motivate them to do better for themselves. His pharmacological background is just as strong as his personal skills – Mike is always on top of the latest literature and recently helped launch a monthly meeting for pharmacists in the Comox Valley to discuss practice issues. Consistently growing as a pharmacist himself, Mike makes everyone around him better at the same time.

Joelle Mbamy, Pharmacist, Owner, Sunrise Pharmacy, Penticton

Since opening Sunrise Pharmacy in 2012, Joelle Mbamy has focused on making her community better. As a certified Safe Harbour location, she offers equitable treatment for all and an immediate safe place for someone experiencing discrimination. Diverse groups rely on Joelle's pharmacy as a symbol of trust in the neighbourhood. Her practice is tailored to the needs of her community, including being a Naloxone distributor to assist in drug overdoses and becoming certified in foot care to help those in need take better care of their feet.

Joelle’s compassion extends beyond her four pharmacy walls as she volunteers with the Penticton & District Community Resources Society and its Harm Reduction Program, helping individuals access much needed resources to get them back on their feet. She runs health clinics at the Sikh Temple, attends the annual Senior Centre Health Fair, and is part of the South Okanagan Immigrant Community Services Society.

Omar Alasaly, Associate-Owner and Pharmacy Manager,Shoppers Drug Mart, Victoria

Omar Alasaly’s staff and colleagues can attest to the fact that his passion and enthusiasm for the profession are contagious. He encourages pharmacists to embrace their role as medication experts, and leads by example providing professional services such as Medication Reviews, immunizations, smoking cessation clinics and diabetes management clinics. Due to his support, his pharmacists have all attained their injection certification.

Omar trains and mentors new pharmacists, and is a preceptor for UBC and International Pharmacy Graduates. He is active in the profession as vice-chair of the College of Pharmacists of BC’s Injection Drug Administration Committee and on the Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada (PEBC) Board of Directors in Toronto. He is involved in pharmacy technology projects that are finding ways to enable pharmacists to spend more time focusing on professional services. Omar has been recognized by his peers as being a pharmacy and business leader, and was elected as the Shoppers Drug Mart BC Peers Chair, where he represents all the associate-owners in BC to senior management.

Adeline Tan, Pharmacist, Safeway Pharmacy, Vancouver

Adeline Tan is a Certified Diabetes Educator and a knowledgeable, skilled and caring pharmacist. Her patients recognize her as an expert in her field, always taking the time to thoroughly answer customer questions from drug interactions to nutritional supplements. Adeline conducts diabetes clinics and is acknowledged as a diabetes expert and evidence-based practitioner in the community among local physicians, pharmaceutical companies and colleagues. She is dedicated to her patients, the profession, and continuing education.

Adeline has forged new networks with local community groups and various senior centres. She participates in annual health and wellness fairs including the Richmond School District Convention, BCIT Health Risk Assessment Screening and TELUS Walk to Cure Diabetes.

She advances the pharmacy profession through clinical services including immunizations, osteoporosis education, insulin starts, and anemia and cholesterol management. Adeline also actively mentors pharmacy students, technicians and assistants.

Chris Cameron, Pharmacist/Owner, Pratt’s Compounding Pharmacy, Kamloops

Over the past 15 years, Chris Cameron has done an excellent job representing pharmacy both professionally and through his volunteer work. His pharmacy, Pratt’s Compounding Pharmacy, was recognized by his peers with the 2012 uniPHARM Best Practices Award, and by patients with the Readers’ Choice Best Medical Supplier and Pharmacy in Kamloops. It was also nominated by the Kamloops Chamber of Commerce as Business of the Year.

Chris is often the go-to pharmacist in Kamloops for pharmacy-related media inquiries. He is a member of the BCPhA’s MLA Outreach Program and active in his community as a guest speaker. Chris has discussed the important role pharmacists play in helping patients with their medications at many non-profit groups including the Parkinson's Awareness Group, Kamloops Brain Injury Association, and the Interior Chemical Dependency Group. He is also a guest speaker at Thompson River University’s Sleep Conference and a number of continuing education events for respiratory therapists and pharmacists.