A long-time Quispamsis pharmacist known for her outstanding patient care and early adoption of the profession’s expanding scope of practice has earned one of pharmacy’s highest honours.
The New Brunswick Pharmacists’ Association (NBPA) honoured pharmacy pioneer Diane Young with the Bowl of Hygeia on Saturday at their Awards Gala held as part of the New Brunswick Pharmacy Conference. Approximately 200 New Brunswick pharmacists attended the annual conference held over the weekend at the Delta in Saint John. The conference included the annual general meetings of the NBPA, the New Brunswick College of Pharmacists and the Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists (NB chapter) as well as professional development sessions. Keynote speaker David Coletto of Abacus Data spoke about: “The Millennials: How this generation is changing everything, including pharmacy.”
The Bowl of Hygeia is the most widely recognized international symbol for the pharmacy profession and is considered one of the profession’s most prestigious awards. This award recognizes pharmacists who make outstanding contributions to their profession and to their communities.
“Diane Young has made an extraordinary contribution to our profession and to her community,” says Andrew Brillant, President of the New Brunswick Pharmacists’ Association. “All of the individuals honoured this weekend are shining examples of the valuable work that pharmacists are doing to help patients every single day.”
Diane Young is a pioneer of the pharmacy profession in New Brunswick. She’s been helping patients and contributing to her community for 36 years. Only two years after graduating from Dalhousie University’s College of Pharmacy in 1981, Diane became one of the first female Associate/Owners at Shoppers Drug Mart. She became a franchise owner at the Shoppers at the Loch Lomond Mall in 1983, moving to Quispamsis in 1989.
She has always strongly embraced expanding roles for pharmacists. Her store was one of the first to have a pharmacist trained to do injections. Pharmacists at her Quispamsis store gave over 500 flu shots when the program first started, increasing to more than 1,000 in recent years. A pharmacist at her store also became one of the first to support prescribing for minor ailments. Diane has also volunteered a tremendous amount of time to building her profession as a member of various committees including board member of the New Brunswick Pharmacists’ Association, the New Brunswick College of Pharmacists and the Canadian Pharmacists Association including the host committee for their national conference in 1988. She’s also served as a member of the Professional Practice Committee for the NB College of Pharmacists. She was a finalist for the Shoppers Drug Mart Associate of the Year in 2016.
Diane has also found time to volunteer in her community for a variety of worthwhile causes, including at the Saint John Regional Hospital Teddy Bear Fair and Rally of Hope; the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation Walk for the Cure; Relay for Life; New Brunswick branch Canadian Cancer Society; Autism Saint John; St. Joe's Breast Health Trust Fund; Hestia House Saint John; KV Old Boys; Arthritis Society Saint John, and the IWK. She has also donated countless auction and raffle items to support Saint John youth sports and sponsored soccer, hockey, football and baseball teams. Diane retired from operating her pharmacy in 2016 after 33 years. She now works as a relief pharmacist.
For the first time in 25 years, New Brunswick will play host to the national pharmacy conference next June. The Canadian Pharmacists’ Association has chosen Fredericton as the location for its conference that will see 700 pharmacists attend from across Canada.
“We worked hard with the Fredericton Convention Centre to bring this event to New Brunswick, and we’re ready to roll out our famous Maritime hospitality to pharmacists from across the country,” says Paul Blanchard, Executive Director of the NBPA. “The event will be a tremendous opportunity for New Brunswick pharmacists to learn and network and for delegates to experience our beautiful capital city.”