When Dr. Ben Anders retired from his family practice, he had no idea that he would be back on the frontline of primary health care a few years later, working to combat a global pandemic. Dr. Anders served Kamloops as a family doctor for more than 40 years. During that time, he delivered care to generations of families, and built close relationships with many health professionals along the way. When the pandemic hit and mass vaccination clinics opened, Dr. Anders didn’t think twice about jumping in to help. He went through the process of getting re-licensed and administered vaccines at the various Interior Health COVID-19 Immunization Clinics around the community. While in the clinic, Dr. Anders became reacquainted with old colleagues, fellow nurses, and past patients.
Although he never expected to be paid for his efforts in the clinic as he was happy to volunteer, Interior Health insisted that everyone delivering vaccines required a contract which resulted in him being compensated for his service. After discussing things over with his wife Lorene, they collectively decided to invest the money back into local health care by making a generous donation to the Royal Inland Hospital Foundation to fund further education for the staff and health care professionals at the hospital in Kamloops.
Dr. Anders and his wife, Lorene, presented RIH Foundation with a $35,000 cheque. Their impact was doubled through the foundation’s Giving Tuesday matching initiative. The Anders’ donation resulted in $70,000 to directly benefit the health of our community by furthering education in the staff at RIH, which helps local medical professionals grow and become better health care providers.
“It was my privilege to work at the mass vaccinator clinics for 10 months,” Dr. Anders said. “None of us there thought we would still be doing this type of clinic so far into the vaccine program. Lorene and I are in a position where we can contribute to the RIH Foundation from the clinic contract benefits.
“I am most pleased to be able to direct these funds toward the educational support for our RIH nurses, respiratory therapists, and various health care workers. These health care workers deserve the opportunities to get quality education.”
