de Souza Institute Celebrates an Oncology Nursing Leader in Wingham

Wingham, Ontario – Wingham and District Hospital oncology nurse Kathy Blake is the first nurse in Huron County to obtain the de Souza Nurse Designation and she becomes just the 19th nurse in all of Ontario to reach this extraordinary achievement.

The de Souza Nurse Designation is the highest designation in cancer care nursing excellence. Candidates must complete extensive course work as well as a clinical fellowship. Since 2008, the de Souza Institute has provided ongoing educational support and career counseling to more than 7,000 clinicians.

“We are very proud to celebrate Kathy’s achievement. This reaffirms our commitment to providing quality care to rural areas.” said Dr. Mary Jane Esplen, Executive Director of de Souza Institute. “Patients deserve the highest quality of care and it shouldn’t matter if you live in an urban, suburban, rural or remote area. Kathy is leading by example and making sure she has increased specialization in her knowledge and skills so that she is better able to serve her patients in the community of Huron County.”

 “I have always wanted to be a nurse, and I have always wanted to be the best nurse that I can be for my patients and their families” said de Souza Nurse Designate Kathy Blake. “de Souza Institute has given me an opportunity to further enhance my skills and confidence. I am grateful to be able to provide the best quality care by applying the advanced knowledge and expertise developed through de Souza Institute.”

The demand for nurses with specialized skills in cancer care is continuing to grow. According to the Canadian Cancer Society, 2 in 5 Canadians will develop cancer within their lifetime and 1 in 4 Canadians will die of cancer.

“Our patients are receiving high quality cancer care. We have a dedicated staff that is committed to making themselves, our patients and their families better.” said Karl Ellis, CEO of Wingham and District Hospital “Kathy’s accomplishment gives our entire team a boost and she is a shining example of our commitment towards workforce training, support and providing high quality cancer care as close to home as possible”.

To learn more about de Souza Institute visit www.desouzainstitute.com

About de Souza Institute

Established in 2008, de Souza Institute in partnership University Health Network, Cancer Care Ontario and funded by Ontario’s Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, provides ongoing educational support, professional development and career counseling to nurses caring for cancer patients and families.

de Souza Institute is providing cancer care excellence by: delivering innovative continuing education and mentorship programs; helping nurses to achieve national specialty certification; funding graduate scholarships to develop tomorrow’s leaders, and supporting in self-care and career development.

Contact Information:

Deyan Kostovski
416-417-8566
deyan.kostovski@desouzainstitute.com