HALIFAX: The province’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Robert Strang, is being recognized for his leadership and dedication during the COVID-19 pandemic with a new award named in his honour.
The Dr. Robert Strang Mayflower Award for Healthcare Professionals will recognize those who, like its namesake, demonstrate outstanding strength, perseverance and courage in delivering frontline healthcare in challenging circumstances.
Dr. Strang is the first recipient of the award, which references Nova Scotia’s official flower. The mayflower also blooms in adverse conditions.
“We all looked to Dr. Strang for guidance and leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic – and he always showed up for us, even on the most challenging days,” said Premier Tim Houston. “Dr. Strang’s unwavering commitment to protecting the public’s health made Nova Scotia among the safest places to live during the pandemic. But he was always the first to say he is simply the voice of an entire team.
“With this new award, we’re able to continue to recognize that same dedication seen every day on the frontlines of healthcare.”
Beginning in 2023, the Dr. Robert Strang Mayflower Award for Healthcare Professionals will be awarded annually in May to as many as five people. All frontline healthcare workers are eligible, including nurses, doctors, paramedics, continuing care assistants, and pharmacists. They can be full- or part-time, casual, temporary or permanent, new to the field or with many years of experience.
Each of the mayflower’s five petals on the award represents the values Dr. Strang demonstrated each day during the pandemic: commitment to protecting public health; courage of conviction needed to make difficult but necessary decisions; and the ‘three Cs’ he spoke of so often – caring, compassion, and community.
More information will be available later this year when nominations open for the 2023 award.
Quotes:
“I am truly humbled to receive this award today. I accept it on behalf of the many skilled and dedicated professionals who worked just as hard, faced just as many challenges, and showed up each day to protect the health of all Nova Scotians. It has not always been easy, but it has been a pleasure and a privilege – and it’s one I will never forget.”
– Dr. Robert Strang, Nova Scotia’s Chief Medical Officer of Health
“Through the last two years, Nova Scotians have experienced first-hand the caring, compassion and sense of community Dr. Strang has demonstrated throughout his career in the public service.
“The Dr. Robert Strang Mayflower Award for Healthcare Professionals allows us to recognize his outstanding work throughout the pandemic and celebrate his legacy for years to come.”
– Laura Lee Langley, Deputy Minister and Head of the Public Service
