Awards of Excellence

This award is named in memory of Jill Sullivan; a pioneer in the delivery of HIV/AIDS nursing care in Canada. The recipient of this award is a nurse who consistently demonstrates excellence in the application of skill and knowledge in her/his nursing practice.

This award was re-named in 2009 in memory of Andrew Johnson, a co-founder and first president of CANAC. The award recognizes the exceptional contribution made by a nurse working in the area of clinical practice, education, research and/or administration to the advancement of Nursing’s role in HIV/AIDS care. Prior to 2009, it was called the “Award of Excellence for Exceptional Contribution to the Development of Nursing in HIV/AIDS Care”.

This award is given in memory of Barney Hickey, who was passionate about mental health and advocated for the health and rights of persons living with HIV. Barney lived life fully, and was devoted to nursing and cared deeply about his patients, colleagues, and the students he mentored. His tireless and inspiring work was recognised by the both College of Registered Nurses of BC, which honoured Barney with its Excellence in Nursing Practice Award and by this organization, which bestowed the Excellence in AIDS Care Award upon him.

Providing care to individuals living with and/or vulnerable to HIV/AIDS can be both rewarding and frustrating or even traumatic at the same time. CANAC acknowledges the learning challenges and emotional burdens faced by nurses entering the field of HIV/AIDS care. This award recognises a member who has not only “braved the storm and survived” their entry into the field of HIV/AIDS, but has excelled in the process.

Award categories offered in the first years of CANAC’S existence, eventually to be replaced by the Andrew Johnson and Newcomer Awards.

On occasion, CANAC honours an individual outside the field of medicine whose work has, over the years, provided great benefit to the discipline of nursing.

Introduced in 2015 as a new Award Category, the CANAC Award of Excellence in Advocacy recognizes a CANAC member who has gone above and beyond in their advocacy efforts for patients, nursing, HIV, social justice or to effect positive policy change.    The Award is intended to recognize the extra time, effort and passion required to advocate at Regional, National and International levels.