Chatham-Kent Health Alliance marked Nurses Week 2026 with its first Nurses Week Awards Ceremony, recognizing nurses and health-care staff for their dedication to patient care and leadership within the organization.
Hospital leadership, staff, physicians and volunteers gathered Wednesday to celebrate nursing professionals across the organization and present awards recognizing compassionate care and nursing excellence.
The Compassionate Caregiver Award, presented by the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance Foundation, was awarded to Heather Blakey. The honour recognizes a health-care provider whose work is defined by empathy and strong connections with patients and families.
Dr. Cecil Liu and Becky Hall were named finalists for the award.
CKHA also presented the Vicente and Delia Calma Memorial Nursing Excellence Award to Amie Wright. The award recognizes excellence in nursing leadership and clinical practice. Brittany Gemelli was named a finalist.
“The energy throughout this week has been truly inspiring, and being able to gather to celebrate our nurses in person was a highlight for our entire leadership team,” Natalie Clark, CKHA’s chief nursing executive, said in a statement.
“Our nurses are more than just health care providers; they are the heart of this hospital. Seeing the talent and compassion displayed by our award recipients and finalists today reinforces why CKHA is such a special place to practice. I am incredibly proud of the work they do every single day to ensure our community receives the best possible care.”
The ceremony also included a video tribute featuring messages from hospital staff recognizing the impact nurses have on colleagues, patients and the broader community.
CKHA said the tribute videos, including profiles of award finalists and recipients, are available on the hospital’s website.
The organization thanked nurses across Chatham-Kent for their resilience, expertise and ongoing commitment to patient care as Nurses Week celebrations concluded.
