First four recipients of new nursing bursary announced

First four recipients of new nursing bursary announced

Just a few months after it was announced, the MacLachlan family bursary‘s first recipients met on June 11 to celebrate the contribution to local nursing students. The $100,000 fund, administered by the Pontiac Community Hospital Foundation, will go towards four bursaries of up to $5,000 each per year, with the stipulation that the student must work in the Pontiac for as many years as they received the bursary.

The four accepted this year are: Julie Soucie, Sarah Jewell, Marie-Pier Dufour and Kayla Legault, all of whom were in different stages of their schooling.

Soucie and Jewell spoke about their health care careers thus far and what they hope to do upon graduation.

Local CISSSO representative Nicole Boucher-Larivière highlighted the difficult position that they are in when it comes to staffing nursing positions throughout the Pontiac region.

Natalie Romain, clinical administrative coordinator at the Pontiac Hospital, wished the recipients all the best. A nurse herself with 33 years of experience at the facility, she said it was encouraging to see the new generation start their careers.

Representing his family, Bill MacLachlan Jr. spoke about his connection with the Pontiac and said that he hoped the program would be a long-term boost to the local institution.