This year's winner of the Lois Fairley Nurse of the Year Community Service Award is a registered nurse at Windsor Regional Hospital.
Spenser Dionne was nominated by the son of a patient who suffered a severe stroke.
"In those initial moments of shock, Spenser provided more than just medical monitoring; she provided a sense of home," wrote Ryan Peebles. "She went far beyond the boundaries of a standard shift, bringing in flowers, pictures, and even her own learning materials and glasses from home to help stimulate my mother's recovery."
Peebles said Spenser frequently came to the hospital on her days off to ensure his mother's care was consistent, and even checked on his mother after she was transferred to a nursing home.
"Much like Lois Fairley, who was a renowned mentor to students at the University of Windsor and St. Clair College, Spenser is a pillar of support for those just entering the field," Peebles continued. "My sister, currently a student nurse, has been a firsthand witness to Spenser's mentorship on the floor."
Past recipients of the Louis Fairley Nursing Award include Marisa Smith, Anna Dudok, and all the retired nurses who returned to the profession during COVID.
Lois Fairley was a graduate of Grace Hospital's nursing program in 1955, who spent her career at the hospital as a nurse and head nurse. She was also a member of the Provincial Board of Directors of RNAO, president of the Ontario Nurses Association, and sat on the St. Clair College Program Advisory Committee for Nursing. She passed away in 2007.
