The Swan Valley has been known for turning out some of the best and most recognized physicians in Manitoba. At the start of the year, former Valley physician Dr. Adrian Fung started as Prairie Mountain Health’s (PMH) new Chief Medical Officer. Dr. Fung was drawn into medicine due to his love of helping people.
“I was attracted to medicine, and becoming a physician specifically because I wanted to help make a difference to those who I felt needed it most,” said PMH Chief Medical Officer Dr. Fung. “I spent time volunteering at the children’s hospital in Edmonton during my university training and loved being able to be there to help the patients as much as possible, even in my limited capacity at the time of being a volunteer.
“As you can probably guess from my volunteering experience, I initially went into medicine intending to become a pediatrician. After spending time in each specialty while at school I discovered that I actually liked all of them, and so ended up choosing to do as many specialties as I could at once; I decided to become a rural general practitioner.
“I went to university at the University of Alberta in Edmonton and then to medical school at University College Cork in Cork, Ireland,” said Dr. Fung.
Working in a rural setting was instrumental in the experience, training and knowledge that Dr. Fung had acquired at the start of his career. Not only did he become trained in different aspects of healthcare, but it also set him up for leadership as well.
“I think that there is a lot to be said for gaining experience as a rural physician,” said Dr. Fung. “Practicing in a rural area requires a physician to use all of their knowledge, and to rely heavily on clinical skills and acumen, rather than on having every investigation and specialty available nearby. When I started my practice in Swan River, I wished to fulfill my original goal as a rural physician who could do a bit of every specialty as part of my practice.
“What I gained beyond this was an opportunity to be a physician leader and an appreciation for the incredible amount of community collaboration towards improved healthcare that occurs in rural communities. I was able to see what advocating as a group of physicians can accomplish with the help of strong community support to improve healthcare delivery.
“Overall, living and working in Swan River helped me become a well-rounded physician, gave me experience in physician leadership, and built-in me an understanding and appreciation for how much positive change we can make when we work collaboratively together as physicians, health care workers, communities, and as a region,” said Dr. Fung.
Dr. Fung accredits his time in the Valley to fostering his leadership skills. Once he had left the area, it opened the doors to big roles in leadership within the RHA.
“I gained my first experience in physician leadership in Swan River,” said Dr. Fung. “I was in that role for about six years total, and while in that role I gained a better understanding of how community needs are addressed, what we can do as physicians to help advocate for our communities, and how we as a community fit into the larger picture of our entire health region.
“After I moved to Brandon, an opportunity arose to take on a larger leadership role as the Interim Associate Chief Medical Officer for PMH. I thought I may be able to use the skills and experience I gained from Swan River to help advocate for my rural physician colleagues and the rural communities within PMH. In this position, I found the needs of our region to be complex and generally desperate. I had a lot to learn about every community in a short time, but I enjoyed learning.
“During this short period, I thought that the Chief Medical Officer position would benefit from a rural physician’s experience and perspective, and it seemed that PMH agreed,” said Dr. Fung.“I officially became the Chief Medical Officer for PMH on January 1, 2024. I’m new to the role, and most looking forward to creating discussion and dialogue to create positive change within not just PMH but Manitoba as a whole.”
Dr. Fung finds that being the Chief Medical Officer is just a heightened aspect of being a physician. He now finds himself thinking about staffing and the care of patients on a much broader level, rather than one patient at a time.
“The responsibilities largely differ in scope rather than in principle,” said Dr. Fung. “The Chief Medical Officer is required to be a physician, and as such always views decisions from the lens of improving patient care, and advocating for your patients. The added largest complexity is that the scale is at the size of an entire health region rather than that of an individual practice, and representing these interests at provincial level discussions.
“To further add to this complexity, the needs of the patient need to be well balanced with the needs of the physicians, and how this fits with the rest of the provincial picture, especially in this time of staffing shortages. There is a very high risk of physician burnout at this time, and hospital visits are increasing as the ability to access primary care has decreased. This is certainly a challenging time for everyone, and I commend our physicians and our communities for all that they have done and continue to do.”

Tim Hortons ran their annual Smile Cookie campaign from April 29 to May 5 with various community groups coming out to decorate the nearly 10,000 cookies that were sold throughout the week. Last Thursday (May 16) Swan River Tim Horton’s Owner Upendra Patel (left) presented the proceeds of $15,150.45 from the cookie sales and other donations to the Swan Valley Health Facilities Foundation. The funds will be used to purchase needed equipment in all Valley health facilities.

A local family is hoping for your support in helping them provide a better life for three orphans from Bulgaria.

James and Jessica Frey, along with their sons Ari and Jude, are set to welcome three Bulgarian children into their midst, as soon as their adoptions are finalized.

Read the rest of the story in this week’s Review.

The issue of discarded sharps in the tri-community has been plaguing the area for some time and with the snow melted, there is always debris to be picked up. A committee was formed with members from the Town of The Pas, R.M. of Kelsey, Opaskwayak Cree Nation, OCN Health Authority, OCN Safety, Norman Region Health Authority (NRHA), Manitoba Metis Federation, Play it Safer Committee and peers; The Pas Friendship Centre and the Town of the Pas public works and community safety departments, known as the Sharps Management Committee.
“Under the Play It Safer Network, there are peers going out on a regular basis to collect and survey the areas as part of their program,” said Town of The Pas Mayor Andre Murphy. “At the same time, there are other groups from various organizations going out and doing tours of the areas to help clean up as well.”

Kelsey School Division announced last week their new hire for principal at Margaret Barbour Collegiate Institute (MBCI). Vice principal Pat Berry will move into the position of principal on September 3. Berry had established his teaching career before he moved to northern Manitoba. He fell in love with everything The Pas had to offer and has spent 15 years calling the north his home.
“I grew up in Saskatoon and then attended the University of Saskatchewan,” said Berry. “I spent my first six years teaching middle school in Calgary. Then I moved with my two sons and wife to Swift Current and spent the next 12 years teaching and in leadership roles at Swift Current Comprehensive High School.
“My oldest son Jordan moved away to play hockey in British Columbia and my youngest son Luke went on scholarship to play baseball in North Carolina. My wife and I always dreamed of living on a lake in the north. We are avid paddlers and ended up exploring the rivers and lakes around The Pas.

The Manitoba Wildfire Service, the Office of the Fire Commissioner (OFC), Manitoba Emergency Management Organization (EMO) and the Manitoba Fire Service are currently responding to a significant number of active fires in the area around Flin Flon and The Pas. There is extreme fire behaviour in the area caused by drought conditions and high winds.
As of Monday, fire WE010 near Flin Flon is approximately 31,600 hectares based on updated mapping and continues to impact the cottage subdivisions of Sourdough Bay, Whitefish Lake, Twin Lakes, Schist Lake North and Cranberry Portage.
The fire is approximately 1.5 kilometres away from Cranberry Portage and the community has now been evacuated to The Pas. Provincial Emergency Social Services is available to residents. The Rural Municipality of Kelsey has established a reception centre at the Wescana Inn in The Pas to register evacuees and to arrange for accommodations.
A reception centre has been established at the Victoria Inn in Flin Flon to support evacuees and assist with accommodations for residents affected by evacuation orders from Sourdough Bay Subdivision, Twin Lakes Cottage Subdivision, Whitefish Lake Cottage Subdivision, Schist Lake North Cottage Subdivision, Bakers Cottage Subdivision and Bakers Narrows Provincial Park.

Jordan’s Principle is a child-first principle to ensure First Nations children get the services they need when they need them.

Jordan’s Principle was established by First Nations in response to the death of five-year-old Jordan River Anderson, a child from Norway House Cree Nation, who suffered from Carey Fineman Ziter syndrome, a rare muscular disorder that required years of medical treatment in a Winnipeg hospital.

After spending the first two years of his life in a hospital, doctors cleared Jordan to live in a family home near the hospital in Winnipeg.

However, the federal and provincial governments could not resolve who was financially responsible for the necessary home care.

For over two years, the Government of Canada and Manitoba provincial government continued to argue, while Jordan remained in the hospital.

In 2005, at the age of five, Jordan died in the hospital; he never had the opportunity to live in a family home.

Private Members Motion 296 in support of Jordan’s principle passed in the House of Commons, on Dec. 12, 2007.

May 10 is Bear Witness Day, an annual observance dedicated to Jordan’s Principle.

Last Wednesday was McHappy Day, a time when McDonald’s raises money for their in-house charity the Ronald McDonald House (RMH), which provides a home for families who have a child facing health complications or medical treatments from a city hospital. In Manitoba, two RMH locations in Winnipeg provide accommodations for families who find themselves in either one of those difficult circumstances.
Local Valley family Jon and Lisa Boyko, experienced first-hand how truly wonderful of a place the RMH is when you are faced with a child who is experiencing medical complications.
“My husband and I were expecting our first child in May of 2018,” said Boyko. “After what seemed to be a normal pregnancy, I went into pre-term labour at 25 weeks. We quickly found ourselves in Winnipeg at the Health Sciences Centre (HSC) with nothing but the clothes on our backs and a 25-week gestation baby fighting for his life.
“Micro preemies have a long and complex medical journey. We knew if our child survived, we would be in Winnipeg for months with a lot of follow-ups depending on the prognosis. It was the NICU social worker who referred us to the RMH. Unfortunately, there were no rooms available at the time, but we were a high priority on the waiting list given our distance.”
The Boykos found themselves in a tough situation when their son, Abel, needed long-term medical care that only a hospital in Winnipeg could provide. Like most families in similar types of situations, they didn’t have a place to stay long-term in the city while getting care for their children.
“We have a few family members that live in Winnipeg and they did help us out for the first week and a half,” said Boyko. “We were told we could stay as long as needed, however, when you are looking at a lengthy stay such as ours, you don’t want to wear out your welcome. The costs started to add up with parking and a half-hour commute one way every day.
“Neither I nor my husband wanted to be away from the hospital, so all our meals were at the HSC cafeteria. We were sitting in the NICU for 14-plus hours a day with no nearby place to rest. It became exhausting.
“A few days before we got a room at the RMH and were given the only parent room next to the NICU,” said Boyko. “The keys to this room are given to the parents of the sickest baby in the NICU, allowing you to be there in seconds if needed. We were there for two nights then got a room with the Ronald McDonald Family Rooms in the hospital before getting a permanent room at the house.”
When it comes to a family’s need to stay at the RMH, there is no time limit. Some stay for only a few days, while others spend several months, as their child receives medical care and treatment. This can make the RMH a very busy place that sometimes doesn’t always have vacancies.
“We stayed for 140 consecutive nights at RMH before we were able to bring our baby home,” said Boyko. “Over the next few years, we had many trips for follow-ups, MRIs, and surgeries. Since we had already been registered with the house, I would simply call to check for availability. We were never turned down, they would have a room for us, but the one time they didn’t they assisted us in getting a Canad Inns room at a deeply discounted rate.
“All our stays were at the old RMH in Winnipeg and our appointments became virtual with the pandemic. Recently, we had a health scare that led to a life flight to HSC. After not staying at the home for two years and with the build of the new home, I was worried there would be changes and we would not be able to get in, however, that was not the case. When I called that morning, they immediately had a room available for me.”
For many who have stayed at the RMH, it becomes a home away from home that provides all the comforts and care that a family needs while going through a difficult time when it comes to their child’s health.
“Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) offers so much to families in their time of need and is truly a home away from home,” said Boyko. “You get your private bedroom, there are fully equipped kitchens, laundry facilities, playrooms, private parking lots to park a vehicle, a secure outdoor area to gather and so much more. But it goes above and beyond the comforts of home.
“I had staff and volunteers offer to wash my laundry when I was spending long hours at the hospital, while volunteer groups came in and cooked meals with food they provided. I have never had someone come to my home and offer to cook or do laundry. The house is a wonderful thing, but it is the volunteers and staff who commit their time to make it a home away from home.”
Boyko feels that the RMHC was a true lifesaver for them when they needed it the most. It allowed them to be by Abel’s side at all hours, and be a constant part of his recovery and development.
“Financially RMHC removes a huge burden when you’re at the hospital full-time and there is no way you can work,” said Boyko. “Keeping things afloat back at home is a challenge, never mind having to take up another residence somewhere else. We had our room that was a five-minute walk to the hospital, with all the amenities we needed.
“I believe it is extremely important for parents to be by a sick kid’s bedside. Without the RMHC we would not have been able to be at his bedside daily for as long as we were. I wholeheartedly believe that the endless hours we spent at the hospital, talking to him, and doing kangaroo care contributed to such a positive prognosis. Without us being there, he may not have done as well as he did and for that, I’d like to think that the countless hours we spent by his bedside helped, and we were able to spend every day at the hospital thanks to RMHC.”
Abel has come a long way since the initial traumatic diagnosis given to him at birth. It was a rough start for both Abel and his parents, but now he is thriving beautifully.
“Abel is excelling beyond the prognosis that he initially received,” said Boyko. “We had been told that the chances of him being able to walk, talk, and lead a life that did not involve a high level of care were slim to none. There was not a day of our stay that was easy, but the first two months were ideally the worst.
“Almost daily I had a doctor tell me ‘If your baby makes it’ and they would go on with a long list of complications that they see happen. People who know Abel, now see a kid who can walk, run, and talk your ear off once he warms up to you. He defeated the odds. We do still have some worries and will have follow-ups in the years to come, but overall, he is doing exceptionally well and has had doctors question his prematurity.”
Boyko looks back at the experience of the RMHC with a fondness, for the volunteers and families she met there, created a support network that she still has to this day. One never forgets the kindness of strangers who help out when it’s greatly needed.
“I will always cherish and remember the friendships we made with other families in the home,” said Boyko. “I met people from all walks of life during my stay, some even from other countries. Through your unique yet similar experience of having a sick child, you build bonds and friendships that you otherwise would not have if it wasn’t for RMHC.
“Yes, your friends and family are there for support, but they truly cannot understand or comprehend the things you are seeing and going through. You find yourself with this support group who understands, you vent to each other and offer each other tips and guidance. They become your second family and you truly cannot forget these people. To this day, I stay in touch with many of them and have even met up with them on a few occasions even though we live miles apart.”
The Boyko family is forever grateful to the RMH for all it has done to keep them with Abel during his stay in the hospital and for the appointments he has had in the city, but they also are thankful to the local organizations who helped them as well.
“On a side note, although this is about RMHC and we come from a small community there are many ways people can contribute to aiding families with sick children,” said Boyko. “Such as our local Lions, Kinsmen Club, and church organizations which all helped us immensely.”

As of last weekend, the recent forest fire outbreak between Cranberry Portage and Flin Flon has grown to 38 kilometers long and 12 kilometers wide. This past weekend provincial water bombers were out on Rocky Lake collecting water to help fight the forest fires raging in northern Manitoba. Residents in Cranberry Portage were evacuated to The Pas and Swan River and firefighters worked around the clock to control the blaze and Manitoba Hydro works to restore power.

A benefit supper and dance for Gloria Taylor is taking place this Saturday, May 18. Taylor suffered a huge loss April 26 when fire destroyed her home.

The benefit takes place this Saturday at the Merridale Commuinty Hall with a smoked brisket supper at 7:30 and a dance to follow. Tickets are $25 with support tickets going for $15. Tickets are available at 3-Way ESSO or the NAPA store at Mazergroup Roblin.

Find out more in this week’s Review.