A nurse from Stoney First Nation received a national award for Excellence in Nursing after four decades of service.
With no plans to retire, Joyce Ball accepted her Health Canada’s 2016 First Nations and Inuit Health Branch Award of Excellence in Nursing on May 9 in Ottawa.
“It was amazing … I felt undeserving and special. It was surreal,” Ball said.
Joyce jokingly calls the award her “Oscar” and said it reminds her of a teardrop.
“I think it is fitting because nursing is blood, sweat and tears,” Joyce said with a laugh. “The trip was a memorable experience and the highlight of my nursing career.”
Nominated by her co-workers from Stoney First Nation Health Services, Ball has worked on the reserve for the past 24 years helping develop and spearhead a variety of programs while also building life-long friendships.
Ball has been nicknamed “wha mnuska” meaning ‘busy ant’ from her First Nation colleagues because for the past two decades Ball has been the driving force behind the comprehensive home care program.
Ball, who has her Canadian Diabetes Educator credentials, also works with community wellness program. The program focuses on diabetes management and preventions through diabetes management clinics, foot clinics, and walking groups. Ball also organizes and runs summer camps for kids.
“I went to Morley because I thought it would be an interesting experience,” Ball said.
“I wanted to take my nursing to a more grassroots environment where I could meet people in their own environment and see where they come from … after being there for over two decades I have learned to really love the people and the resiliency they show.”
Ball has also received the traditional name “Ma-sta-gauntha” from her “adopted” Morley grandfather, which translates into Chinook or warm wind.
“My grandfather had told me he wanted to give me a traditional name but he wanted a couple days to think about it and when he decided on ma-sta gauntha, he explained it was because the warm wind brings good things, like me,” Ball said with a smile.
The Cochranite said that she had always known she wanted to be a nurse.
“From the time I was a little girl, I always knew it was my destiny to help people,” Ball said.
“I have always had that need and whether it be in Brazil or Honduras or Morley, helping people makes me feel like I’ve accomplished something.”
And while she is very proud of her work, Ball said she would not be able to do it without the help of everyone around her.
“When one has an achievement, there is a group of people that have helped … it takes a community to be successful, we cannot succeed on our own,” Ball said.
Her husband of 42 years, Dorian Ball said he could not be more proud of his wife.
“She worked really hard and she deserves it. I am really proud – it was an amazing ceremony and a lot of tears were shed,” Dorian said.
Joyce has actively practiced nursing all over the world for the past four decades. Starting out as a staff nurse at the Neonatal Intensive-Care Unit (NICU) in Calgary, Ball has travelled from Central America to Brazil on medical mission trips before landing at in Morley at the Stoney First Nation Health services, but she said her adventure is not over.
“Once a nurse, always a nurse … and I think I have a few years left in me,” Ball said.
While Joyce said she has no current plans to move, she mentioned that she is always open to exploring new places and maybe doing more mission work before she retires. For now, her three adult children and 10 grandchildren keep her busy.
“Life is full,” Joyce said with a smile.
.
