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  • Home
  • About us
    • History
    • Mission Statement
    • Board of Directors
    • Advisory Board
    • Kenyan Partners
    • Current Sponsors
    • Special Donations
    • Mobile Medical Missions
    • In Memory of Aggrey Mulamba
    • Solomon
  • Get Involved
    • *New* Volunteer Job Positions
    • Volunteer
    • Donate
  • Programs
    • Jiggers Eradication Program
    • Wheelchairs & Critches
    • Sexual Health Teaching
    • Reusable Sanitary Pad Project
    • COVID-19 Food Distribution Project
  • Events
    • CNFA 2022 Online Auction
    • CNFA Wine Fundraiser 2021
    • CNFA 2021 Online Auction
  • Blog
    • Upcoming Missions
    • Past Missions
    • Projects
  • Donate Now
Read more about the article CNFA Wine Fundraiser 2021

CNFA Wine Fundraiser 2021

  • Post author:Canadian Nurses For Africa
  • Post published:November 3, 2021
  • Post category:2021/Blog
  • Post comments:0 Comments

CNFA + Fielding Estate Winery Click here to go to the event page for more information!

Continue ReadingCNFA Wine Fundraiser 2021
Read more about the article *New Project Alert* CNFA’s COVID-19 Food Distribution Program

*New Project Alert* CNFA’s COVID-19 Food Distribution Program

  • Post author:Canadian Nurses For Africa
  • Post published:August 1, 2020
  • Post category:2020/Blog/Uncategorized
  • Post comments:0 Comments

On Monday, June 29th, CNFA launched the COVID-19 Food Distribution Program in our communities around Vihiga. Thank you so much for your donations, and a special shout out to our…

Continue Reading*New Project Alert* CNFA’s COVID-19 Food Distribution Program
Read more about the article Save the Date!

Save the Date!

  • Post author:Canadian Nurses For Africa
  • Post published:October 25, 2019
  • Post category:2019/Blog/Events/Fundraising
  • Post comments:0 Comments

Continue ReadingSave the Date!

Clinic Day 11 – Hamadira – Izava South

  • Post author:Canadian Nurses For Africa
  • Post published:May 10, 2019
  • Post category:2019/Blog
  • Post comments:0 Comments

Our last day! This morning the tables turned and we sang and danced for the people of Kenya before clinic - with our lead singer Harriet. It was a very…

Continue ReadingClinic Day 11 – Hamadira – Izava South

Clinic Day 10 – Homanoywa – Izava North

  • Post author:Canadian Nurses For Africa
  • Post published:May 9, 2019
  • Post category:2019/Blog
  • Post comments:0 Comments

Today we transferred a 60 year old lady with an injured ankle to the hospital.  Marie and Karen dewormed over 300 students at the primary school.  Kenyan nurses Roselyne and…

Continue ReadingClinic Day 10 – Homanoywa – Izava North

Clinic Day 9 – Kedohi – West Maragoli

  • Post author:Canadian Nurses For Africa
  • Post published:May 8, 2019
  • Post category:2019/Blog
  • Post comments:0 Comments

Our clinic today was in the same yard as an elementary school so we had a lot of children running around, we even tried to teach them how to do…

Continue ReadingClinic Day 9 – Kedohi – West Maragoli

Clinic Day 8 – Viyalo – Chavakali

  • Post author:Canadian Nurses For Africa
  • Post published:May 7, 2019
  • Post category:2019/Blog
  • Post comments:0 Comments

Today Laura, Harriet and I went to the school next door to deworm many children from kindergarten to grade 8. We had three of the cutest albino children at the…

Continue ReadingClinic Day 8 – Viyalo – Chavakali

Clinic Day 7 – Chavakali

  • Post author:Canadian Nurses For Africa
  • Post published:May 6, 2019
  • Post category:2019/Blog
  • Post comments:1 Comment

Happy Nurses Week! Here we are doing what we do best - playing cards. After a well deserved day off, it was hard to get up this morning - I…

Continue ReadingClinic Day 7 – Chavakali

“What direction are we going?” “South north”

  • Post author:Canadian Nurses For Africa
  • Post published:May 5, 2019
  • Post category:2019/Blog
  • Post comments:2 Comments

Since it was our day off, we split up into two groups - half of us went to the Kakamega rainforest and the other half to the crying stone and…

Continue Reading“What direction are we going?” “South north”

Clinic Day 6 – Igunga – Chavakali

  • Post author:Canadian Nurses For Africa
  • Post published:May 4, 2019
  • Post category:2019/Blog
  • Post comments:1 Comment

We were dropping like flies today - three members of our dream team had to stay back from clinic because they were sick but at least they had the toilet…

Continue ReadingClinic Day 6 – Igunga – Chavakali

Clinic Day 5 – Kigama – North Maragoli

  • Post author:Canadian Nurses For Africa
  • Post published:May 3, 2019
  • Post category:2019/Blog
  • Post comments:0 Comments

Today’s clinic started off a little slow but by the afternoon we had a huge wave of people come through, as well as another torrential downpour. At one point Jeff…

Continue ReadingClinic Day 5 – Kigama – North Maragoli

Clinic Day 4 – Wangulu – West Maragoli

  • Post author:Canadian Nurses For Africa
  • Post published:May 2, 2019
  • Post category:2019/Blog
  • Post comments:1 Comment

Nancy and Kristen went on a home visit to treat an elderly lady who had a severe case of jiggers. On the way back they got their monthly workout in…

Continue ReadingClinic Day 4 – Wangulu – West Maragoli

Clinic Day 3 – Chavuli Pag Wodanga

  • Post author:Canadian Nurses For Africa
  • Post published:May 1, 2019
  • Post category:2019/Blog
  • Post comments:0 Comments

Today Meaghan, Hilary and Johnstone went to three homes for jiggers treatments where they sprayed down the homes and clothing of the families and soaked their hands and feet in…

Continue ReadingClinic Day 3 – Chavuli Pag Wodanga

Clinic Day 2 – Budaywa – Basali East

  • Post author:Canadian Nurses For Africa
  • Post published:April 30, 2019
  • Post category:2019/Blog
  • Post comments:1 Comment

Laura and I slept in Kenya’s finest waterbeds last night after we left the windows open during dinner and a torrential downpour flooded our room. Today Harriet and Johnstone went…

Continue ReadingClinic Day 2 – Budaywa – Basali East

Clinic Day 1 – Isitsi Salvation Army Izava South

  • Post author:Canadian Nurses For Africa
  • Post published:April 29, 2019
  • Post category:2019/Blog
  • Post comments:1 Comment

We started our day one of clinics in the village of where Solomon greeted us with song and prayer as he does every morning. Marie and Nancy had their first experience…

Continue ReadingClinic Day 1 – Isitsi Salvation Army Izava South

“I’ll have the vegetable curry for dinner – something new and different”

  • Post author:Canadian Nurses For Africa
  • Post published:April 28, 2019
  • Post category:2019/Blog
  • Post comments:1 Comment

Today Karen was off to a good start when she locked herself in her room, unable to find her key and then had no running water to shower or even…

Continue Reading“I’ll have the vegetable curry for dinner – something new and different”

“I was worried about the bus at the Rosa Mystica”

  • Post author:Canadian Nurses For Africa
  • Post published:April 27, 2019
  • Post category:2019/Blog
  • Post comments:3 Comments

Jambo! Well, after 22+ hours of planes, trains and automobiles (thank you gravol courtesy of Nancy and wine courtesy of Lufthansa airlines for making me feel like Annie from bridesmaids…

Continue Reading“I was worried about the bus at the Rosa Mystica”

Final Numbers for 2018 Mission

  • Post author:Canadian Nurses For Africa
  • Post published:May 9, 2018
  • Post category:2018/Blog
  • Post comments:0 Comments

Hey everyone! As promised, here is the final count for the total number of people seen and treated through the 11 days of clinics of the 2018 mission. We saw…

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Last Day of Clinics – Day 11 at Hamadira

  • Post author:Canadian Nurses For Africa
  • Post published:May 5, 2018
  • Post category:2018/Blog
  • Post comments:0 Comments

When the water works hit you like a tonne of bricks. I’m happy to report that I wasn’t the only one crying on the last day of clinics this year.…

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Clinic Day 10 at Homanoywa

  • Post author:Canadian Nurses For Africa
  • Post published:May 3, 2018
  • Post category:2018/Blog
  • Post comments:0 Comments

When I say north you say pole! Solomon started off our morning with a prayer where he thanked his friends from “the North Pole.” We had a good laugh to…

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Clinic Day 9 at Kedohi

  • Post author:Canadian Nurses For Africa
  • Post published:May 3, 2018
  • Post category:2018/Blog
  • Post comments:0 Comments

Today school was back in session and Laura and Krista dewormed 200 kids and went from classroom to classroom at a school and gave Whitfield’s anti-fungal cream to each child.…

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Clinic Day 8 at Viyalo

  • Post author:Canadian Nurses For Africa
  • Post published:May 2, 2018
  • Post category:2018/Blog
  • Post comments:0 Comments

Today Gail went on a home visit to follow up with a lady who had thyroid surgery done last week - she is recovering and doing very well thanks to…

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Clinic Day 7 at Chavakali

  • Post author:Canadian Nurses For Africa
  • Post published:May 1, 2018
  • Post category:2018/Blog
  • Post comments:0 Comments

Ingrid, Johnstone, Victor and Sara went on a home visit to assess an elderly woman named Gladys. She had a stroke 5 years ago and has since become very weak…

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Clinic Day 6 at Igungu

  • Post author:Canadian Nurses For Africa
  • Post published:April 30, 2018
  • Post category:2018/Blog
  • Post comments:0 Comments

As today was Saturday, it was a shorter day for our clinic. We treated a total of 407 people in about 5 hours.              …

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Clinic Day Five at Kigama

  • Post author:Canadian Nurses For Africa
  • Post published:April 28, 2018
  • Post category:2018/Blog
  • Post comments:0 Comments

Our fifth day of clinics at Kigama has been the busiest one so far with a total of 657 people seen. 35 pairs of reading glasses were given, 40 young…

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Clinic Day Four at Wangulu

  • Post author:Canadian Nurses For Africa
  • Post published:April 26, 2018
  • Post category:2018/Blog
  • Post comments:0 Comments

                If you’re asking what this picture is about I’ll tell you. Normally we leave at 7am for clinic but this morning Lynn…

Continue ReadingClinic Day Four at Wangulu

Clinic Day Three at Mudungu

  • Post author:Canadian Nurses For Africa
  • Post published:April 26, 2018
  • Post category:2018/Blog
  • Post comments:0 Comments

Barb and Patti did a home visit with Johnson and treated a family of 5 for jiggers. Jiggers is a type of sand flea here in certain parts of Kenya…

Continue ReadingClinic Day Three at Mudungu

Clinic Day Two at Budaywa – Basali East

  • Post author:Canadian Nurses For Africa
  • Post published:April 24, 2018
  • Post category:2018/Blog
  • Post comments:0 Comments

Lynn, Krista and our Kenyan nurse Sarah gave quite the laugh to 30 young girls while teaching sexual health and handing out reusable sanitary pads.          …

Continue ReadingClinic Day Two at Budaywa – Basali East

Clinic Day One at Itegero – Basali West

  • Post author:Canadian Nurses For Africa
  • Post published:April 24, 2018
  • Post category:2018/Blog
  • Post comments:0 Comments

Day one of clinics started off in true Kenyan time - pole pole (slowly slowly) as they say in Swahili. Because of the upcoming election, it was around 930am by…

Continue ReadingClinic Day One at Itegero – Basali West

Journey to Kisumu – Shaken not Stirred

  • Post author:Canadian Nurses For Africa
  • Post published:April 22, 2018
  • Post category:2018/Blog
  • Post comments:1 Comment

            The roadie to Kisumu started off in luxury - Jeff and Jerry picked us up at the Sheywe in the shiniest matatu we’d ever…

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11 women, 200 suitcases

  • Post author:Canadian Nurses For Africa
  • Post published:April 21, 2018
  • Post category:2018/Blog/Uncategorized
  • Post comments:0 Comments

            Jambo! The day has officially arrived, we’ve touched down in Kenya. All 11 of us and what feels like 1200lbs of supplies that we’re…

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Clinic #11 – Hamadira, May 5/17

  • Post author:Canadian Nurses For Africa
  • Post published:May 7, 2017
  • Post category:2017/Blog/News
  • Post comments:1 Comment

It doesn't seem real to me that the end can already be upon us. I feel like I blinked and this mission was already on its final moments. It was…

Continue ReadingClinic #11 – Hamadira, May 5/17

Clinic #10 – Homanoywa, May 4/17

  • Post author:Canadian Nurses For Africa
  • Post published:May 4, 2017
  • Post category:2017/Blog/News
  • Post comments:3 Comments

May the fourth be with you. I can honestly say I have never felt holier than standing on an alter handing out medications to those in need. That was definitely…

Continue ReadingClinic #10 – Homanoywa, May 4/17

Clinic #9 – Kedohi, May 3/17

  • Post author:Canadian Nurses For Africa
  • Post published:May 3, 2017
  • Post category:2017/Blog/News
  • Post comments:0 Comments

Rocked up to another clinic where the line up of people was so long that it extended off the property of the church we were working out of. To know…

Continue ReadingClinic #9 – Kedohi, May 3/17

Clinic #8 – Viyalo, May 2/17

  • Post author:Canadian Nurses For Africa
  • Post published:May 2, 2017
  • Post category:2017/Blog/News
  • Post comments:2 Comments

Arriving to clinic to see a line of more than 50 people already waiting outside is just a slightly daunting start to the day. However, with the help of Solomon…

Continue ReadingClinic #8 – Viyalo, May 2/17

Clinic #7 – Chavakali, May 1/17

  • Post author:Canadian Nurses For Africa
  • Post published:May 2, 2017
  • Post category:2017/Blog/News
  • Post comments:0 Comments

Solomon had a new rendition of his daily song that included us clapping in excitement for all the different ailments that could possibly affect a person and cause them to…

Continue ReadingClinic #7 – Chavakali, May 1/17

Clinic #6 – Igunga, April 29/17

  • Post author:Canadian Nurses For Africa
  • Post published:April 30, 2017
  • Post category:2017/Blog/News
  • Post comments:2 Comments

April showers, bring May flowers has never been a more appropriate saying than to describe today. When our Kenyan guides talked about there only being two seasons (the wet and…

Continue ReadingClinic #6 – Igunga, April 29/17

Clinic #5 – Kigama, April 28/17

  • Post author:Canadian Nurses For Africa
  • Post published:April 28, 2017
  • Post category:2017/Blog/News
  • Post comments:1 Comment

By the end of this mission, we are going to be almost/sort of/semi-fluent in a few choice words in Swahili. I don't know if our Kenyan nurses are more excited…

Continue ReadingClinic #5 – Kigama, April 28/17

Clinic #4 – Wangulu, April 27/17

  • Post author:Canadian Nurses For Africa
  • Post published:April 28, 2017
  • Post category:2017/Blog/News
  • Post comments:0 Comments

There is nothing quite like having your own personal hype man to generate such an uplifting and positive energy to start off the day. Solomon is truly a rockstar. He…

Continue ReadingClinic #4 – Wangulu, April 27/17

Clinic #3 – Mundungu, April 26/17

  • Post author:Canadian Nurses For Africa
  • Post published:April 26, 2017
  • Post category:2017/Blog/News
  • Post comments:1 Comment

By day 3, we were a well oiled machine, loading the van, setting up and starting with minimal fusses. Everyday started with an introduction to the community leaders, a song…

Continue ReadingClinic #3 – Mundungu, April 26/17

Clinic #2 – Budaywa, April 25/17

  • Post author:Canadian Nurses For Africa
  • Post published:April 26, 2017
  • Post category:2017/Blog/News
  • Post comments:0 Comments

Hello from the other side. It appears that I have survived! Clinic #2 was a mystery to me, but the others gave me the breakdown of the day. To start…

Continue ReadingClinic #2 – Budaywa, April 25/17

Clinic #1 – Inegero, April 24/17

  • Post author:Canadian Nurses For Africa
  • Post published:April 26, 2017
  • Post category:2017/Blog/News
  • Post comments:0 Comments

Unfortunately, some of us were not off to a great start this morning. While I stayed home and puked my guts out, the rest of CNFA was off touching the…

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Kakamega/Kisumu – April 23/17

  • Post author:Canadian Nurses For Africa
  • Post published:April 25, 2017
  • Post category:2017/Blog/News
  • Post comments:0 Comments

Jambo!! Breakfast lead to some very interesting discoveries: 1) if someone offers you something called arrow root, do not accept 2) if you do, be prepared for it to look…

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Nairobi to Kakamega – April 22/17

  • Post author:Canadian Nurses For Africa
  • Post published:April 25, 2017
  • Post category:2017/Blog/News
  • Post comments:0 Comments

  (Sorry guys! Had some technical difficulties getting the blog up and running so be prepared as I play catch up to present time!) Welcome to Nairobi!!! If anything, I…

Continue ReadingNairobi to Kakamega – April 22/17
Read more about the article Sixth Annual Gala

Sixth Annual Gala

  • Post author:Canadian Nurses For Africa
  • Post published:January 19, 2017
  • Post category:2017/Blog/Events
  • Post comments:1 Comment

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Clinic Day Eleven – Hamadira

  • Post author:Canadian Nurses For Africa
  • Post published:May 6, 2016
  • Post category:2016/Blog
  • Post comments:3 Comments

Well, this is it.  It's bittersweet really.  We are tired.  We miss our families.  We look forward to heading home to Canada.  But, every one of us will miss Africa. …

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Clinic Day Ten – Homunoywa

  • Post author:Canadian Nurses For Africa
  • Post published:May 5, 2016
  • Post category:2016/Blog
  • Post comments:0 Comments

Welcome to Homunoywa clinic.  Yes, I had to write that name approximately 500 times.  I'm finally starting to get used to writing consonants and vowels together in unusual combinations.  I…

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Clinic Day 9 – Kedoli

  • Post author:Canadian Nurses For Africa
  • Post published:May 4, 2016
  • Post category:2016/Blog
  • Post comments:1 Comment

Welcome to Kedoli! We set up clinic beside a school, where Lynn taught her class.  Jerry and Nina also went through the school, class by class, and treated ringworm.  I…

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Clinic Day Eight – Viyalo

  • Post author:Canadian Nurses For Africa
  • Post published:May 3, 2016
  • Post category:2016/Blog
  • Post comments:1 Comment

Today in Viyalo, there were 653 people treated at the clinic.  Approximately six wounds and 20 jigger treatments as well as home follow up visits.  During clinic, a woman appeared…

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Clinic Day 7 – Chavakali

  • Post author:Canadian Nurses For Africa
  • Post published:May 2, 2016
  • Post category:2016/Blog
  • Post comments:0 Comments

All in all, there were 589 people attending clinic today.  This does not include glasses.  We NEVER have enough reading glasses for our clinics.  Please consider picking up a few pair of…

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Our Vision:

To support and improve the health of people who live in rural communities of Kenya through short term health care and sustainable health initiatives.

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All members of Canadian Nurses for Africa are volunteers. All funds donated and raised go toward supporting the medical missions and public health programs directly. Our largest expense during each mission is medications. As the jiggers program, deworming program and building latrines are all on going, they require continuous financial support.


Charitable Number: 83508 0904 RR0001

Canadian Nurses For Africa
Old Oakville.
PO Box 52024
338 Lakeshore Road East
Oakville, Ontario
L6J 1N5

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Charitable Number: 83508 0904 RR0001
Copyright 2023 - Canadian Nurses for Africa

Trish Corbett – RN, BN, MSN, GNC

Trish has sat on the CNFA board of directors since 2011 and served as Treasurer from 2013 to 2015. Trish has been a member of five past medical mission, as part of the lead team. Present and past nursing experience includes Geriatrics, Emergency medicine, Intensive Care and Public Health. Trish also serves on the BOD of the Geriatric Nurses Association of Ontario, Hamilton chapter.

Nancy Vandenbergh – MN, NP-PHC

Trained as a Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, Nancy has had a wide and varied nursing career mostly in paediatrics at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. Her experience includes Paediatric Critical Care, Emergency as well as providing care to adult patients with cardiac issues. She provides primary care of patients at a Nurse Practitioner Led Clinic (NPLC) and is Director of Health and Wellness at a summer camp in Ontario.

She has lived overseas, providing humanitarian work in the country of Ghana. Currently she is working at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre as part of the COVID-19 response at the Assessment Centre, working with Infectious Diseases and managing COVID patients at home as well as vaccinating.

Nancy has a Masters in Nursing, is an adjunct lecturer at the University of Toronto Bloomberg School of Nursing and has been a clinical instructor at the university level for many years.

She has a passion for women and children’s health in low income settings and conflict areas. She volunteers at a Refugee Health Centre and also for Global Medic, a global disaster relief organization. She has been to Kenya with the 2019 CNFA Medical Mission.

Meaghan Harris – RN

Meaghan graduated with a BScN in 2011 and is currently pursuing graduate nursing studies. Meaghan has been involved in CNFA since 2018 and has been on the past two medical missions. She has work experience in internal medicine, surgery, surgical oncology, and critical care. Meaghan is excited to have joined the BOD and brings a strong passion for nursing and helping her community.

Margaret Vokes – B.A., M.A.

Thirty+ years of experience helping organizations to set – and achieve – specific goals in international and domestic markets. Specialist in helping organizations to make sound decisions based on research, analysis, due diligence, feasibility studies and strategic partnerships.

Significant professional experience in international development, organizing and leading trade and investment missions to and from various countries and regions of the world.

Currently focused on Volunteer work. In addition to joining to the Board of Canadian Nurses for Africa in 2022, I also serve as a Volunteer Advisor with the Canadian Executive Services Organization (CESO), a non-profit agency funded primarily by the Government of Canada. This involves providing time and energy to advance social and economic change working in partnership with international organizations.

Also focused on work with the Rotary Club of Oakville Trafalgar as a member of the International Service Committee and the Club’s Board of Directors, as well as fundraising initiatives.

Jacinda Mills – Treasurer

Jacinda is one of the newest CNFA board members. Currently, she relishes the challenges in her role as a staff accountant with Henderson Roller Smit Professional Corporation in Oakville. Her skills developed over the past 10 years in public accounting will help CNFA meet its goals and support the organization’s clinical missions to Kenya. She is excited to join the board and is looking forward to the rewards of being one of such a dynamic group of women.

Gail Wolters – RN (ret’d), Founder and Past President of CNFA, Honorary Board Member

Gail worked as a front line hospital nurse in hospitals across Canada, as well as Northern Outpost Nursing in remote communities of Ontario and Manitoba. She worked in many areas including Neurosurgery, Trauma, ICU and the Emergency Department. As well, Gail has volunteered in a variety of capacities with an array of community organizations.

In 2007 Gail became acutely aware of the poverty and lack of health care in Western Kenya. Deeply moved to make a difference, she founded Canadian Nurses for Africa with the intent to provide free medical care to the people of these communities. As Team Leader, Gail has lead ten successful medical missions to Kenya. She also oversees the implementation and monitors the public health programs.

After ten years of development in the Kakamega and Vihiga regions of Kenya, there is a marked improvement in the overall health in these communities, which local people and leaders attribute to the health care provided by Canadian Nurses For Africa. Gail stepped down from the President’s role in 2021 and the board of directors in 2022. She remains a valuable resource to the board of directors and is now an honorary board member.

Patti Harbman – NP-PHC, MN, PhD.

Trained as a primary care and acute care nurse practitioner (NP), Patti has worked in a wide range of nursing roles throughout her career, mostly in acute care and ambulatory care cardiology settings. She also has experience in emergency and walk-in clinic settings.

Patti completed her PhD in Nursing (University of Toronto), where she developed and tested a NP intervention for patients following heart attack. Following her PhD she completed a two-year postdoctoral fellowship with the Canada Research Chair for Health Interventions.

In her most recent position as a Nurse Scientist, in partnership with McMaster University, she developed an innovative approach to improve patient care by teaching healthcare providers how to integrate research and leadership activities into their practices. Currently Patti is taking time off from her academic work to pursue activities such as the CNFA medical mission work in Africa and becoming a competitive dressage rider. Patti is very excited about being a member of the CNFA team and hopes to contribute to the success of future missions.