Kaban claims Health Hero award
Dr. Glenda Kaban has never considered herself a hero. She is just one of the many front-line Saskatchewan physicians fighting the good fight against COVID-19.
For the past two decades Dr. Kaban has seen it all: trauma calls, broken bones, scrapes, cuts and other acute cases as an emergency room physician in Regina. She was there when COVID-19 hit this province and started a worldwide pandemic, and she has been working tirelessly alongside many of her health care colleagues keeping people safe and showing leadership.
That is one of the many reasons why Dr. Kaban was chosen as the Health Hero as part of the YWCA’s (Regina) Women of Distinction Awards.
Dr. Kaban, born and raised in Melfort knows of the commitment and sacrifice it takes to help lead a team of front line health care workers through a complicated and enduring pandemic.
“I remember talking to my family, siblings and my parents when all of this started last March,” she recalled. “It was surreal and in many ways scary. We didn’t know what we were up against nor how to fight this virus. All we knew at that time was to how to prevent it, which meant a lot of sacrifices for many people.”
Fight the virus they did. Dr. Kaban is a co-lead for the Department of Emergency Medicine in Regina and took on the additional role of the COVID-19 Pandemic Lead for the same unit. Dr. Kaban was nominated for this award by her peers because of her efforts to step up and that she had the ability to use her expertise, experience, and leadership to guide the Emergency Team through this pandemic.
“One of the things that crossed my mind at the time was, not to panic, but instead use solution-based thinking and planning as to how I could help lead the team through this extremely challenging situation.”
In short order, Dr. Kaban developed new, best practices for the team and helped develop an “airway kit” for airway management that kept (and still keeps) emergency room staff and patients safe – a development that became provincial protocol.
Above all else, Dr. Kaban continues to have exceptional bedside manners by staying humble, compassionate and caring for those she deals with on a daily basis.
As her nomination stated:
“Glenda has offered compassion, care, empathy, and support to not only her fellow physicians and everyone working in emergency, but to her patients too. In short, Glenda’s fearless leadership has led the emergency medicine team in Regina through uncertain times with grace, confidence, and care.”
The SHA wishes Dr. Kaban a heart-felt congratulations on winning this prestigious award, along with the many other health care workers who have gone above and beyond through the pandemic. Their commitment and leadership are second to none and in the eyes of many are truly seen as health care heroes.