Dear Northumberland Community,
As we step into the vibrant season of spring, I’m excited to share with you all the wonderful developments and initiatives happening at the Community Health Centres of Northumberland. This season represents growth, renewal, and hope – values that resonate deeply with our mission to enhance the health and well-being of our community.
Reflecting on Our Journey:
It’s hard to believe that we’re already well into another year. Reflecting on 2024, I’m proud of the strides we’ve made in providing accessible, quality care to so many members of our community. Through your support and trust, we continue to expand our services, reach more individuals, and create partnerships that strengthen our collective health.
Our team continues to be committed to offering comprehensive primary care, mental health services, and specialized care tailored to the needs of our community. As always, we will continue to focus on supporting our clients with prevention and education programs, such as our “Pre-Diabetes Workshop”, “Falls Prevention” and “Powerful Tools for Caregivers”. We are also continuing our social gatherings and Community Lunches because of how much we value community connectivity.
What’s New This Spring:
As we embrace this season of growth, I’m thrilled to share that several initiatives and programs designed with your well-being in mind have returned to our roster of programing. We are once again partnering with the Brain Injury Association of Peterborough Region to offer a drop-in support group where participants can share stories, learn about acquired brain injuries, symptoms, challenges and coping strategies.
In addition, we are looking to restart our “Dancing with Parkinson’s” series again, in collaboration with Dancing with Parkinson’s Canada, which aims to bring people living with Parkinson’s disease, and seniors out of isolation where they can dance and connect with others.
Looking Back, and Looking Ahead:
I would be remiss in not drawing attention to the two significant and simultaneous retirements. Nurse Practitioner Lydia Rybenko, and Dr. Nayla Zalzal have been with the Community Health Centres of Northumberland since (almost) day one. I have had the pleasure of working with both of these fantastic clinicians for over 15 years and can attest to their invaluable contributions to our community, and to our teams. Both Lydia and Nayla have cared for thousands of individuals over their long and successful careers, they are relied upon, trusted, and very much respected by everyone who knows them. They will each be missed by their clients, and their colleagues, and both will leave lasting impressions upon the CHCN, as they move on to the next chapter of life – retirement.
On behalf of everyone at the CHCN, the Board of Directors, clients, volunteers, and your colleagues, Lydia and Nayla, we wish you all the happiness you deserve!
While we will miss two of our ‘originals’ very much, I am pleased to share that we are also welcoming Nurse Practitioner Tanis Twiddy to our Primary Care team, and Dr. Emma Tedford, who will be moving into the vacancies from our two retirements. These two primary care providers will be a wonderful addition to the CHCN team, and our community!
A Community That Cares:
None of our programming, or our ability to recruit new team members, would be possible without the collective spirit of this community. Your support, your stories, and your resilience inspire us every day to do better. Whether through volunteering, sharing your feedback, or simply living out the values of health and kindness, you are all integral to the success of the Community Health Centres of Northumberland.
This spring, let’s celebrate the strength of our community, the joy of good health, and the opportunities ahead. Together, we will continue to grow stronger, healthier, and more connected than ever.
Wishing you all a vibrant, healthy, and joyful spring season!
Warm regards,
Taryn Rennicks
Executive Director
Community Health Centres of Northumberland
