Sarnia-Lambton's MP is being honoured on the national stage for her work in palliative care.
Marilyn Gladu received the 2019 Honourable Sharon Carstairs, P.C. Award of Excellence in Advocacy for her work surrounding the assent of Bill C-277, An Act Providing for the Development of Framework on Palliative Care in Canada.
2019 Honourable Sharon Carstairs, P.C. Award of Excellence in Advocacy
Gladu said the award is a true honour.
"This is something that was presented to me by the Quality End-of-Life Care Coalition, which is an organization of about 34 different organizations involved in hospice and palliative care across the country," said Gladu. "So it's national recognition for my work, and I'm glad that Canadians are the ones benefiting."
Gladu first tabled a Private Members Bill in May 2016 to develop a national framework for palliative care in Canada. Bill C-277 received Royal Assent in December 2017.
Gladu said it's an exciting time for palliative care in Canada, and said the country is moving in the right direction.
"The government has begun to fund training of different kinds of caregivers, including paramedics, nurses, doctors, for palliative care training, which will increase the resources to give palliative care," said Gladu. "They are now looking at plans of how they are going to increase the number of hospices, broadband internet to access virtual palliative care, so I expect to see more funds flowing as the plans develop."
Gladu is the seventh recipient of the P.C. Award of Excellence in Advocacy since it was first awarded in 2013.