Ella Rafii

Job Title
CEAN Member (Volunteer)

Department/Location
Community Engagement

How long have you worked at VCH?
I’ve been a CEAN member since March of 2016

Tell us what you do at VCH in one or two sentences:
Members of VCH’s Community Engagement Advisory Network volunteer their time, knowledge and experience to help to provide the patient/public voice in healthcare planning. They also connect VCH to the communities they live and work in.

What’s your favourite thing about your work?
The first and most important aspect of being a member of CEAN is the opportunity it provides to interact with health care providers, VCH Staff, and other volunteers through participation in CEAN Forums, various focus groups, projects and advisory committees. Through such discussions, shared knowledge and experiences, VCH seeks valuable input from members of the public in order to develop and achieve high quality patient-centred care in our communities. Furthermore, encouraging CEAN members to get involved in this way enables members of the public to have a voice in healthcare planning and decision making which in turn will influence the services and policies that affect their health care needs and hence their lives.

Which True North goal does your work contribute to the most?
Promote better health for our communities

One thing we might be surprised to learn about you:
I am a marathon runner. Since 2003, I have completed close to 40 national and international marathons.

Three things you always have in your fridge:
Peanut butter, apples, and cheese.

Who or what inspires you?
Goal-oriented individuals with a positive attitude towards outcomes and strong determination and perseverance.

Most healthy habit:
Running, cycling and gardening, eating lots of vegetables and fruits and no meat, and of course, a good nights sleep of at least 8 hours.

Favourite vacation spot:
Bermuda