Health

'Help is out there:' mental health fair in Nanaimo focused on youth

NANAIMO - While mental health is a constant struggle for many young people, there were plenty of smiles at a first-of-its-kind gathering in Nanaimo.Youth-a-Palooza drew nearly 30 agencies to the John ...

Alex Rawnsley Oct 20, 2019 Ruby McGillvary was all smiles at the Youth-a-Palooza mental health awareness event at John Barsby Secondary on Saturday, Oct. 19. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

Advocates shedding light on youth homelessness

NANAIMO - Advocates say a fundamental shift in services helping those experiencing homelessness are needed to save the most vulnerable from living on the street. Joey John Patrick Carlson, a member of...

Alex Rawnsley Oct 17, 2019 Groups like the Youth Advisory Council, run by the Nanaimo Aboriginal Centre, is grappling with the overwhelming issue of youth homelessness and advocating for the most vulnerable. (Spencer Sterritt/NanaimoNewsNOW)

Alberta joining class-action lawsuit against opioid manufacturers, distributors

CALGARY - The Alberta government says it's joining a class-action lawsuit to recoup health-care costs related to the opioid crisis. Health Minister Tyler Shandro says there were almost 800 fatal overd...

Oct 15, 2019

Free meal program returning to help Nanaimo's most vulnerable

NANAIMO - A free meal program for Nanaimo's homeless and struggling families has found a new home. Efforts to rebuild Stone Soup are underway on a property behind it's original location near the corne...

Maria Doty Oct 13, 2019 This corner of a yard near the original location of Stone Soup will shortly be used to feed roughly 150 people a night. (Spencer Sterritt/NanaimoNewsNOW)

'I think he saved my life:' Nanaimo transit driver hailed as hero for spotting badly injured man

NANAIMO - The stars aligned for a maintenance worker whose life may have been saved by a Regional District of Nanaimo transit driver.On the afternoon of May 2, 2019 Lin Bayford was 15-feet up a ladder...

Oct 08, 2019 Neil Atleo standing at the scene of where he found Lin Bayford, who had serious injuries after a steep fall from a ladder on May 2, 2019 (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

Community vents frustrations over property crime & addictions issues in Nanaimo

NANAIMO - Local and provincial leaders got an earful from Nanaimo residents tired of escalating crime in the community.More than 200 people crammed the Nanaimo Entertainment Centre Tuesday night to so...

Alex Rawnsley Oct 01, 2019 Nanaimo MLA Sheila Malcolmson was in the line of fire of angry residents at an Oct. 1 meeting in downtown Nanaimo. Social disorder concerns linked to addiction and mental health issues were discussed.

Doctor growth in Canada more than doubles population increase over last 5 years

VICTORIA - The number of doctors in Canada is growing at a rate more than double that of the population, says a report by the Canadian Institute of Health Information. Canada's population increased by...

Sep 26, 2019 (File Photo/The Canadian Press)

Doctor growth in Canada more than doubles population increase over last 5 years

VICTORIA - The number of doctors in Canada is growing at a rate more than double that of the population, says a report by the Canadian Institute of Health Information. Canada's population increased by...

Sep 26, 2019

Nanaimo faces physician squeeze as doctor numbers outpaced by population growth

NANAIMO - It is becoming increasingly harder to find a family doctor in Nanaimo.According to census data, the city saw 7.1 per cent population growth between 2011 and 2016, however the amount of docto...

Alex Rawnsley Sep 24, 2019 Nanaimo faces a continued shortage of doctors that is not matching population growth in the region. No family doctors locally are currently accepting new patients, according to the Nanaimo Division of Family Practice. (Freepik)

Free dance class helping those with developmental challenges

NANAIMO - A new dance class wants to give everyone the chance to break out their best moves. The Adaptive Dance class, run by Serra Stewart at Vibrant Studios, is specifically catered to those with de...

Alex Rawnsley Sep 22, 2019 Serra Stewart leading the Adaptive Dance program on Monday, Sept. 16. (Spencer Sterritt/NanaimoNewsNOW)