Student aids community health in Cumberland County

Anna Bray always thought of medicine in terms of sterile institutional corridors and prescription bottles. But after two formative years shaping local wellness programs, the recent high school graduate views healthcare through a much wider lens.

The Amherst area teen recently crossed the stage at River Hebert District School and is heading to Halifax’s Dalhousie University this fall to pursue a bachelor of science degree. Her ultimate sights are set on medical school or epidemiology (the study of how diseases spread through populations). Anna’s scientific curiosity was sparked years ago while watching documentaries on major health emergencies on other continents.

Looking for a meaningful way to explore health-related volunteer opportunities, she connected with a local volunteer co-ordinator who pointed her in a direction, which led her to join the Springhill, Amherst, Oxford and Region (SOAR) Community Health Board (CHB).  

"Since joining the community health board, I realized that while hospitals and medicine are an important part of health, it isn’t all there is to health,” Anna explains.

Through her CHB work, she helped tackle the broader social determinants of health, including food security, safe housing and active living programs designed to prevent disease before it starts. Originally from Newfoundland and Labrador, she didn't know many people in the area. Anna says the CHB gave her an immediate and welcoming sense of community and showed her just how deeply local residents care about one another.

One of her most rewarding experiences involved engaging directly with residents during a wellness celebration dinner hosted at a local church. Going table-to-table, she learned first-hand about the realities facing everyday people in Cumberland County.

"The more I spoke with them, the more I knew how to potentially help in the future and just more of the realities of what it's like to live in the area," she notes.

Anna praises the CHB for offering a unique dual perspective. The SOAR CHB allowed members to sit in on administrative policy discussions while also rolling up their sleeves to bring community events to life. She credits the CHB co-ordinator with providing exceptional and welcoming mentorship throughout her tenure.

As she prepares to pack her bags for Halifax and embark on a rigorous four-year university journey, Anna hopes to find a way to stay involved with the CHB remotely, attending meetings online to keep her connections alive.

Anna says joining a CHB is an unmatched avenue for personal growth, administrative insight and meaningful local impact. 

Photo of Anna Bray.