Health in French Excellence Award

Thea (she/they) was awarded the Health in French Excellence Award in 2026 for their dedication to promoting and supporting French Language Services in the workplace. Thea encourages their colleagues to participate in French activities, provides a safe and engaging space for French language practice, and advocates for active offer within healthcare spaces. For patients and clients, Thea makes a point of offering assessments and communication in French to those whose first language is French. 

Nicole Lavoie was awarded the Health in French Excellence award in 2024 for her commitment to helping our patients navigate their healthcare in French. Nicole works as an occupational therapist at the Grace Hospital, and as the only French-speaking member of her team, is routinely stepping in to help French-speaking clients access care.

Jérémy Baudet was awarded the Health in French Excellence award in 2024 for his passionate and caring approach to health care and to the French community. Throughout Baudet’s nursing career he has worked with comfort and ease of supporting clients in their preferred language while providing kind and compassionate care. Baudet works as a clinical quality coordinator at Health Links – Info Santé, the flagship program of the Provincial Health Contact Centre. 

Justine Zidona was awarded the Health in French Excellence award in 2024 for her work delivering French health services. Justine has been working for Public Health in Downtown East for over 12 years and delivers services in French to support the Franco-African population. Clients benefit from her being able to teach many community programs and offering clinics directly in French rather than going through an interpreter.

Colette Brodeur was awarded the Health in French Excellence award in 2020 for her dedication and enthusiasm towards French language services. Colette knows what a huge impact offering services in French have on St. Amant’s clients, residents and family members. She never hesitates to interact in French, creating a compassionate, caring and barrier-free environment for everyone.  

Jacqueline Daoudi was awarded the Health in French Excellence award in 2018 for her diligence ensuring that all regional policies were implemented. It is largely thanks to her that the Travel Health clinic offered a fully bilingual service to its clients. In addition, she encouraged all employees to learn French, which was greatly appreciated by her colleagues. 

Joyce Plante was awarded the Health in French Excellence award in 2016 for her dedication to the language. Joyce’s first language is not French, and she was not in a designated bilingual position, but that did not stop her from enthusiastically using her French with her clients.  She often changed her days off to provide extra capacity for French school clinics and to be available for clients who were most comfortable receiving their care in French.