Meet Christine Holubec-Jackson, volunteer, Covenant Partner program

Christine Holubec-Jackson's life took an unexpected turn on her 49th birthday when a hemorrhagic stroke led to her requiring compassionate care at St. Mary's Hospital, a Covenant Health site in Camrose. Her recovery, assisted by the hospital’s early supported discharge program, ignited a desire to give back.

“I'm still here for a reason, and I think that reason is to use my time to help other people,” Christine says.

Christine’s time at St. Mary’s led her to become involved with the Covenant Partner program’s Patient/Resident Family Advisory Council, for which she has served as co-chair since its inception in 2019. Despite the challenges, including a second, more severe stroke in 2021, she has continued to offer a unique perspective, blending patient insight with a commitment to enhancing healthcare delivery.

“I spent almost two months in the hospital, and it was a very different perspective because I had done two years of work on the council. I could observe the care both through the eyes of being a stroke and brain surgery survivor and from the perspective of what I had learned through my work on the council.” 

Christine Holubec-Jackson and Ben Olson, manager of Covenant Health’s patient and resident experience team, chat at a Covenant Partner event in 2023.

Christine sees incredible value in volunteering. “The more we give, the more we receive,” she says, highlighting the fulfillment that comes from helping others.

Through her work with the Covenant Partner program, Christine contributes to a broader dialogue about patient-centred care, using her experiences to foster a healthcare journey characterized by dignity, compassion and caring. 

“I feel extremely blessed that I am able to speak, and I want to use my experiences as a patient to help other patients, residents and their families have the best healthcare journey despite their medical prognosis,” says Christine.

Christine advises anyone who is considering volunteering with Covenant Health to pursue it. “Volunteering is flexible and can be tailored to your schedule,” she says. Everyone has something valuable to contribute, and Covenant Health provides a nurturing environment where volunteers can thrive.

“We all have the capacity to give and help,” Christine says. “I think it’s our social responsibility to make our world the best possible place to live.”