Danika Serafin
NU Leader Award Recipient Profile: Danika Serafin
Danika Serafin is the 2021 recipient of the NU Leader Award, which honours a student member, or member with under five years of nursing experience, who has demonstrated outstanding achievements in BCNU-focused advocacy and activism and who embodies union values.
Danika was nominated during her fourth year of nursing school at UHNBC. She currently works in long-term care and aspires to become an intensive care nurse.
While attending school in Prince George, Danika co-founded an outreach program known as Spare a Pair, in support of marginalized community members. She and a fellow nursing student started the program after they came upon community members outside, barefoot, in -10°C weather. Spare a Pair is 100 percent volunteer run and donation based. The program continues to grow and is focused on the concept of people helping people.
In addition to supporting people in need, this community program is an effective platform for nursing students to increase their communication skills and interactions with some of the most vulnerable community members.
One of Danika’s nominators, Danette Thomsen (BCNU North East region council member), describes Danika: “if Florence Nightingale or Mother Teresa were alive today, I believe they would be working alongside her.”
Congratulations, Danika!