Brenda Blais

Brenda started her advocacy role when her daughter, Nikki, was left severely disabled and medically complex after birth. With no choice but to navigate the complex healthcare system, Brenda gained a wealth of insight and knowledge to help others in similar circumstances. While juggling the continuous care of her daughter, she became a board-certified patient advocate, and also earned certifications in peer health navigation, caregiver consulting, and life coaching.

Brenda was a founding member of the Family Faculty Program at her local hospital, where she educated health care team members and physicians on patient and family-centered care. She has shared presentations on family-centred care, caregiving, and palliative care on local and national stages. She served on many local advisory committees for government-funded and non-profit organizations. As podcast host of Caring Conversations, she helped families of children with complex needs to share their stories. Brenda received the ‘Caregiver of the Year Award’ in 2019 from Caregiving.com.