Vancouver Sister of Charity named to Order of Canada

By Laureen McMahon

Sister Margaret Vickers, a Sister of Charity of the Immaculate Conception in Vancouver and a long-time health-care administrator, was officially named a member of the Order of Canada Dec. 28.

Reached for a comment on New Year's Eve, Sister Vickers said she was shocked to learn of the honour, which is being conferred for her distinguished leadership in Canadian health care.

"I couldn't speak when I was notified, because it's something of which I could never have dreamed. All I can say is that everyone with whom I ever journeyed has a part in this honour, and I receive it humbly."

Sister Vickers came permanently to Vancouver in 1998. She works with the staff of Brock Fahrni Pavilion as mission facilitator and serves on the Providence Health Care Board of Directors.

She expects to travel to Ottawa late next year for the Order of Canada ceremonies with Canada's Governor General.

A Sister of Charity of the Immaculate Conception for 52 years, Sister Vickers, who trained as a nurse administrator, said she owes a debt of gratitude to her family, friends, co-workers, and her religious community for their co-operation, support, and prayers.

Originally from Miramichi in northeastern New Brunswick, Sister Vickers was one of 13 children; two of her sisters also joined the Sisters of Charity.

Served at St. Vincent's Hospital

She graduated from St. Martha's Hospital School of Nursing in Antigonish, N.S., and nursed in New Brunswick, Ontario, Michigan, and California. She joined the Sisters of Charity congregation in 1955 and later earned bachelor of nursing and master of health administration degrees in Ottawa.

She served in three hospitals operated by the order and from 1972 to 1994 was administrator of St. Joseph's Hospital in Saint John.

Sister Vickers has served at St. Vincent's Hospital in Vancouver and at Holy Family Hospital in Prince Albert, Sask.

In 1986 she received an honorary doctor of laws degree from the Saint John campus of the University of New Brunswick. In May of last year she and Sister Charlotte Vickers received performance citation awards from the Catholic Health Association of Canada, the highest distinction in Catholic health care in Canada.

As well as playing a leadership role in health care, Sister Vickers was on the leadership team of her religious community from 1998-2002 and served as president of the Sisters Association of the Vancouver Archdiocese for four years.

The Sisters of Charity of the Immaculate Conception, founded in 1854 in Saint John, have spread to Nova Scotia, western and northern Canada, and Peru.

Congregation leader Sister Sandra Barrett lauded Sister Vickers for dedicating her life "to the service of others in the health-care field. With all the Sisters of Charity, I join with others in offering her my sincere congratulations."