SPOTLIGHT

Anna Deveaux

An Outstanding Career

By Michelle Jensen, MSW, RSW

It is my great pleasure to shine a spotlight on Anna Deveaux, MSW, RSW. Anna retired in June 2020 after a remarkable 30+ year career as the renal social worker at Cape Breton Regional Hospital. She was awarded the Canadian Association of Nephrology Social Workers (CANSW) Jane Dicks Award in September 2019 in recognition of her significant achievements within the profession of Nephrology social work in Canada. This spotlight is submitted to acknowledge and celebrate Anna’s significant achievements within the profession of social work, and the ways in which she has gone above and beyond throughout her career, including outstanding contributions in the following areas:

• Excellent clinical work in the renal program of the Cape Breton Regional Hospital, Nova Scotia Health Authority, Eastern Zone.

• Exceptional contributions to CANSW through service on the Executive as Atlantic Regional Representative, Conference Presenter, Chair and member of conference planning committees, including fundraising efforts.

• Extensive community work and involvement with the Kidney Foundation, Atlantic branch – volunteer, Kidney Walks, Board member and member of the Patient Services Committee.

Anna personifies the values of social work and the multifaceted role of a nephrology social worker. She is a passionate advocate, a compassionate and creative social worker and a caring, supportive colleague. Anna’s longtime colleague, Dr. Tom Hewlett, Nephrologist, provided this tribute:

“Anna has been a cornerstone of the renal team in Cape Breton for more than 30 years. She has always been a strong advocate for patients and their families. Anna is always prepared to put the extra effort to improve the experience for everyone. She has managed the renal social work portfolio single handedly while balancing other responsibilities. She has always been an advocate for supporting The Kidney Foundation in its role in supporting patient and families, advocacy and research.

From renal program management, peer support, renal rehabilitation and intradialytic cycling, patient picnics, education sessions, kidney walks, kidney transplant workups, intractable transportation issues, education packets for rural clinics, we can always count on Anna to get the job done. With our patients spread out over a large geographic area, Anna has been adept at overcoming the barriers to getting care delivered as close to home as possible.

Anna has a true passion for dealing with advanced care planning and end of life care with compassion and empathy. To say she is irreplaceable is obvious if not a bit disheartening because I don’t know what we are going to do when she retires.”

This captures Anna beautifully – her commitment, compassion, dedication and generosity in her role as the sole nephrology social worker working on Cape Breton Island is extraordinary.

Anna has made significant contributions to kidney patients and the renal program as a whole, throughout Cape Breton Island. I believe it is important for NSCSW members to have an opportunity to recognize the extensive contributions Anna has made throughout her remarkable career, and to congratulate her on her recent retirement.

MICHELLE JENSEN, MSW, RSW is a nephrology social worker with the NSHA, and Past President of the Canadian Association of Nephrology Social Workers.