Noreen, PhD, MSN, MSW, is a retired nursing faculty member with extensive practice experience in community-based programs. She has served as director of two schools of nursing and moved to Victoria to serve as UVic’s School of Nursing Director in 2007.

She brings knowledge of healthcare systems, administration, evaluation research and grant writing. She has a strong commitment to collaborative work. Having worked with the initial patient-oriented research activities in BC, she understands that health services need to be provided so that those being served are the decision makers in all processes. When she was first introduced to VSRA, Noreen saw the organization as one that is deeply committed to those collaborative values.  

She has two family members who have had strokes and learned years ago that stroke recovery can be a long-term process requiring supports that augment what our healthcare system offers.

In her spare time, Noreen enjoys being in two book clubs, playing Irish folk music, sewing, baking bread and participating in various fitness activities. She and her husband have found that Victoria is the best place they have ever lived!    

Lynne Young is a retired nurse who was educated to the PhD level in nursing at UBC. She has served in a variety of roles in nursing: bedside nurse, clinical specialist, educator and researcher.

Health promotion, cardiovascular care, pain care, aging and nursing education have been specific topics of attention in her clinical and academic work.

Lynne’s father had a stroke at age 60 and lived for another 10 years, the first five of which he was at home cared for by his wife, thus Lynne had personal experience with the challenges of stroke survivors and their caregivers.

Lynne has two adult children and four grandchildren, and she leads an active life paddling outrigger canoes, cycling, book clubs, and choir. You might even find her strumming a ukelele!

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Alvin Yanchuk, PhD, Registered Professional Forester, is a stroke survivor. He has been a member of the VSRA for eight years and recently assumed the role of Treasurer for VSRA.

Alvin has worked for the government of British Columbia for over 35 years. He is currently the Team Lead in Forest Genetics Research and an Adjunct Professor in Forest Biology at UVic. Alvin has worked in New Zealand and Rome (with the UN) and travelled to many places in the world where forestry is important. Last year, he was a recipient of the Canadian Institute of Forestry Scientific Achievement Award.

Eight-years ago Alvin suffered a stroke, which affected his ability to read, write (non-fluent aphasia), speak (complete apraxia) and swallow. After years of arduous therapy, he returned to full-time work in 2021. The VSRA has been enormously helpful with his recovery, and he is pleased that he is now able to give back to the VSRA by volunteering as the Treasurer.

Alvin was lucky that paralysis from his stroke was temporary. He is still able to fly-fish for trout in BC, and around the world. Alvin also has a black belt in karate and trains regularly. He enjoys travelling with his wife Elizabeth, single-cask scotch whiskies, abstract art painting, and playing with his grandson. Hopefully more are on the way!

Bill Cox, H.BSc. Geology, Carleton University (1973-77). Bill retired after having worked as a geologist in Calgary for a major oil company, then as a consulting petroleum geologist and lastly as part owner, director and executive of a public junior oil and gas company.

In 1999 and 2000 at the age of 45, Bill had back-to back-strokes that brought his career to a close, the sale of the oil company and LTD. Bill and his wife Janine moved to Victoria in 2008 after five years as snow birds during the winters, at the Royal Scot Suites Hotel (Victoria).

He has enjoyed many years, of co-facilitating workshops for the UVic Center of Aging, Self Management Program, as a docent at the Royal BC Museum and as chair of the current-events discussion meetings by snow birds at the Royal Scot Hotel.

For 17 summers, Bill and Janine travelled east to the Ottawa area where Bill grew up, visiting family and friends, and enjoying cottage life.

Bill joined VSRA soon after moving to Victoria, and has served for over 10 years on the VSRA board, focused primarily on the outreach programs. Bill now enjoys the peer support of the VSRA, the exercise program and the company of other people who understand what it is like to be a stroke survivor or caregiver.

Beyond the VSRA, Bill and Janine have a wide variety of interests. These include visiting Janine’s 99 years young mom, church thrift-shop volunteering, cruise travelling, current-events discussion groups, entertaining, men’s night, poker nights and Zooming with family and friends.