Monday, September 8, 2025

The Power of Showing Up

Every day, members working in healthcare across the province do so much more than just being there for their shift

By Jennifer Kennedy, Representative

In healthcare, showing up means more than just being present. It means walking into a home where residents rely on you not just for care, but for connection. It means stepping into long shifts—often understaffed—where every moment asks something of your mind, body, and heart.

This work is hard. Let’s not sugarcoat that. It’s physically demanding—lifting, turning, walking, running. It’s emotionally draining—watching suffering, holding grief, keeping your smile when you’re breaking inside. And it’s mentally exhausting—managing meds, tasks, behaviours, and paperwork with precision, even when your brain is tired and your body aches.

And yet, you still show up.

You show up when you’re running on little sleep. You show up when a resident is having a tough day or when you’re working short. You show up for your team, for your residents, and for the values that brought you into this field in the first place.

You show up in ways that most people will never see.

And the truth is, so much of your work might look small to others—making a bed, changing a brief, offering a warm cup of tea—but every one of those acts is an example of showing up. Quietly, consistently, and with heart. That’s where the dignity in this work lives.

As a union representative, my role is to show up for you, to fight for better wages, better staffing, and safe, respectful workplaces. But here’s the truth: you’ve taught me just as much as I’ve ever offered in return.

From you, I’ve learned resilience—the kind that keeps going when others would walk away. I’ve learned compassion—the kind that doesn’t make headlines but makes someone’s day. And I’ve learned what advocacy really means—not just policy or paperwork, but people, real people, doing incredible things, quietly, every day.

You’ve reminded me that dignity in healthcare doesn’t come from titles or systems. It comes from the care you give, the jokes you share, the hands you hold, and the calm you bring to chaos.

So, while my job is to represent you, I also want to thank you for showing me what true commitment looks like. For trusting me with your concerns. For reminding me that even in a system that can feel cold or broken, people like you bring warmth, humanity, and hope.

Let’s keep showing up for each other, and for the work that still needs to be done.

The Power of Showing Up

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