A simple idea sparked at a health care conference has evolved into an initiative that has transformed meals and strengthened connections between health care and communities.
A new initiative at Royal Columbian Hospital has brought fresh, local produce directly to patients, starting with blueberries from Kuljit Minhas's family farm. Kuljit Minhas, a respiratory therapist and clinical manager at the hospital, also helps run GKA Family Farm in Abbotsford.
For years, he and his family sold blueberries informally to colleagues through word of mouth. But this summer, the berries made a bigger leap from the farm to the hospital kitchen, and onto patient trays. Thanks to Kuljit's simple idea, Royal Columbian patients enjoyed the benefits of locally grown fruit as part of their meals.
The seeds of this idea were planted by Elaine Chu, a dietitian and former food operations manager at Royal Columbian Hospital. Elaine has long been interested in how health care can support planetary health. While attending a conference, she learned about a farm that supplied produce directly to hospitals, tailoring menus for patients and staff around seasonal harvests.
"For me, it was a lightbulb moment as we are surrounded by farmland here," Elaine recalls. "Why can't we do the same?"
The vision stayed with her, but it was not until a conversation with Kuljit that it took shape. He was already delivering blueberries to staff, and when Elaine asked whether he could provide them for patients, his response was an immediate yes.
As of July, fresh blueberries replaced canned fruit on hospital trays at Royal Columbian Hospital.
“Staff were excited to serve something local. Patients smiled, waste went down, and the berries felt special,” shares Savreet Dhillon, regional manager for food operations at Royal Columbian Hospital and Eagle Ridge Hospital.
The program expanded. Other Fraser Valley farms joined, and eight facilities in Fraser Health offered locally grown blueberries this year, including: Royal Columbian Hospital, Surrey Memorial Hospital, Carelife Fleetwood, Czorny Alzheimer Centre, Chilliwack General Hospital, Mission Memorial Hospital, Abbotsford Regional Hospital and BC Cancer Centre and Heritage Village.
For Kuljit, the journey has come full circle. In his previous role as a respiratory therapist and now as manager of Respiratory Services and the Cardiac Step-Down Unit, he has supported patients through some of their most difficult days. Today, through farming, he can nourish them differently.
“It gives me goosebumps, knowing something we grow on our land helps patients feel cared for,” Kuljit shares. “It is about giving back to the same community where I work and live.” Kuljit’s young daughter often joined him on deliveries, quickly becoming a favourite among staff who affectionately call her the ‘little farmer.’
To make the initiative sustainable, Kuljit reached out to the Royal Columbian Hospital Foundation, with whom he has a strong relationship as a past recipient of their Champions of Philanthropy award. Through in-kind support, the project came to life.
“Kuljit is such a great ambassador for the hospital; we are proud to support this initiative that connects local farming with patient care,” says Jeff Norris, president and CEO, Royal Columbian Hospital Foundation. “Fresh, locally grown food not only nourishes patients but also strengthens the bonds between hospital, community and environment.”
Surrey Hospital Foundation also joined the effort to support the program’s expansion by bringing locally grown blueberries to Surrey Memorial Hospital, Carelife Fleetwood and the Czorny Alzheimer Centre.
