Back in March, we announced a Pharmacist Awareness Month contest where readers could submit a personal story about how their pharmacist has made a difference in their lives. We had plenty of great entries and a winner has been chosen! We can’t share the winners name (for confidentiality reasons) but we do have her story here to share with you plus some of the other stories that our judging panel enjoyed. Congratulations to our lucky winner who was awarded a $500 gift card for Shoppers Drug Mart!
With these stories of dedicated, helpful and attentive pharmacy teams, I’m sure you’ll see why pharmacists play such a big role in keeping our families healthy.
Winning Entry:
My Shoppers Drug Mart pharmacists in the town I lived in were so amazing after I was hit by a drunk driver. I suffered some major internal and organ damage as a result so I was (still am) continuously getting X-rays, blood work, etc. I depend on the many medications I’m on to save my life every day. The pharmacy team always went above and beyond to keep me safe through medication monitoring, always checking pharma care to see results of my tests sometimes before the doctor could review them and if something was off they’d urge me to go make sure to see my doctor. One of the greatest things about each of them is that they truly cared. I suffered a major acquired brain injury and epilepsy was result and driving no longer an option. These ladies would make sure that between them, no matter sun or -40 and storming out, that they would deliver my life saving meds to my door every single week! If I was needing a new prescription they’d call my doctor themselves to get it faxed or call me to go in and get it from doctor and they would pick it up at my house. Last year I had to move to next town over where there was a better hospital and doctors. I missed their weekly smiles new pharmacists just weren’t same until a month ago when my previous pharmacist bought this store out so now I see a friendly face every week – one who knows my health and issues better than me. I’m also friends now with my favourite pharmacist assistant ever!
Other Favourite Stories:
Story One:
I love all the pharmacists at my local store. One time I was in, it was regarding prescription face products for my daughter. Thirteen is a very sensitive age for a young lady. I started to ask questions about product on the shelf we could use to wash residue off in the morning. The store was very busy, and you could tell they were getting overloaded with prescriptions. The pharmacists stepped out from filling prescriptions to come and talk to my daughter. The pharmacist shared a personal story about her daughter being on the same face cream and showed us the soap to use. She talked to my daughter more than myself. Her friendly professional attitude did way more than what she ever could have know. This woman opened up a relationship with child and pharmacist that will last a lifetime. They say first impressions set the tone for relationship that will follow. She did exactly that. My daughter won’t fear the ones in white. She sees them as someone you can talk to, ask questions and receive the help you were looking for.
Story Two:
When I was pregnant and the ER doctor had first tried to prescribe me medication I was allergic too, I caught the error myself so he wrote another prescription for a new antibiotic. The pharmacist refused to fill it because it had not been tested thoroughly and in the testing it did have with pregnant mice, the babies were born with tumors. She contacted the hospital and the hospital called me to apologize for the doctor, his behavior and him writing a dangerous prescription and a new script was given that was safe to take. The pharmacist saved my baby from horrible side effects.
Thank you to the pharmacy teams across Canada who go above & beyond to provide service & care to our families.