Community members from the Drayton Valley region have come together to launch the newest regional chapter of Friends of Medicare.
The organization says this follows a recent town hall hosted by Friends of Medicare in Drayton Valley, where residents voiced their experiences with Alberta’s health care and concerns about local access to care services. Officials say this town hall determined it timely to get involved in advocating to protect and strengthen public health care in the Drayton Valley and surrounding Brazeau County communities.
At their founding meeting earlier this month, FOM officials say members elected an inaugural chapter board, including new Chapter Chair, Dr. Mike Murphy.
FOM says Dr. Murphy brings a wealth of experience in health care, having worked as a family doctor in Drayton Valley and Evansburg for 38 years until his retirement in 2025.
“I have seen many changes for the better and for the worse in our health care system, from local governance to centralized management that takes little or no input from the public or health care providers,” said Murphy. “Sooner or later, we will all require health care services in some form or other. Our new Drayton Valley Chapter of Friends of Medicare aims to support and protect access to these services for everyone in our town and surrounding rural communities.”
FOM says the Drayton Valley Chapter is the latest community to launch a local Friends of Medicare chapter, joining Calgary, Fort McMurray Wood Buffalo, Leduc-Beaumont, Lethbridge, Palliser (Medicine Hat), Red Deer (Central Alberta), and St. Albert-Sturgeon earlier this year.
“The continued expansion of Friends of Medicare’s collective work reflects growing frustrations we continue to hear from Albertans when it comes to our health care: people simply can’t access the health care services they need,” said Chris Gallaway, executive director of Friends of Medicare. “And in Drayton Valley, it’s no different. This community—like so many across Alberta right now—have had enough, and they’re rising to the challenge of advocating for our treasured public health care.”
Friends of Medicare members and supporters in the region are encouraged to join this group of advocates in their work to protect and strengthen public health care in the region and across the province.
“We invite all who are interested to join our chapter to support our efforts that are focused on everyone’s right to equal and timely access to quality health care,” said Murphy. “We have significant work to do to support our local health care services and your support could certainly make the difference in making this happen.”
Friends of Medicare’s Drayton Valley Chapter’s next meeting will be held on Wednesday, June 17 at 7:00 pm at Beehive Support Services Association (5056 50 Avenue).
Comments