​The BC Cancer Excellence Awards provide an opportunity to shine a light on the inspiring people and teams who help ensure that British Columbians receive world-class, patient-centred cancer screening, treatment and support, and benefit from new discoveries that are helping change the face of cancer.

Joanne Lee is a resource radiation therapist at BC Cancer – Victoria. She is the winner of this year's BC Cancer Excellence Award in the category of Unsung Hero, direct patient care.

An Unsung Hero is someone who is always ready to help out, and who demonstrates an ongoing pattern of going above and beyond the scope of their job. This person makes a positive impact on those around them and the organization.

Joanne Lee is recognized by her colleagues as an outstanding leader. Her tireless efforts and compassionate approach have earned her the admiration and respect of her teammates, inspiring all those around her to persevere through adversity and continue delivering exceptional care.

One colleague shared, "Joanne's exceptional leadership and unwavering commitment during the critical staffing shortages have been instrumental in ensuring patients receive timely and effective care, reflecting her dedication to their well-being."

In the face of unprecedented challenges, Joanne demonstrated resilience and resourcefulness, actively participating in the development and execution of a prioritization and triage process to ensure that patients in urgent need of treatment could access the necessary resources promptly. Joanne was also instrumental in establishing a referral system with the Kelowna centre for breast cancer patients.

Joanne's calm demeanour, positive attitude, and relentless commitment to supporting both patients and her fellow team members have made her an invaluable asset to the BC Cancer – Victoria community.

Congratulations Joanne, on being named this year's Unsung Hero, direct patient care.