Premier John Horgan issued the following statement on the death of Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada and head of the Commonwealth who died on Thursday at the age of 96 in her Scottish residence, Balmoral Castle along side several members of the Royal Family: “British Columbians are deeply saddened by the passing of Queen Elizabeth II. The Queen will be remembered for her
Law is one of 50 healthcare workers across Canada who have died of COVID-19, according to the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions. To date, more than 7,200 BC healthcare staff have become sick with the virus according to BC Centre for Disease Control data.
On Monday, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry confirmed Law was the first nurse health officials know of who died of COVID-19.
“It is a tragedy. It is something that affects all of us in the healthcare system when one of our own passes away.”
Law started her career at Shaughnessy Hospital and later worked for many years at Peace Arch Hospital in White Rock. Her father was a physician, and her family said his career influenced Law’s choice to work in healthcare.
VANCOUVER For the first time in British Columbia, COVID-19 has taken the life of a nurse. Diana Law died on April 14, following a lengthy battle with the virus. Law, 57, was a patient care coordinator at Peace Arch Hospital in White Rock. Prior to that, she worked at the former Shaughnessy Hospital in Vancouver. Law started feeling sick last Christmas. Her family thought it may have been a side effect of medication she took regularly for a kidney transplant she had eight years ago. Then, on New Year’s Eve, Law was admitted to Vancouver General Hospital. Her blood pressure and oxygen levels were low, and she tested positive for COVID-19.
Kidney transplant recipient
Culshaw said his wife was inspired by her father John, a physician who she helped as a teenager. She was smart. She should have been a doctor, really, Culshaw said.
He is convinced his wife was exposed to COVID-19 at work.
Law had not been vaccinated at the time she became ill. He said his wife had a kidney transplant in 2013 and also had diabetes, so she was immuno-compromised.
She took anti-rejection drugs as a result of the transplant, and at the time directives were not clear about whether the COVID-19 vaccine was safe for transplant recipients. Health officials have since advised that the vaccines are safe for transplant recipients.