Dr. Laurie Wadsworth grew up in Moose Jaw, spent her high school years at Central Collegiate, and continued her education at the University of Saskatchewan and University of Manitoba.
Now, after an impressive career in dietetics and nutrition, Wadsworth is being recognized with the highest honor the Dietitians of Canada board could bestow: the Ryley Jeffs Memorial Lecture Award.
The award is named after two founding members of the Dietitians of Canada, Kathleen Jeffs and Violet Ryley, who were pioneers for the profession in its infancy. Recipients are chosen based on three criteria — pioneering, innovation, and visionary — that exemplify the spirit of Ryley and Jeff.
“To receive the award that was named for them, it's a little overwhelming, in a good way. I feel very privileged,” said Wadsworth.
Wadsworth certainly exemplifies these criteria; she was a pioneer with the research methods and practices she used, in a time when hardly any researchers were doing so in her field.
During her time in the public health sector in Saskatchewan, she worked on a number of innovative communication programs, such as workshops for heart health, a monthly cable show in Swift Current, and interactive grocery store tours to help people understand nutrition while they shopped for their food.
And as for being a visionary, Wadsworth worked on various committees and boards within the Dietitians of Canada. She served a year as the Chair of the Board of Directors — during which, federal legislation demanded a rewrite of the organization's bylaws, which Wadsworth took on with an open mind.
“I think that's the way I've tried to address things throughout my career, is that if an opportunity presents itself, it might be scary and it may be irritating because it's not what you planned. . . but as you get into it, just approach it with a positive feel,” said Wadsworth. “You're going to learn from it and to grow from it.”
Wadsworth is pleased and humbled to be this year’s recipient of the award, as she has looked up to both Ryley and Jeffs throughout her career.
“It's kind of surreal. It's really hard to get your head around, that you've really been chosen for this, because it is a prestigious award and there's a very small group of recipients that are around,” said Wadsworth.
Wadsworth has been a professor at St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia for the last 20 years, and she finds it just as rewarding as any other part of her career.
“It's allowed me to be a mentor to hundreds of people that want to move into this profession or some kind of health profession, so that's been really a privilege as well,” said Wadsworth.
Despite having been away from her hometown for so many years, Wadsworth still has a special place in her heart for the Friendly City.
“I've always felt — and I still feel, even though I have lived here [in Nova Scotia] for 21 years — like Moose Jaw is home,” said Wadsworth. “I think it's a really solid place to come from, and we were able to learn an awful lot about life. . . I always think of it quite fondly.”
The Ryley Jeffs Memorial Lecture Award will be presented to Wadsworth on June 7, at the Dietitians of Canada annual conference in Ottawa, ON.
"I'm pleased that folks at home will be able to read about this award and celebrate with me since so many of them supported me along the career journey," she said, in an email with the Moose Jaw Express.
