Even the King of England is impressed by Summerlanders John Dorn, Cathie Lauer, and Dr. Susan McIver.

All three – having proven to be invaluable members of the community in their own ways – were presented with a King Charles III Coronation Medal during a ceremony at the Summerland Legion on Tuesday afternoon hosted by MP Dan Albas.

Cathie Lauer

“It really is quite an honour,” Lauer said. “I’m all for the monarchy, I think it’s a good part of who we are.”

One of the most impactful ways in which Lauer makes the South Okanagan a better place is by supporting those with breast cancer.

She’s grateful to be a member of Survivorship, a dragon boating team of fellow breast cancer survivors, and many were in attendance at this week’s ceremony.

Survivorship celebrates its 25th year this coming season and Lauer is one of the five original members still with the crew.

“That’s how Tomorrow’s Hope all began (in 2011),” Lauer said.

What’s Tomorrow’s Hope all about?

It’s a non-profit that’s helped over 800 people in the South Okanagan who have been diagnosed with breast cancer, providing each with personalized kits and emotional support.

“Our goal is that no one faces breast cancer alone,” said Lauer, who’s currently facing her third round of breast cancer. “There’s a lot of information out there, but you really have to search for good information, and that’s what we provide.”

She said it’s been a rewarding albeit challenging endeavour.

“But luckily I worked in a hospital, and was able to garner the support of the hospital and surgeons.”

“What truly sets Cathy apart is her unwavering commitment,” local MLA Amelia Boultbee said to the crowd. “Even while undergoing treatment herself she continues to lead Tomorrow’s Hope with incredible passion and impact.”

John Dorn

The building the ceremony was held in is a much nicer place thanks to the volunteering efforts of Dorn. Legion president John Lawrie joked that Dorn is also known as “Grant” thanks to all the grant funding he’s accessed for the branch.

He’s also dedicated numerous years of service at the local youth centre, thrift store, and Canada Day celebrations.

Thinking about how much time he spent volunteering made him emotional while accepting the award.

“There were many times when I over-volunteered and neglected my home life,” Dorn said. “So I’m sorry for that.”

“When (my wife) Laurinda sees this medal displayed in our china cabinet, I hope that she smiles and remembers that the medal is only there because of her encouragement, support and understanding.”

Dr. Susan McIver

McIver earned her doctorate by studying at the University of California at Riverside before earning her PhD at Washington State University.

She worked as a professor at the University of Toronto, served as department chair at the University of Guelph, and on the boards of international professional societies, grant selection organizations and scientific journals.

In B.C. she worked as a community coroner before authoring two books on patient safety — Medical Nightmares: The Human Face of Errors and, with Robin Wyndham, After the Error: Speaking Out About Patient Safety to Save Lives.

“Her thousands of published articles have helped bridge the gap between academic research and public understanding,” Mayor Doug Holmes told the crowd.

McIver was the author of Inside Agriculture for The Herald from 1998 to 2018 and she also covered Summerland council.

Furthermore, she was instrumental in the making of Agur Lake Camp, the province’s only barrier-free wilderness campground. And she provided leadership to the Women in Crisis Society and the Bessie Dane Hospice Society and Pathways Addiction Resource Centre.

McIver was the president of the Summerland Community Arts Council, where she played a key role in the development of a program for adults with diverse abilities to explore the arts. Currently, she is assisting the Ukraine Nightingale Project which helps Ukrainians displaced by the war to settle in Canada.

“Throughout her career, Dr. McIver has embodied the values of service, innovation and compassion that the King Charles III medal represents,” Holmes said.

McIver was very humble when accepting her award, saying there are many others equally as deserving of the honour.

“Many people helped me along the way and I appreciate that very very much,” she told the crowd.