How the Dr. Elliot Sampson Professional Development Award Supported Sarah’s Growth

When Sarah Lenarduzzi first learned about the 2025 Dr. Elliot Sampson Professional Development Award through an email from the Foundation, she felt immediately drawn to it. Knowing the scholarship was created in honour of Dr. Elliot Sampson made it especially meaningful. She had worked with him in the Emergency Department and remembered his warmth, his calm bedside manner, and the genuine care he showed to both patients and colleagues. Applying felt like a way to honour someone who had shaped her early experience at the Leduc Community Hospital. 

Being selected as the first-ever recipient was a moment of deep gratitude. The award funded her Trauma Nursing Core Concepts course. This is an essential but expensive step in advancing her emergency nursing skills. With the support of the award, she was able to strengthen her practice and continue growing in her role at LCH Emergency without the financial strain that often accompanies professional development.

“These courses are vital to a nurse’s training,” she explains. “They directly benefit the patients who come to the ER during some of the most challenging moments of their lives.”

Receiving the award also brought moments of reflection. Sarah often thinks about the loss of Dr. Elliot Sampson and the impact it had on the hospital community. As a mother, she feels deeply for his family and the grief they continue to carry. 

“It was a very generous and lovely idea by Dr. Sampson’s family to support this award in his honour,” she says, noting how meaningful it is to see his legacy continue through opportunities that uplift others.

Nursing is a second career for Sarah, inspired by the exceptional care she received during the birth of her daughter, Simone. A nurse who guided her through difficult labour showed her the power of skilled, compassionate support and sparked her desire to provide that same care to others. Today, she brings that commitment to every patient she meets.

For those considering a future in healthcare, Sarah encourages thoughtful reflection. Nursing, she believes, is a calling, one that requires resilience, empathy, and a genuine desire to help others. Dr. Sampson exemplified those qualities, and receiving an award in his name is something she carries with pride and gratitude.

Learn more about the Foundation's Scholarships and Awards.