Meet Dr. Holly Smith
This month, we pay tribute to Dr. Holly Smith, a passionate advocate, a mental healthcare practitioner, and an ever-positive presence in our community. We are always impressed with her ability to persevere through her own health challenges while still finding it within herself to help others. This is Dr. Holly Smith’s story.
Dr. Holly Smith began her journey with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in 2015 while actively working as a registered psychologist in a private practice on Vancouver Island. She was diagnosed by Dr. Yee after a lung biopsy and was subsequently referred to the Vancouver General Hospital Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program. Dr. Smith supported this program by teaching seminars on anticipatory and preparatory grief. At the same time on Vancouver Island, she met another pulmonary fibrosis patient and together they started the Central Vancouver Island Pulmonary Fibrosis Support Group for patients and caregivers.
This group has continued to run for many years and is still going strong to this day with a number of significant changes. Due to Covid, the group could no longer meet at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital. At that time, the Canadian Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation (CPFF) offered a zoom package for our support group. Dr. Smith, initially unaware of CPFF, quickly became involved with their mission. Leadership changes within the support group here on Vancouver Island was the addition of three more members to the leadership team who would continue a lasting legacy as Dr. Smith declined. It also helped share the load with ongoing contacts and monthly zoom meetings and ensured ongoing continuity.
In January 2021, Dr. Smith became a board member of CPFF and joined their Patient and Advocacy committee. CPFF’s vision is “A world free of Pulmonary Fibrosis” and their mission is to improve the lives of Canadians, living with pulmonary fibrosis through support, advocacy, awareness, research funding, and hope. The CPFF logo, an open blue and red fan, symbolizes the movement of air and the oxygenation of blood.
Patient advocacy is a key pillar of CPFF. Recently the Patient Advocacy and Support Committee merged with the Fundraising and Communication committee to form the Fundraising, Advocacy , Communication and Support (FACS) Committee. This expanded mandate addresses the pressing needs of patients and families, struggling with pulmonary fibrosis across Canada.
Dr. Smith is currently on oxygen full-time and is retired from private practice. She stays active supporting the Vancouver Island Pulmonary Fibrosis Support Group for patients and families and her involvement as a board and committee member with CPFF. In 2023 Dr. Smith was diagnosed with a mixed connective tissue disease. Usually the connective tissue disease comes first and then fibrosis follows. This new diagnosis has added complexity to Dr. Smith’s medical situation that at first seemed insurmountable, but with proper supporting guidance from the medical community and Poplar Pulmonary wellness group, she has been able to once again adjust to her new reality.
Not only has she adjusted to her new reality she still stays involved with the Pulmonary wellness exercise group, is an active mother to her two older adult daughters and one wonderful grandson. Dr. Smith lives with her spouse, Duffy Fish, who is an active member of her support team as is her sister, Shannon Bellamy. I am also lucky to have Tim Weger as another member of my support team and he attends every meeting of the Vancouver Island PF group. Another good friend Donna Brown and Skyelar Brown are also on her support team. Donna is a fellow therapist and can offer a good listening ear when needed and Skyelar is a great cook. Skyelar offers home cooked meals that we can freeze to help out when Duffy is too tired to cook. Duffy has her own battle with Charcot Marie Tooth’s disease (CMT).
In Dr. Smith’s spare time she is actively involved with AVIVA choir (2SLGBTQI+) singing and sitting on the board. Dr. Smith has quite a musical background having grown up with a family that played many musical instruments and sang. From the very beginning of the diagnosis of this disease, she has continued playing her flute at times and singing to maintain her lung function for as long as possible.
Dr. Smith and her partner Duffy Fish live on an acreage close to Ladysmith. They have horses, gardens, birds and dogs. Her partner, Duffy, does a lot of the work on the property and has maintained their Canadian horses and Dr. Smith’s very small equine, often referred to as a miniature horse. This little guy is called Georgie and keeps Dr. Smith involved in the driving world (as in horse and carriage driving popularized by Prince Philip). Dr. Smith had a metal basket welded onto the back of her carriage and subsequently was able to put her portable concentrator on the back and continued being involved in events. She is lucky to have as an instructor for her driving Fonda Munroe, whose father passed away from pulmonary fibrosis. Therefore, Ms. Monroe has a unique understanding of Dr. Smith’s oxygen needs and subsequent connective tissue disease affecting her hands.
Dr. Smith is currently involved with virtual palliative care. This program has been very supportive and helpful in the last year or so as Dr. Smith continues to push through the challenges she is facing with her health.
We are proud to know Dr. Smith and we value her positive outlook, cheerful smile, and open, honest nature. She has an ability to ask the questions that matter most and the perseverance to find answers and make a difference, not only for herself, but for others.
If you would like to help support the Canadian Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation, we encourage you to visit their website.