A memorial award in Elizabeth MacDougall-Senft’s name was established honouring her dedication to her nursing career and to the students in the Saskatchewan Collaborative Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program (SCBScN)

June 2024

Elizabeth (Liz) MacDougall-Senft was a longstanding employee at Saskatchewan Polytechnic. Her career began with the institution in 2009. MacDougall was an instructor with the Saskatchewan Collaborative Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program (SCBScN) at the Regina campus.

Liz, originating from Galway, Ireland emigrated to Regina in September of 1981 with her parents and brother. She attended the University of Regina taking various classes and then to Saskatchewan Polytechnic (SIAST as it was known at the time), graduating with a degree in Nursing. She landed a job working at the Mother and Baby Unit at the Regina General Hospital. Liz continued to advance her education attaining a Master’s degree.

In 2009 she moved to teaching at Saskatchewan Polytechnic. Allison Hall, friend and fellow SCBScN instructor says, “Liz had a real way of connecting with students. Students gravitated to her because of her caring and genuine nature. She had a true love for teaching and was wholly invested in the success of her students. She would go above and beyond to make sure they had a positive learning experience. Students were so lucky to learn from her.”  

Liz and her then-boyfriend Brad were married in Maui in the fall of that same year. They eventually had three beautiful daughters.

In October 2016 Liz was diagnosed with a very aggressive breast cancer and started chemo-therapy in conjunction with surgery and radiation. After a brief period in remission, it was discovered in February 2022 that the cancer had spread to her liver and bones.

Never one to give up or give in she underwent an intensive course of treatment during which she suffered many setbacks. Wanting to take her family to visit her birthplace, Liz, together with her husband and family, her brother John and mother Alice, set off on a trip to Galway, Ireland.

Liz’s husband Brad says, “It didn't go as planned, the morning after we arrived Liz had to be admitted to University Hospital in Galway for five days. Being a fighter and never wanting to give up she was able to push through and we were able to enjoy the rest of the trip.”

Liz was also an Irish dancer and accomplished Highland dancer, dancing at Mosaic, and competing in Regina, Alberta, Manitoba, and Scotland winning many medals and trophies. She also swam with the Regina Piranhas Summer Swim Club for several years.

She started a sleep consultant business with a good friend and after her first diagnosis with cancer started her own business (Pickle & Bee) making organic deodorants and soaps.

Liz died on September 19, 2022, at Maui Memorial Hospital, in Hawaii while on a return holiday to where Liz and Brad got married. She passed away peacefully with her family, brother John, and cousin Jack by her side.

A friend and Sask Polytech Academic Chair for the School of Nursing and Health Sciences Loreli Palandri said, “Liz was a warrior in every sense of the word. She was kind, caring, strong, funny, and made an impact on every person she met. We were all devastated when she lost her battle with cancer. She brought about the best in all of us.”

Hall adds, “She was a generous soul who we miss dearly. We miss her smile, her kindness, and her sense of humour, amongst the many amazing qualities she shared with us and with her students. Liz had a real passion for maternal health nursing and spent most of her career caring for babies and their families, including her own.”

The Elizabeth (Liz) MacDougall Memorial Award was established by the faculty in the Nursing programs in 2023 to support students enrolled in the SCBScN program at the Saskatchewan Polytechnic Regina campus who are passionate about a career in maternal health. Since the award’s inception, over $10,000 in donations have been received from 19 donors. The first student award was issued in the 2023-24 fiscal year.

Please consider giving toward this award and sharing the page with your network. It will honour Liz’s memory through support for students who will contribute to maternal health for years to come in our communities.