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Cindy E. Harnett

Cindy E. Harnett

Cindy Harnett is a Times Colonist reporter focused on health.

Cindy is originally from Toronto, where she attended York University and Ryerson University before taking her first newspaper job in northern Ontario, where she learned about forestry, wildlife, block heaters, and snowstorms in May. She has worked as a reporter in Quesnel and a managing editor at Black Press, and has contributed to publications including Maclean’s magazine.

In 2008, Cindy and her Times Colonist colleagues picked up a Jack Webster Best News Reporting of the Year award for coverage of the 2007 Lee family murder-suicide, which highlighted gross inadequacies in domestic violence and child protection services and police co-ordination.

Over the years, Cindy has gravitated to issues of justice, including the 1997 swarming and murder of teenager Reena Virk, the 2012 botched firing of eight B.C. Health Ministry researchers during which one committed suicide, the 2018 toxic drug poisoning death of Elliot Eurchuk, and the 2019 William Head jailbreak that saw two prisoners charged with murder.

Email
ceharnett@timescolonist.com

Recent Work by Cindy E.

B.C. has longest walk-in clinic wait times in Canada

B.C. has longest walk-in clinic wait times in Canada

The average wait time in Victoria was 107 minutes, or one hour and 47 minutes.
More doctors practising family medicine in B.C., seen as significant change

More doctors practising family medicine in B.C., seen as significant change

Of the 708 additional doctors in family practice in B.C., 179 — or more than 25 per cent — are practising on Vancouver Island.
Cowichan teen, missing in woods for five days, found safe

Cowichan teen, missing in woods for five days, found safe

The 19-year-old’s family believes he was unconscious for a large amount of the time between when his vehicle crashed on Wednesday and Sunday, when he was found.
Victoria clinical trial to use AI to reduce prostate-cancer radiation treatments

Victoria clinical trial to use AI to reduce prostate-cancer radiation treatments

The goal is to reduce prostate cancer radiation therapy to just two sessions from five, reducing side-effects and wait times
Nanaimo man, 54, with prostate cancer aims to raise awareness

Nanaimo man, 54, with prostate cancer aims to raise awareness

Prostate cancer is easy to treat if caught early, says Don Helgeson, but many men don’t know enough about PSA tests
Thousands still waiting to find a doctor through B.C. registry

Thousands still waiting to find a doctor through B.C. registry

Health Minister Adrian Dix says 60,000 people have been connected to a family doctor through the Health Connect Registry, while 220,000 continue to await placement
Safer supply too weak for most street-drug users, says Island Health doctor

Safer supply too weak for most street-drug users, says Island Health doctor

Dr. Randal Mason, regional medical director for Island Health’s Addiction Medicine and Substance Use program, says expanding to stronger drugs like heroin could have practical benefits
Private-college operator worries crackdown on bad actors is affecting good ones

Private-college operator worries crackdown on bad actors is affecting good ones

For those in good standing, there is already rigorous screening, annual audits, student-attendance tracking and more, says Pacific Rim College president
Private MRI clinic unable to open at Hillside mall after accreditation denied

Private MRI clinic unable to open at Hillside mall after accreditation denied

Extremity MRI had planned to open in the spring or summer of last year, providing scans of extremities such as knees, ankles, feet, hands, wrists, forearms and elbows
Record number of hospitalizations as COVID and flu season peaks

Record number of hospitalizations as COVID and flu season peaks

Health Minister Adrian Dix and provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said cases of Influenza A and RSV have been “steadily increasing over the last few weeks”
More work by Cindy E. >