Message from the Executive Health Director :

Gitxsan Health Society Newsletter
Serving Kispiox Glen Vowell and Gitanmaax
www.gitxsanhealth.com
September 2011 Issue
Welcome! Hello from the Gitxsan Health Society
Board and Staff. We are very happy to provide you with
this newsletter to update you on some of the work we
have been doing here at the Gitxsan Health Society .
Message from the Executive Health Director :
Gitxsan Health Society has been very busy building new programs, promoting
wellness, building staff’s skills, and partnering with the Province and the Health
Authority. Partnership and collaboration are key as we move forward to
improve health outcomes for you.
One of our greatest strengths is our staff. We have a dedicated Team that
works hard and I applaud each and every Staff member for their valuable contributions to our Health Team. It seems we never have enough staff or financial
resources to meet all the needs of the communities; therefore we do our
strategic planning to maximize the resources that we do have. Our Programs
and Services are evaluated every five years. Between now and the end of the
year, we will once again be doing Evaluation. Be sure to get a copy of Gitxsan
Health Society’s Annual Report. It will be available at our AGM on September
15th at the Kispiox Hall. Our Annual Report was submitted to Health Canada in August according to our Contribution Agreement. Our Annual Report is
clearly laid out with descriptions of health programs and highlights all our activities during the year.
I would like to share with you all that my husband and I have decided it is time
to re-locate back to the lower mainland so that we can once again be close to
our children and grandchildren. I have resigned my position as Executive Health
Director for Gitxsan Health Society effective October 7, 2011. I have learned
and grown so much while I’ve been with GHS. I started as Executive Assistant,
then went into the Parent-Child Assistance Program as Coordinator, and finally
into the Executive Health Director position. I am honoured to have had this
time working for my people. I will miss you and you will never be far from my
thoughts. I’ll be home for visits, and I will still be working in First Nations
health, so I’ll continue to work for better health outcomes for Gitxsan.
In health and in friendship,
Hertha Holland
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Contents
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Message from the
Executive Health
Director page 1
Board News page 2
Program News
page 2—6
Health Tip!
Page 7
Program News
page 8— 11
Upcoming Events
page 12
List of GHS Board
Members
page 10
Contact Info page 10
All posters were designed by our
youth at our Youth Gathering, 2011
Page 2
Gitxsan Health Society Newsletter
Gitxsan Health Society Board News. . .
The Board meets monthly to guide, monitor and direct the health services of the Gitxsan
Health Society.
They attended a GHS
Strategic Planning Session with the
Gitanmaax, Kispiox and Sik-e-dakh Band Administrators, and GHS Management Staff
in June 2011 to update our Vision, Values and Mission statements and develop strategic
goals. The Staff had a Planning Session in July 2011 where they incorporated the goals
and objectives from the Board’s Strategic Planning Session into their work plans for
2011/2012.
The Board also attended local, regional and provincial meetings with the
First Nations Health Council, Northern Health Authority, Health Canada and other
health agencies to represent the needs of the people they represent.
We, the Board of Directors and Staff of Gitxsan Health Society want to wish Hertha Holland all the best in her new position with the First
Nations Health Council. Your dedication, knowledge and trustworthiness have provided our organization an excellent
working
relationship with governments, organizations and stakeholders and they all
spoke so highly of you. Thank you for all your years of dedication and service.
The Gitxsan Nation will miss you but we don’t believe in standing in the way of progress
so go with our prayers and good wishes.
HIV/AIDS Program
The HIV/AIDS program provides HIV/AIDS
prevention and related health services to GHS
service area communities. The overall goal of this
program is to work in
partnership with First
Nations and Inuit communities to prevent HIV/
AIDS transmission and to support the care of
those impacted by HIV and AIDS. The five
program elements currently in place are collaboration, knowledge development and dissemination, program design and
implementation,
prevention education and capacity building. The
HIV/AIDS program will be coordinated by the GHS
Nursing staff as Bev Busby, the HIV/AIDS
Educator, is now working with the Upper Skeena Development Centre. We wish her well in her new
job! Thank you for doing an awesome job Bev
and for your years of service with GHS!
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Gitxsan Health Society Newsletter
Parent Child Assistance Program (PCAP)/ Maternal Child Health
Program (MCH):
Our PCAP and MCH staff consists of Shelley Johnson, Wellness
Coordinator and 4 mentors: Valerie Rubinato, Pansy Wright-Simms, Lorraine Half and Lorraine Moore. The long term goal of the MCH and PCAP
programs are to support pregnant Gitxsan women and families with infants
and young children ages 0 to 6 years of age, who live on reserve, to reach
their fullest developmental and lifetime potential. The program is built on the
principles of health promotion and disease/injury prevention, early interventions and integration/coordination of services. While services are provided
to pregnant women and families with infants and young children, it is also provided to families living with complex issues in their lives and /or children who have special needs.
H ome visits provide information to families with young children and to pregnant women. We will show families how to get
support from other community resources. The Mentors will work with you to assess your need for services,
develop a service plan with you, make sure you get the services you need, and set up and get you to appointments. The Mentors can be there for you to give you practical help and information on child development. If you have any questions about our program, feel free to drop by our office at 2215 Cottonwood
Drive in Gitanmaax or give us a call at 250 842-2319.
Some of the services we offered include:
 Case management
 Attend interagency meetings in each of the three communities
 Links and referrals to nurses, doctors, child development services, dietitian, social workers, MCFD, and
the 3 band’s family support workers, audiologist,
and mental health professionals.
GHS Administration Staff
 Rides to some local appointments
 Ages and stages screening for children at 60
The GHS Administration Staff are invaluable as
months.
they provide all our programs with their
 Home visits
administrative support!
 Food Skills for families
 Honoring our Babies
Hertha Holland, Executive Health Director
 Monthly lunches nurse led topics
 Family dances
Jennifer Sampare: Executive Assistant
 Family fun nights
 Baby Fairs
Nancy Pierre: Finance
 FASD Day dinner and
dances
April Green, Gitanmaax Receptionist
 Hosted Prenatal Day in
Gitanmaax
Keith Wale: Sik-e-dakh Receptionisht/e-SRDT
 Provided age appropriClerk
ate car seats to all families ages 0—6
Corrine Wale: Kispiox Receptionist
 Christmas luncheons
 Mother goose story and rhyme.
Dan Matthews: Janitor/Maintenance
June Starr: Janitor/Maintenance
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Gitxsan Health Society Newsletter
FAST Program
The First Nation Action & Support Team
(FAST) is a suicide awareness and prevention
project administered by Gitxsan Health Society to
service the communities of Kispiox, Sik-e-dakh,
Gitanmaax, Gitsegukla, Gitwangak,
Gitanyow,
Hagwilget, Moricetown, Kitsumkalum, Kitselas,
and Gitxaala.
Julie Morrison is the FAST Coordinator. She
works out of the Gitxsan Health Society’s main
office in Hazelton.
As the Coordinator, she
travels to the 11 participating communities on an
“as needed” basis to conduct or provide support
with debriefings, and to the community when there
has been a suicide
completion.
Julie, Roy
Guerra Mella and Shirley Huson travelled to
Gitxaala in April to debrief First Responders, frontline workers, students and family members after a
suicide completion. They also held a “Building
Self Esteem” workshop there for the youth.
The goal of the program is to develop, implement
and
establish a trained team comprised of
members from each of the 11 communities who
will commit to mobilize in the time of a community
crisis, specifically but not limited to suicide, and
suicide related issues. Julie met with the FAST
Team members from the 11 communities to
discuss needs and concerns of their communities.
The Team has been trained in “Life Stress
Reduction and Traumatic Incident
Reduction”
training.
Ron Mitchell, Robin McLean, Marilyn
Wright, Hanna Forsythe, Lawrence Azak, Lorretta
Morgan, Charity
Morgan and Julie attended
training in “Applied Suicide Intervention Skills
Training”. This will be very helpful when talking to
someone who is feeling suicidal. Through the
Pain” workshops were held in Gitanyow in June.
Other communities to follow.
A “Building Self
Esteem“ workshop was held in Kitsumkalum as
well.
The Canoe Journey Life Skills program and the
Youth Leadership & Peer Mentoriing program are
under the umbrella of the FAST Program. We
incorporated suicide prevention workshops in the
Youth
Gatherings in Gitanmaax, Gitwangak,
Moricetown and Kitsumkalum during the summer.
Check out our facebook page to find out about our
Canoe Journey Life Skills Program, FAST program
and Youth Leadership & Peer Mentoring program.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Gitxsan-HealthYouth-Programs-FAST-Canoe-and-Peer/
Our Vision
“A healthy, unified Gitxsan Nation Walking on the breath of our Grandmothers & Grandfathers.”
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Gitxsan Health Society Newsletter
Northwest Community
Engagement Hub (NWCEH)
Verna Howard, Community
Health Planner (CHP) for the
Northwest Community Engagement Hub services Kispiox,
Sik-e-dakh, Gitanmaax,
Gitanyow, Gitsegukla, Gitwangak, Hagwilget, and
Moricetown. The role of the
Hub with its member communities is to support Communication, Collaboration and Planning to help close the health
gaps that exist for our First Nation people in relation to that of
mainstream society. The
NWCEH works to hear the
vance what works best for our Francine Lawlor, CHP
people with regard to the health Assistant, who is the newest
programs and services availa- member of the NWCEH staff.
ble to them in their community.
The CHP has been busy with
the start-up and development of
the NWCEH. Verna has
facilitated Information Sharing and
Gathering Sessions with the
Community Leaders from the
8 member
communities to
help keep them informed. They
were presented with information
regarding the up-coming health
transfer process which has come
about as a direct result of the
Transformative Change Accord:
Tripartite First Nations Health
Plan.
Visit the Northwest Community
Engagement Hub @
www.northwesthealthhub.
com, and keep an eye out for
our Quarterly Newsletter. The
website lists upcoming
community health activities and
any planned events that are
health related. It also has links
to many health related
resources to provide you with
knowledge and access to
health and wellness services,
activities and information.
Please feel free to stop by to
share your thoughts and/or any
The NWCEH is funded by the
concerns with regard to the
First Nation Health Council.
Gitxsan Health Society acts as Community, Provincial and Federal health services that affect
the host agency for the
NWCEH. The NWCEH office is you with your health journey.
voice of the ‘grass roots’ people situated at the Gitxsan Health
with regard to their health con- Society administrative office in .
Hazelton. The work of the
cerns and also works to adNWCEH is further supported by
Canoe/Life
Program:
Journey
Ross McRae was
hired as the
Community Life
Skills Facilitator for the program.
He works out of the GHS main
administration office.
The
program was set up through the
FAST program to help Kispiox,
Sik-e-dakh,
Gitanmaax,
Gitsequkla,
Gitwangak,
Gitanyow, Hagwilget, Moricetown,
Kitselas,
Gitxaala,
and
Kitsumkalum implement a Canoe
Journey life skills program for
youth ages 12-17 and 17 & up.
Frontline workers and
Elders
from each of the communities
were recruited to take part in a
four
day
Canoe
Journey
Facilitator’s training session to
facilitate the workshops for each
of the two age groups.
The
program was geared to strengthen the youth and adults emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and
physically by providing them with
the opportunity to develop skills
that would help them make positive choices in their lives while
avoiding the hazards of alcohol,
tobacco and other drugs.
We
had 5 Elders, 7 youth and 10
frontline workers attend the train5
ing sessions from Gitanmaax,
Kispiox, Gitsegukla, Gitwangak,
Gitanyow, Kitselas, Kitsumkalum,
and Gitxaala.
Altogether 123
youth successfully completed the
workshops from those communities. Plans are to have June La
Marr, the creator of the Canoe
Journey program to do a “Train
the Trainers” workshop for Facilitators of the
program. We
will be offering more life skills
workshops to the youth from all
of the above
mentioned communities. Keep an eye out for
postings on upcoming workshops!
Gitxsan Health Society Newsletter
The GHS Mental Health & Addictions Team:
The GHS Mental Health & Addictions Team members include
Roy W Guerra Mella, Mental Health Coordinator, Gloria Stevens, NNADAP, Alf Brady, Mental Health Counsellor, Mark Larsen, Mental Health
Counsellor and Shirley Huson, IRS Mental Health Support Workers. Gloria, Roy and Shirley work out of the Kispiox Health Centre, Mark works out
of the Glen Vowell Health Centre and Alf works out of the main office in
Hazelton.
The five counsellors meet once a week to discuss and review their weekly
itineraries, case referrals, case loads, client rosters, and priority cases. Their
approach to counselling is the GHS model of therapy rooted in the equal
application of clinical, traditional, and scientific best practices.
Shirley,
Greg, Mark, Gloria and Roy are members of the newly formed Critical
Incident Response team designed to assist and debrief first responders and
community members during and after severe emergencies within the
communities. Through the dedication of our team they do provide immediate response to suicide attempts and
other crises after hours.
These counsellors also deliver in-house training to GHS Staff regarding
confidentiality, motivational dialogue, Cognitive Behavioural approaches, brief solution focused therapy,
medicine wheel, healing, and other traditional practices designed to enhance personal care and staff wellness.
Gloria assists clients from Kispiox, Sik-e-dakh, and Gitanmaax who want to go to treatment. We have AA
meetings at the Kispiox Health Center on Thursday nights with the doors opening at 7:00pm and meeting
starting at 7:30pm., and on Tuesdays there is an AA Activity night that includes a variety of activities such as
the big book study, playing games, watching movies or having a talking circle.
The Children’s Oral Health
Initiative (COHI) - Gitxsan
Dental Health Program
The COHI program involves
children ages 0 to 7 and prenatal.
The dental services are provided
by Jackie Cosman, Dental Therapist
and Ursula Muldoe, Dental Aide.
The COHI year starts in September of each year.
Permission is
gained from parents and guardians
to do screenings, fluoride varnish
applications, pit and fissure
sealants, small temporary fillings
and referrals for the children who
require oral surgery. Screenings
and basic dental treatments are
also provided to expectant moms.
ox School and John Field School.
Services include prevention services such as fluoride
varnish,
oral hygiene instruction, pit and
fissure sealants.
Classroom
presentations are done once or
twice a year depending on the age
group and the requests from the
teachers.
oral health of not just an individual
child but the whole family as well.
Success of our program has been
seen by the local dentists because
the need for children to have oral
surgery has gone down.
The cooperation from the
principals, teachers and staff has
been great. It has made our job
easier.
We work with the Parent Child Assistance
Program
(PCAP) and the Maternal Child
Health (MCH) Program.
Through this collaboration we are
able to see a lot of high risk chilThe school program involves the dren and provide education for Lots of beautiful smiles out there!
children on reserve at the Kispi- the parents to help improve the Good job Jackie & Ursula!
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Gitxsan Health Society Newsletter
Health Tip #1!
Self Help for Neck Pain and Stiffness
Have you ever woken up and not been able to turn your head?
If this has happened to you,
you know how uncomfortable this can be.
Sometimes it is painful, and sometimes it isn’t.
Sometimes you have an idea what might have caused it, but sometimes there just
doesn’t seem to be any logical reason whatsoever.
So what can you do if your neck is painful and/or immobile? Start with good old heat.
Any kind of heat will do, hot shower, hot pack, sauna, hot tub, even some warming liniment
can help relax tight muscles around the area.
Next do some self-massage. Gently work the tight areas with your fingers, working up the
back of the neck in the groove between the spinous processes in the back of your neck and
the transverse processes in line with your ears. Stop and hold some pressure on any big
lumps in the muscles you feel. Using finger tips, gently run over the sides of your neck,
working down in little 1 inch sections. Then, using a pink pearl eraser, or fingers, work
the ridge along the base of your skull, frictioning side to side in small sections, again
holding on any tight, tender spots.
It is a great idea to mobilize your neck in pain free range after loosening it. Try doing
shoulder checks side to side, repeating a minimum of ten times each side. Then drop ear
to shoulder, alternating side to side, again minimum ten times each side.
Lastly, try to keep your neck warm for a few days. Wear a hoodie or scarf outside, be
cautious of sleeping by an open window, as cool breezes at night can often flare neck
tension, and possibly be the cause of it in the first place!
With these few simple techniques you can help decrease down time and get back to normal neck
function!
Health Tip #2!
Weight Loss
If you are trying to loose weight, it is very important to eat enough in the early part of the day. One
of the biggest mistakes dieters make is
ingesting too few calories at breakfast and lunch. If you
are very hungry by 3:00, the chances of making bad food choices skyrocket.
Aim for 400-600 calories per meal (depending on gender, activity level, and whether you snack
between meals or not), and be sure to have protein with each meal.
Stop Worrying
Stop worrying about your weight, your lack of time, your lack of energy, your lack of patience,
your lack of money. Stop putting energy into worrying, and start using that energy in other areas
of your life.
Rather than having a phone conversation about all your worries, try chatting with a friend about all
the beautiful sunrise you saw this morning, the kind words your spouse said to you, the funny story you heard at lunch. Soon you will feel happier, more light and calm, and more energized.
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Gitxsan Society Health Newsletter
Indian Residential School Resolution Health Support Program
Greg Wright is the Program
Facilitator. Shirley Huson is the
IRS Mental Health Support
Workers. We have posted for
another IRS Mental Health
Support Worker. Greg works
out of the Sik-e-dakh Health
Centre and Shirley works out of
the Kispiox Health Centre.
Shirley provides emotional
support and counseling to our
IRS survivors and their families.
We
hosted a “Our Voice
Gathering” for former students
of Indian Residential School in
November, 2010. Out of that
gathering came the request for
cultural activities. From January to March 2011, healing
and cultural activities such as
moccasin and mitt making,
bead and leather work, snow
shoe making, traditional medicine gathering and traditional
healing , drum making, regalia
making,
Gitxsanimx classes,
teaching Gitxsan songs and
dances were offered. We had
a five day “Sacred Journey
Workshop” in Kispiox in June
2011. The turnout was very
successful. We also organized
a National Day of Healing
Walk
on June 10, 2011 in
Sik-e-dakh.
We had over 134 intergenerational survivors at our
Celebration that was held on August 12, 2011 to showcase the
items made through the cultural
activities that took place in the
spring. Plans are underway for
more cultural activities through
the Fall.
Information will be
posted when plans are in place.
Counseling is on-going and
available to anyone needing
support.
Youth Leadership and Peer Mentoring Program
We are very happy to have a new Youth Program.
The Youth Program Facilitator is Lisa Mowatt. She
works out of the Sik-e-dakh Health Centre. We
have received funding to implement a Youth Leadership and Youth Mentorship program for the communities of
Kispiox,
Sik-e-dakh, Gitanmaax,
Gitsegukla, Gitwangak, Gitanyow, Moricetwon,
Hagwilget, Kitsumkalum, Kitselas, and Gitxaala.
The program includes five key priority areas:
Leadership Training for 9 to 24 years olds; Youth
Engagement Program; Peer Mentorship Program;
and Career Exploration.
We will be offering two
Youth Leadership Training modules in the
communities.
Plans are to: Establish a 11 member Youth Council
and an Elder’s Advisory Council; Establish a Youth
Engagement program to offer the youth support and
resources by delivering monthly workshops and talking circles; Hire Peer Mentors to connect with at risk
youth in their community and host Youth Career
Fairs to encourage the youth to make long term education and career goals.
Youth Gatherings have
taken place during the summer in
Gitanmaax
(Gitanmaax, Kispiox, & Sik-e-dakh),
Gitwangak
(Gitsegukla, Gitwangak, & Gitanyow), Kitsumkalum
(Kitsumkalum & Kitselas), and Moricetown (Hagwilget
& Moricetown).
Posters and information will be
sent out as plans for events are in place. Keep a look
out!
8
Patient Transportation Program
The A/Patient Transportation Clerk is
Yolanda Stevens. She works out of
the GHS Main Administration Office.
The Patient Transportation Office pays
for some or all of your medical travel
expenses to the nearest and
appropriate health facility, using the
most efficient and economical method
of transportation. All of which is based
on the medical condition. We realize
that it is a very trying and stressful time
for our clients and we would like to
make sure your travel plans go as
smoothly as possible to
alleviate
any unnecessary stress in your life.
The Patient Transportation Program is
funded by the First Nations & Inuit
Health Branch (FINIHB) —Pacific Region. We are obligated to follow
their policies regarding client travel.
We do submit a Benefit Exception
request whenever there is a medical
travel request that is outside of their
client travel policies. It is at the
discretion of the FNIHB Pacific Region
office on whether or not it is
approved for payment.
Policy/Guidelines:

Travel provided to the nearest
health care facility.

Medical travel will not be provided
for person making his/her own
appointment. A doctor must refer
clients.

All ICBC, WCB and social
assistance claims are not covered.

Medical Escorts will be provided
where it is medically, legally and
physically warranted. An escort will
not be approved while the patient is
in the hospital unless the escort is
required upon release or the medical condition is terminal.


Dental care is not covered unless it
prior approved by Dental Officer at
the FNIHB Regional Office.

Clients must have referral from a
Counselor for treatment at a Treatment Centre.

Private mileage is at $.20 per
kilometer. Parking fees are not
covered at hotels. Parking fees are
paid for parking outside of a
specialist office or hospital for
appointments only.

Local taxi is not covered. Taxi
vouchers are provided for out of
town specialist appointments if the
client travels by bus, train or
airplane.

Confirmation that health care
services were accessed by the client
must be obtained for all medical
travel after return from the trip.

Accommodation and meals are
provided for three days only.
Hotel extensions require
confirmation by attending specialist
and approval by the FNIHB Benefit
Exception office. An allowance
will be provided for private
accommodation.
Prenatal travel & accommodation is
not provided for mother/parent
unless it is approved by FNIHB
Benefit Exception office.
Gitanmaax, Kispiox & Sik-e-dakh Youth Gathering, August 26, 2011, Gitanmaax Hall
"Dare to grow into your dreams
and claim this as your motto:
Let it be me." ~Mary Kay Ash
(1918 - 2001)
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Page 10
Home & Community Care Program:
We have many new nursing staff in each health centre.:
Gitanmaax:
Kia Beertema, R.N. (Mon. - Thurs.) ; Rachelle Wilson, LPN (Mon. to Fri.); Jessie
Marshall, LPN - (Tues, Wed. & Fri.)
Kispiox :
Mary Ann Speirs R.N. (Mon—Fri); Jaclyn Marshall, LPN (casual nurse - Mon-Wed);
Carolyn Wolos, LPN (Thurs. & Fri.) and Mavis Sebastian R.N., Nursing Coordinator
( Mon - Fri.)
Sik-e-dakh:
Kayte Bachmann, R.N. (until Oct. 17, 2011); Kia Beertema, R.N. (October 17, 2011
Mon. – Thurs.) ; Robynn Muldoe, LPN (Mon. – Fri.); Allison Phillips, Occupational
Therapist (Mondays)
Personal Care Aides: Betty Mulwain, Shirley McDougall and Debbie Wesley (Full-time)
We continue to contract out our home care nursing services to Kitwanga 3 days a week and Hagwilget 2
days a week. These two positions are filled by Carolyn Wolos, LPN and Jessie Marshall, LPN. We are now
fully staffed until October 17, 2011, where we have posted for a part time R.N. to replace one nurse that will
be off for a year.
Opportunity for Professional Development and Seek Funding in HIV -“ Next steps: Putting
HIV testing Into Action In the North” : Chee Mamuk, Aboriginal Program at the BC Centre for Disease Control is providing an opportunity to participate in a Next Steps training project for supporting Community Health Nurses and allied health care workers to build on their skills in providing HIV testing and prevention programming. Six northern aboriginal communities will be selected to take part in the pilot project.
The Chee Mamuk, nurses have met with the Gitxsan Health Nurses, we may be selected to take part in this
pilot project. We are confident that we will be selected as three of our nurses are certified to do STI
(sexually transmitted infections) testing and treatment.
The three health centres have health promotional activities planned for each community. Home Care continues to be busy with the monthly visits and planned activities. Please see each health centres calendar of
events. Weekly immunization clinics, luncheons and other activities will continue on a monthly basis.
Annual Walk for Cancer Awareness – September 23, 2011- Hagwilget to Gitanmaax Hall
Conference on Lupus and Arthritis has tentatively been set for October 2011,depending on the availability of the speakers.
Summer Students – we had two summer students from May – August 2011. The two students coordinated the delivery and pick up of mini health surveys door to door. Unfortunately, they only had two weeks to
do this, and did an excellent job picking up the ones that were filled in. The mini health survey was developed
to allow us to better assist with the needs of all community members and as well as receive input from everyone in our communities. If you have not filled in your survey.. please fill it in and drop it off at your local
health centres. Deadline September 30, 2011. The two students who are both going into nursing in
September were able to get a feel as to what nursing is all about. They were mentored by the nurses and
assisted with the elder activities during the summer.
I would like to thank the staff for doing an excellent job being out in the field visiting our community members in all three communities. Community members really appreciate the care they are receiving.
Submitted by Mavis Sebastian, R.N. Nursing Coordinator
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Newsletter Title
Hello from the Health Station of Gitanmaax!
It has been a very productive and rewarding year for the staff. As we head into
a new Fall season we hope to continue to
serve you well and we would like to thank
all of you who use our services.
Please
drop in if you have any ideas on how we
can continue to improve delivery and services.
Raechelle Wilson and Jessie Marshall work
with the Home and Community Care Health
Program. We presently have 37 Elders in
the home care program.
We collaborate with the Gitanmaax Band
with their Gitanmaax Elders’ luncheons.
Approximately 30 -40 Elders attend it.
This is one of our successes. The luncheons happen bi-weekly . All Elders are
welcome! We support the Elders with their
fundraising efforts so they may attend the
Elders’ Conference in Chilliwack next year.
for Families" program.
It is to teach
all members to make healthier decisions
in preparing food and making healthier
choices. We had 5 families finish this
program.
We participated in the "National
Day of Reconciliation ". We did a Healing
Walk to support IRS Survivors and those
affected
by IRS issues.
We organized a shuttle to take 24 Gitanmaax
Band Members to an eye clinic at the
Bulkley Valley Eye Clinic.
We are
looking at another date to do this again.
If you would like to get an eye examination, come to the Gitanmaax Health Station
and fill out a NIHB Approval form.
The
Pre and Post
Natal Program
has been
very busy. We presently have 30 pre and
post-natals clients. We have Walk In Clinic to assist those that need help in
our community.
Drop by as we would like
to assist you in any way we can so we can
help better serve your needs.
Submitted by Kia Beertema, Raechelle
Wilson, Jessie Marshall, and April Greene
We collaborated with the GHS Parent Child
Assistance Program with their "Food Skills
Hello from the Glen Vowell Health Centre!
Here is the news of the past and present activities/events that will be happening within Glen Vowell Health Centre.
During July and August 2011, we collaborated with the Glen Vowell Band and started a “Preserving Program” for the
Community Members of Glen Vowell. This was very successful as we had a total of 15-20 members every Thursday
until the end of August. This program taught our people how to preserve fruit and make jam on their own. We also
had a high interest in our “Diabetic Friendly” sessions as this offered a low cal, no sugar recipe! I would like to thank Sharon Muldoe for volunteering her time on teaching our members on “How to preserve and make jam”. I would also like
to thank our many volunteers for assisting with the clean up. This was a great way to enjoy our summer , fill our community members freezers and learn how to preserve for the future. Great Job people!!! Hopefully this will be a program
we can continue onto next year!
Programs @ the Health Station:
The “Ho’gim –dii- dilts” Program – Diabetes Healthy Living Program every Wednesday @ the Glen Vowell Health
Station. Learn about Diabetes, Management, Nutrition, Foot Care, Check your Blood Sugar, Blood Pressure and
Weight.
We have monthly Luncheons @ the Glen Vowell Health Station.
There are Pre and Post Natal Baby Clinics every Tuesday @ the Glen Vowell Health Station.
From the Desk of the Glen Vowell Home Care Nurse,
Robynn Muldoe – CH LPN
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Gitxsan Health Society Newsletter
Upcoming Events
Long QT Syndrome in Northern B.C. Communities, NWCC, Terrace, B.C. on
Sept. 21, 2011. Time: 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Call Karen Gibbs at 250 875
-2345, ext. 7955 or email at [email protected] for information.
T.B. screening in the three communities:
Sept. 26, 2011:John Field Elementary 11:00 a.m. to 1 p.m.,
Sept. 27, 2011:Kispiox Elementary School 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. with
lunch to follow at the Kispiox Health Station
Sept. 27, 2011: Glen Vowell Health Centre 1 p.m. to 3:p.m. and after
noon tea to follow.
Sept. 28, 2011: Gitanmaax Hall (Tentative) 1—3 p.m. Lunch at 11:30 a.m.
Annual Walk for Cancer Awareness - Walking Together in Hope –
September 23, 2011- Hagwilget to Gitanmaax Hall.
Registration at 10:00 am at the Hagwilget Parking Lot Start at 10:30 am. Arrive at the
Gitanmaax Hall for Lunch. We will use our Gitxsan tradition by using a button
blanket to honor those who have passed and those who still remain battling this
disease. It has design of the four clans. We will pin Memory Ribbons (white) on it
for those who have passed and red ribbons for those who continue to battle
this terrible disease. We give a Big Thank you to Billy Blackwater, Darlene
Clayton and Ramona Blackwater . Another Big "Thank you" to Chuck Heit and his
son Dustin Heit -Wesley for the design that they donated to Gitxsan Health in
honor of his mother Margaret Heit. Hamiyaa - Yaa !! There will be display booths
from the Northern Cancer Control Strategy, Northern Health Authority, Canadian Cancer
Society and Gitxsan Health Society. Please come and join us in Raising Cancer Awareness!
If you have any questions please contact the Glen Vowell Health Station @ (250) 842 – 6876
The Mobile Mammogram Clinic will be at the Kispiox Health Centre on Oct.
7, 2011. Call the Kispiox Health Centre to book an appointment.
Board of Directors
Gitanmaax Reps.
Rose Morrison
Myrtle Muldoe
Kispiox Reps.
George Muldoe
Sheila Weget
Sik-e-dakh Reps.
Perry Sampson Jr.
Barb Huson
Off Reserve Reps.
John Olson
Yvonne Lattie
Contact Us
Main Administration
Office
(250) 842-5165
Patient
Transportation
(250) 842-5001
1-800-663-9935
(Emergency Cell)
weekends only
250 842-8629
Hogim Dii Dilts Diabetes Program— November 15 & 16 , 2011
In collaboration with Carrier Sekani Services out of Prince George the Northern
Mobile Diabetes Telemedicine. Clinics will be doing screening on these dates.
Community members who have diabetes are screened for lab values and eye
screening . Those that are on insulin will be booked for AM (morning) appointments . All are welcome! Call your local Health Centre for information and to
make an appointment .
Gitanmaax Health
Centre
(250) 842-6320
*Please Watch Out for More Information on the Upcoming “Better Living With Arthritis”
Conference on October 19, 2011. With Guest Speakers on Arthritis, Diet and Occuptional
Therapy.
Sik-e-dakh Health
Centre
(250) 842-6876
This newsletter is proudly published by the Gitxsan Health Society.
Visit our website at www.gitxsanhealth.com
Call your local health centre for more information on any programs offered by GHS.
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Kispiox Health
Centre
(250) 842-6236
PCAP/MCH office
(250) 842-2319