People engage in a community discussion at École Valois on Saturday. (Ian Gustafson/paNOW Staff)

By Ian Gustafson

Here to Help

Métis Nation Saskatchewan engages on cancer care

Jan 25, 2020 | 6:28 PM

Prince Albert played host to the Métis Nation Saskatchewan (MN-S) health and wellbeing community engagement session Saturday.

About 40 Métis citizens from the local area gathered at École Valois school to take part in a community engagement session to talk about cancer care in Saskatchewan.

Metis Nation Saskatchewan Minister of Health Marg Friesen said the day was meant to explore the experiences and needs for cancer patients and their families.

“The Ministry of health which I’m responsible for with MN-S has provided these opportunities for citizens to come together to talk about their journey with cancer care in Saskatchewan or perhaps they’re here on behalf of a family member or community member,” Friesen said. “We talk about improving the cancer care journey for citizens …from diagnosis to end stage of cancer.”

She said they need to provide and improve services and service delivery for not only the patient but also the care providers and the family members.

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“So, what does that look like for Métis Nation to develop a more specific health care strategy for cancer care,” Friesen said.

She added they’re also talking generally about health care services within the province such as service delivery whether it be mental health or primary care services. Friesen said they need to build a more holistic approach working with the province to improve service delivery for the Métis community.

“We collect that information across the province from Metis citizens and we extract commonalities,” she said. “Like what are the messages we are hearing from Métis citizens and how can we improve the lives of the people we serve?”

Prince Albert is a part of the western region two of MN-S and they gathered some of the Métis members of the community to take part in the day. The members who attended are affected by cancer either themselves directly or have ideas, suggestions for a better healthcare strategy.

The people in attendance is a fraction of the Metis community but Friesen said it’s a good start.

She said they’re partnered with the University of Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan Cancer Agency, and the Saskatchewan Health Authority, and together they have a robust facilitation team.

During the day the various members were put into five different groups and were asked by the facilitators different questions to encourage discussion. All the information gathered across the province is used to provide services.

A group puts their heads together to during a Metis Nation Saskatchewan community engagement session on Saturday. (Ian Gustafson/paNOW Staff)

Regional Director Sherry McLennan said the MN-S are doing community engagements all over the province to bring the ideas Metis people have.

“So this particular one is for all the people who have been affected by cancer,” she said. “What are some of the ways we can make it easier? If I had just got diagnosed with cancer how can the Métis Nation under the health portfolio assist with maybe transportation, maybe access to a hospice or a room for the night when they go for their radiation treatments.”

She said the Métis people need to be looked after.

“However, we can help to make it easier while they’re going through a hard time that is what we’re going to try and do,” McLennan said.

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Ian.gustafson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @iangustafson12