Many thanks to everyone who was able to join for our 2023 Turkey Trot, and congratulations to our winners!
9 Years:
Female:
Male:
10-11 Years:
Female:
Male:
12-13 Years:
Female:
Male:
14-15 Years:
[No Females]
Male:
16-17 Years:
Female:
[No Males]
18-39 Years:
Female:
Male:
40-49 Years:
Female:
Male:
50-59 Years:
Female:
Male:
60+ Years:
Female:
Male:
Monday, October 2, 2023, Isadore Day visited Siksika Nation to share learnings and partnership opportunities with Siksika Health Services.
Former Ontario Regional Chief, Isadore Day, is the Founder + CEO of Bimaadzwin, which means “life” or “good path” in Anishinaabe. Bimaadzwin exists to advance First Nations by supporting our people to create and develop happy, healthy communities through economic development that focuses on First Nation jurisdiction. Isadore Day, and Bimaadzwin believe that our health comes from the wealth of our lands, because we are the land.
Isadore Day and his partner, Michelle travelled from Ontario, and met with Siksika Health Services representatives to discuss potential partnership opportunities for the health and wellbeing of Siksika Nation. Only the start of this conversation, followup meetings will be scheduled to further discuss and outline this collaboration. Thus far, Bimaadzwin and Siksika Health Services have collaborated on the Pathways diabetic foot ulcer prevention program, which is currently benefitting our Siksika Nation members living with type 2 diabetes.
Isadore Day, Wiindawtegowinini, is an Anishinaabe from Serpent River First Nation. He is of the Genozhe ndodem (Northern Pike Clan). He brings many years of political and policy expertise. A former Regional Chief of Ontario, Lake Huron Region Grand Chief and Vice Chair of the North Shore Tribal Council, he has served 15 years as an elected leader for First Nations and has handled various high-level policy files. He is hereditary to Chief Shingwauk, Wiindawtegowinini and Genebek, who signed the Robinson-Huron Treaty and the Manitoulin Treaty and were allies to the British Crown in the War of 1812.
Chief Day has been involved in various boards and committees; at both regional and national levels over the past two decades while remaining a strong grassroots visionary. With a background in Social Sciences, Business, Public Administration and Governance – he is a firm believer that education that is culturally rooted and is bridged into mainstream disciplines is essential to success. His most noted accomplishment was repatriating First Nation children back to his First Nation from mainstream foster care systems. He has been an energy policy leader, community developer and a tireless advocate for First Nation treaty rights.
Isadore Day’s main focus is on Nationhood rights and Sovereignty; and specifically, the improvement in First Nation health, social, economy conditions of current and future generations. Isadore is emphatic that the Indian Act is colonial oppression and at the root of what must change in all First Nations – he vows to maintain and refine his life’s mission to be focused on reconstituting Indigenous Nations on Turtle Island.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
SIKSIKA NATION, Alberta, June 6, 2023 – Siksika Health Services (SHS), in collaboration with Orpyx® Medical Technologies and GMAK Consulting, is excited to announce the launch of a second pilot program aimed at improving foot health and preventing diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) among Siksika Nation members living with type 2 diabetes.
Zivot Limb Preservation Centre (ZLPC) has joined this initiative for this second pilot program and will provide clinical services. Their expertise and collaboration with SHS will provide invaluable lower-limb educational opportunities for SHS dedicated staff.
With the success of the initial pilot program, which involved 35 Siksika members, the partnership is eager to expand its efforts and conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the effectiveness of integrating Orpyx SI® Flex Sensory Insoles and remote patient monitoring (RPM) at scale within the community.
In general, ~25% of people with diabetes will develop a DFU in their lifetime, with 49% DFU recurrence in the first year. During the initial 24-week pilot, only one participant with a long history of recurrent DFUs developed a new wound. The Orpyx SI program allowed for early and timely escalation to the ZLPC for assessment and treatment, effectively mitigating more severe complications. The low DFU occurrence rate during the initial pilot is a positive step in implementing a broader wound and amputation prevention program.
Acknowledging the complexities of managing diabetes, SHS remains committed to equipping Nation members with valuable resources to learn and implement best practices.
“We’re excited by the opportunity, and also the possibility for this to have a meaningful and important impact on our people’s health. It’s important that we have these types of advanced services, that we have partnerships that are like-minded, that have the same vision, and the same purpose as we move forward together.”
Dr. Tyler White, CEO, Siksika Health Services
An integral component of the pilot program has been the organization of in-person community gatherings on Siksika Nation, which serve as a platform for providing culturally appropriate support to participants. One participant shared the significance of these gatherings, saying, “It’s a very good program, you learn a lot, and can ask questions about what you’re stuck on, maintaining your health. This program is helping a lot, for me and others I’ve talked to.” With the combined efforts of SHS Home Care, Orpyx, GMAK and the ZLPC, participants benefit from on-the-ground support, advanced data monitoring, and access to expertise in diabetic foot management.
The pilot program is made possible through the generous support of PATHWAYS Indigenous Health Collaborations, a partnership between Boehringer Ingelheim (Canada) Ltd. and Bimaadzwin, who work together to bring about positive change and advancements in Indigenous healthcare.
“I am immensely proud to announce the expansion of our partnership with Siksika Health Services, a collaboration that has already shown promising results in providing supportive remote care and improving foot health within Siksika Nation. Our initial pilot has showcased the tremendous potential for improving the lives of individuals facing the unique challenges of living with diabetes. By joining forces with SHS, we have worked together to gain invaluable insights, enabling us to tailor our solutions even more effectively to the needs of Siksika members. This partnership exemplifies the power of collaborative, human-centered innovation, and we are excited to see where we can take this with the next phase of the program.”
Dr. Breanne Everett, CEO and Founder of Orpyx
Expanding the pilot program will give more community members access to state-of-the-art technology to significantly enhance their well-being. Together, we are dedicated to supporting more communities and First Nations in addressing their healthcare needs and improving access to quality care.
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For more information:
Ryan Running Rabbit
Communications, Siksika Health Services
403-361-0584
Karen Smith
Marketing, Orpyx Medical Technologies
210-823-9604
National MMIWG2S Awareness Day, also known as Red Dress Day, which occurs annually on May 5th, honours the thousands of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, two spirit, and gender diverse people in Canada by encouraging learning and building awareness to end violence against Indigenous women, girls, two spirit, and gender diverse people.
Call to Action 41 of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Report called on the federal government of Canada to begin an inquiry into the numerous cases of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls.
The National Inquiry released its Final Report in June 2019 and addressed finding important ways to end the genocide and to transform systemic and society values that have worked to maintain colonial violence (Final Report, volume 1B, p. 168).
Our community of Siksika has much work to do in addressing the violence committed upon our people and to develop a plan that will include the awareness of our society values. Strengthening our community in healing from our past, changing our ways today and moving forward to a healthy atmosphere are goals we all must take on. Let us take a stand collectively to make a change in our community for the sake of our people’s safety and wellness. Our youth and the unborn deserve a chance to live in a healthy world to practice our traditional way of life and all that it offers.
On March 3 & 4, 2023, Mount Royal University hosts a weekend of learning, research, and connection. This multidisciplinary symposium aims to foster community and enhance inclusivity of physical activity and sport across the province, for all Albertans experiencing disability.
A Community Advisor for Calgary’s Adaptive Hub, Siksika Health Services’ Dr. Tyler White opened the symposium with a presentation about the significance of adaptive physical activity on Siksika Nation.
Dr. White shared that “Siksika people often communicate that individuals with unique needs are special gifts from Creator, and were historically referred to as Pissatsipokiaayawa, or ‘special children’. They express that these people are closer to Creator, as they are pure in spirit, and have unique skills to adapt and communicate with their families. Families and friends of our special children stress that a label of disability does not define a person, but rather, it focuses on a person’s strengths.”
There are no words for “disability” in the Blackfoot language, and quite often you’ll hear stories shared of people’s strengths who had a disability. The concept of inclusion has always existed in our Siksika way of life.
Adaptive Physical Activity aligns with this belief, and values every individual’s strengths and interests to match them with appropriate activities.
Through collaboration with like-minded and like-hearted partners, such as Dr. David Legg at MRU’s Department of Health and Physical Education, the Calgary Adaptive Hub, the Autism and Asperger Friendship Society, Lacrossing Barriers, our Siksika Health Mental Health & Wellness and Siksika Recreation departments, and many others, we have been able to start to bring adaptive physical activity to Siksika in a good way.
Initiatives like the Adaptive Physical Activity Symposium give opportunity for us all to show our support by honouring and celebrating peoples’ diversity through community consensus program development, spreading awareness, and promoting inclusion in sports.
Together, we strive for equity in health and wellness for all, and we demonstrate acceptance and inclusion in all aspects of life. Adaptive sports are sports, and all people matter.