"I provide primary health care for Indigenous people in a culturally safe way. Some haven’t accessed care for ten years because of lack of trust, and past negative experiences.”
“As an Indigenous Two-Spirit person, I’ve always focused on helping underprivileged communities. I did outreach nursing in the Downtown Eastside. I saw the disparities; people suffering needlessly. As my final nursing school project, I helped develop a free wellness center for transgender and non-binary people. My own challenging experiences accessing appropriate and safe health care, along with those of my loved ones and community, fuel me to do better for others.
Today I work to provide primary health care for Indigenous people in a culturally safe way. Some haven’t accessed care for 10+ years because of lack of trust, and past negative experiences. The clinic I work at focuses on hiring Indigenous people, like me. We have lived experience and can connect with our Indigenous patients in a good way. Being open minded and meeting people where they’re at is so very important. We’re all humans; we all have our own stories.
I just moved back to Vancouver from the Island. I would love to create a Two-Spirit youth group in Surrey one day. For self-care I like being in a forest, on a beach, or home doing a paint-by-number. I used to be a motor bike mechanic – I just sold mine when I moved. I grew up in Saskatchewan where my family used to ride Harleys, so it’s in my blood.”
- Fin Gareau, Nurse Practitioner, Kla-How-Eya Healing Place, Surrey
Read more Humans of Fraser Health stories: https://fraserhealth.ca/HumansofFraserHealth