The fears my parents both had when I was born carried through when I was pregnant with my own daughter. I couldn't help but feel a sense of fear and apprehension.
Even as a lawyer with a social work qualification, I remained terrified of this. This fear is not unfounded. It is grounded in the painful truth of the mistreatment and injustices faced by First Nations women within the healthcare system.
With all of this, I knew I had to be prepared. First, I immersed myself in understanding my rights as a patient and a mother. Researching hospital policies and protocols allowed me to advocate for myself.
Acknowledging and addressing my fear was a very real act of empowerment. I wonder if non-Indigenous people or people going through the private system face these fears. I highly doubt it.
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