Nursing stations are the heart of health care for many rural and remote First Nations communities in BC. They often provide all-encompassing wrap around health care services. At the heart of the nursing stations are the people who work there, people like nurses. They bring valuable wholistc health care expertise to locations where adaptability is just as important as health care expertise.

The First Nation Health Authority's (FNHA) Northern Region is a vast region that stretches from the north coast to the border with Alberta and from BC's northern border with the Yukon and Northwest Territories to the geographic centre of the province in the Prince George area. Not surprisingly, the North Region also has the most nursing stations out of all of the FNHA's regions.

Christine Morton and Catherine Lake are both nurses in charge of their respective community's nursing stations. They both bring a wealth of experiences gained over decades of working in the health care profession. Christine's experience includes stints in the ICU and emergency at hospitals in the US and also at Royal Columbian in New Westminster. She worked as an agency nurse for the FNHA, having the opportunity to travel to six different communities before falling in love with Gitga'at, where she has called home for the last three and a half years.

Protect yourself from bird flu, aka avian influenza, which is currently a public health issue in BC

As health and wellness partners with First Nations people in BC, the First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) is advising hunters, gatherers, and anyone else who handles game, to safeguard themselves against avian influenza (aka bird flu or H5N1), which is currently a public health issue across Canada and the United States. According to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, more than 12 million birds have been infected across Canada since the current cycle began in 2022, including more than six million in BC.

What is avian influenza?

Avian influenza is a virus that spreads quickly among wild birds, poultry, and some mammals such as skunks and foxes. It can live in bird feathers for weeks in moderate temperatures and longer in cool weather – as well as on surfaces for months. Since humans can also get sick from handling infected birds or animals, it is important to take precautions when dealing with birds or other game, and to avoid completely those with signs of illness that may be avian influenza.

The First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) is celebrating the 25-year anniversary of the Aboriginal Head Start On-Reserve (AHSOR) program, reflecting on the impact and legacy of early childhood learning and development supported in over 150 First Nations across BC.

“This is truly an important milestone not only for the FNHA but for First Nations children, families and communities across the province," says Denise Lacerte, FNHA Manager, Healthy Children and Youth. “It's a moment to celebrate the achievements of the AHSOR program while sharing our vision for the future." 

The FNHA has provided AHSOR program funding to over 70 percent of First Nations in BC, growing from 122 communities funded in 2018 to 151 in 2024.

Over 3,300 spaces for First Nations children have been funded. The FNHA's vision is to expand Head Start programs so that every First Nations community has equal access, and that every First Nations child can have a head start.

A message from Kathy Riyazi, MD, Population Health Data & Reporting Manager, FNHA Office of the Chief Medical Officer; and Tessie Harris, Diabetes Educator, FNHA Office of the Chief Nursing Officer

For this year's Diabete​s Awareness Month, we are sharing the wisdom and advice of First Nations people who are living well with Type 2 diabetes. This week we are sharing Mike Alexander's story, who is from Swan Lake First Nation and now lives in Vancouver, BC.

We are gratef​ul to them for being open and willing to share their experiences in order to help others. We trust that those of you who have diabetes will find something useful in their stories that will help you as you navigate living well with diabetes!​

Philip and Rosy Morrison on their wedding day.

National Indigenous Veterans Day is on November 8. It's a day to commemorate the contributions of Indigenous veterans, particularly those who served in the First World War, the Second World War and the Korean War. On this day we recognize their contributions and sacrifices and acknowledge the unfair and unequal treatment they received from the government of Canada compared to non-Indigenous veterans. The First Nations Health Authority’s Jessica Mikolayczyk​ shares the story of her father, Philip “Smokey" Morrison (February 2 1923 – July 14 1981) from the Gitanmaax Band in Hazelton.

The pride in Jessica Mikolayczyk's voice is evident and comes across clearly when she talks about her father Philip Morrison. The words resilience and family aptly describe his life and how he lived, as well as the legacy and lessons he gave his children.

For this year's Diabetes Awareness Month (November), we are sharing stories from First Nations people with lived experience. Diabetes is one of the most common chronic conditions and yet, it is often misunderstood. When people share their experiences, we can learn from each other and increase support. This story highlights that getting information, connecting with others, and practicing culture are key parts of living well with diabetes. 

​Lucy Barney, T'it'q'et Nation, is a grandmother, a retired nurse, and an avid crafter of beadwork, embroidery and sewing. She is also a person who has been living with type 2 diabetes for 10 years.

Prior to her own diagnosis, Lucy had dedicated her career as a nurse to improving diabetes care after watching her mother live with diabetes and eventually passing from complications.

“When I was a young girl, my mother developed type 2 diabetes and I didn't understand why because she walked miles every day to work," recalls Lucy.

Island Health and the Pacific Public Health Foundation (PPHF) are excited to welcome grant applications from organizations to build youth mental well-being and resilience. Youth Resilience Grants, previously known as Resilience and Safety Grants, provide up to $50,000 each in one-time funding for new projects supporting youth up to age 19, from Indigenous-led organizations and communities, schools, school districts, parent advisory councils, youth-led groups, not-for-profit organizations, and local government organizations.

For more detailed information and to submit an application, please visit Youth Resilience Grants. The deadline to apply is December 20.

The Island Health’s 2024 Chief Medical Health Officer (CMHO) report focuses on the health harms associated with the use of psychoactive substances, including alcohol, illegally manufactured opioids, tobacco, and cannabis. The report is intended to serve as an engagement tool to support dialogue among First Nation communities, public health staff, clinicians, local governments, and community organizations across Island Health to address the health and social challenges related to substance use in the Island Health region.

Details are in the attached poster. 

Burnout can have significant consequences for our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. In this circle, we will explore the early signs of burnout and ways we can begin to mitigate its impacts. We look at burnout through both an individual and organizational lens, along with sharing practical tools, tips, and reflections team members can use to support themselves and their colleagues.

The Family Violence Prevention Program (FVPP) provides vital services to Indigenous women, children, families and 2SLGBTQI+ people facing family violence and funds service delivery activities and key supports to help prevent family violence. FVPP funds Indigenous-led, culturally-appropriate and community-driven, service delivery family violence prevention activities across Canada.

This call for proposals supports family violence prevention and direct service delivery activities that focus on Inuit, Métis, Indigenous 2SLGBTQI+ people and urban populations. The primary focus of proposed activities must be on family violence prevention, and the client base must be predominantly Indigenous.