BC Renal respects the values, cultures, and self-determination of Indigenous peoples, and is committed to the co-development of an Indigenous cultural safety strategy in kidney care.
- Advancing cultural safety and humility, and creating a health system free of bias and Indigenous-specific racism
Closing the health gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people with or at risk of chronic kidney disease in BC, resulting in improved health outcomes and experience for Indigenous peoples.
Embedding Indigenous Wellness in all projects undertaken by BC Renal and its provincial committees.
BC Renal embraces the Coast Salish Teachings gifted to PHSA by Knowledge Keeper Shane Pointe, Sulksun, and we continue to seek opportunities to incorporate the Teachings into our work to improve kidney care for Indigenous peoples in BC.
The work underway expresses three of the six Teachings:
Eyhh slaxin “Good medicine”
BC Renal chooses every day to be a role model in supporting and promoting kidney-specific care for Indigenous communities, primarily through BC Renal partners.
- Kidney Check: Identifying kidney disease and diabetes in Indigenous communities
- BC Renal is collaborating with the Can-SOLVE CKD network, First Nations Health Authority, and health authority renal programs to carry out a screening program to rural and remote Indigenous communities. The program works with each person to build a kidney health plan that includes follow-up care or goals for kidneys wellness.
- BRIDGE to Transplantation
- BC Renal is collaborating with BC Transplant and the BRIDGE to Transplantation initiative on developing a new website focused on storytelling and Indigenous ways of knowing.
Tee ma thit “Do your best”
With the insight and support of PHSA Indigenous Health, BC Renal is making every effort to develop an Indigenous cultural safety strategy in kidney care.
- BC Renal Indigenous Pre-strategy Development
- The pre-strategy focuses on strengthening cultural competency across the renal network and building authentic and respectful relationships with Indigenous health partners and communities.
Whax hooks in shqwalowin “Open your hearts and your minds”
BC Renal promotes Indigenous cultural safety education and training among all BC Renal staff, contractors, patient partners, and other network members to open their minds through learning and their hearts through understanding.
- San’yas Core Indigenous Cultural Safety Health Training.
- BC Renal requires all leaders, staff, and provincial committee Chairs and Vice Chairs to complete the training. BC Renal supports interested patient partners and affiliated researchers to complete this training.
- San’yas Bystander To Ally Training
- BC Renal requires all managerial staff (i.e., Directors, Managers and Project Managers) complete the advanced training, in addition to the San’yas Core Training, to develop practical skills in becoming more effective allies.
- Anti-Indigenous Racism Response Training
- BC Renal requires all staff and interested patient partners to complete this training.
- Land Acknowledgement Video and Webinar Learning Series
- BC Renal collaborated with the Can-SOLVE CKD network (including 10 Indigenous Knowledge Keepers from across Canada) to develop a set of webinars and a guidebook to support authentic, purposeful territorial land acknowledgements. Dissemination of this learning series is ongoing across the BC Renal network.
- Wabishki Bizhiko Skaanj Learning Pathway
- BC Renal continues to work with Indigenous patients, researchers and Knowledge Keepers in the Can-SOLVE CKD network on socializing the pathway to support ongoing journeys of looking, listening, learning and leading in health research among non-Indigenous and Indigenous researchers, policy makers and patient partners.
