Almost a decade ago, I wrote our local MLA regarding some of my dreams for healthcare.
These dreams dealt with Kindersley and district. Of particular interest to me was a regional hospital that would not only serve the community but also pioneer in serving our health care needs province wide. I have also had other dreams for our community health – drug and alcohol awareness, seniors housing, education of youth regarding addictions and even finding ways to be hospitable to our health care providers so that their tenure here would be long term.
I’ve since sat on and initiated committees to address these issues.
A few years ago, we were in the midst of a newly developed province-wide health district restructuring. A prevalent attitude was that we should spread our health care equally throughout each individual district and community. That meant that opting for Kindersley as a center of excellence was not envisioned.
Of course, the tendency to migrate to larger centers, where excellence was expected to combine with greater resources, was obvious. For years, Kindersley has had a constant path to such centers as Saskatoon, Swift Current, Regina, and even out of province sites. Our citizen volunteers have often provided rides in difficult weather conditions for ailing patients. Scheduled out- of-town appointments have disrupted family schedules. And our Kindersley and District medical staff have been restricted in what they can do.
I do not like two hour drives that could easily have been staged within our region. I do not appreciate minor and major medical procedures being exported. When health is strong, the opportunity to help others is even stronger. I believe designating Kindersley as a regional health center (hospital and other services included) would benefit this province.
While I like to see all sides in a discussion, this discussion has been long on talk and low on action. I applaud action that has been taken – I applaud those who have stuck with it. Perseverance is necessary, but for how long?
The latest round of discussions are underway. We must persevere for the good of our citizens and the health of our community. My hope is for a positive provincial response. Unfortunately, my optimism scale is precariously tilted, having been assaulted by various frustrations over the past years.
In the meantime, thank your healthcare providers who have worked diligently for your wellness. And pray for provision for even greater efforts to be forthcoming as we seek for well-being and freedom from the dis-ease our world imposes upon us.
