KIMMIRUT/LAKE HARBOUR
Born and raised in Kimmirut, Petanie Pitsiulak wants to make sure youth in her community grow up with good health practices.

Petanie Pitsiulak, 28, has moved on from economic development officer for Kimmirut to become the community's health representative. - Stewart Burnett/NNSL photo

"It's important for the young ones to know these things," said Pitsiulak during a stop in Iqaluit.

She's Kimmirut's new community health representative, on the job for just a few months now.

The 28-year-old already has an impressive resume, having worked for the hamlet of Kimmirut as a receptionist and then as economic development officer.

"I'm always looking for new opportunities and I like to challenge myself," she said.

When she saw the community health representative job description, she applied and was hired.

Her role involves promoting health and wellness initiatives, acting as a community leader to positively impact local health and reducing the need for acute health care. She finds out what people need and delivers programming to meet those needs, whether through radio, presentations, in-store workshops or even one-on-one health counselling.

The health department typically cycles through focuses for each month, with January having a focus on tobacco reduction and February a focus on sexual health.

At the top of Pitsiulak's list of health priorities is reducing smoking.

"I think smoking is a big problem back home," she said.

People have been calling her office in Kimmirut looking for help on that very subject.

"I think that's a big one that should be addressed," said Pitsiulak.

Working as a community health representative is her first step in the health world, but Pitsiulak thinks it won't be her last.

"I'm looking to become a nurse within five years," she said about her plans for the future.

First, she wants to know more about how the Department of Health operates. But she sees herself as becoming a nurse in Nunavut one day and thinks she can offer a service Nunavummiut desire.

"For nursing, I think it is important to be interacting with patients," she said. "Sometimes some Nunavummiut prefer an Inuktitut speaker, so I think I would be a help as an Inuit nurse."

But that's a ways off yet. For now, she'll be continuing her work as a community health leader in her hometown of Kimmirut.

"So far, so good," said Pitsiulak about her new gig.