In pursuit of a healthy Deh Cho
Community health representative brings passion for region to job
April Hudson
Northern News Services
Thursday, June 9, 2016
LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON
For community health representative Melissa Hardisty, healthy is a way of life.
Melissa Hardisty graduated in April from her health care program at Aurora College. - photo courtesy of Melissa Hardisty
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Over the years she has cut caffeine and smoking from her life, and just passed the two-year mark of being tobacco-free as of June 6. Now, having just graduated from the community health representative program at Aurora College, she is turning her sights to spreading awareness throughout the Deh Cho.
Despite her recent graduation, Hardisty has been in her current position for nearly four years. Working out of the health centre in Fort Simpson, Hardisty said her passion for health care grew out of a desire to help people.
"You feel good when you can help people. I've always been in the health field," she said, adding she started working with the seniors' home in 1996. From there, she completed the long-term care aid course through Aurora College.
She spent time in Yellowknife as a counsellor for youth and young offenders, before moving back to Fort Simpson and picking up her health-care work again.
Although she just graduated at the end of April, Hardisty is already looking toward new horizons. She applied for and was accepted into a program for social work but has yet to decide whether she wants to do that right away or defer it in favour of more experience in her current position.
"I know I could be very useful as a social worker, especially since I speak Slavey," she said.
"I'm looking at newer and broader ways of doing things now ... There's a lot of opportunity out there."
Hardisty's journey to her current position was not an easy one. She spent two years on her latest program, which took her away from her family for a week at a time. In the middle of that program, she suffered the tragedy of losing her oldest daughter Etanda in Fort Liard, whose death was reported by RCMP to be a "sudden death." Etanda had just graduated from Grade 6 in Fort Simpson and had moved to Fort Liard with Hardisty a month prior.
But while her family is still stuck in the limbo of waiting for the investigation into Etanda's death to finish, Hardisty is determined to move forward and help others.
"I noticed, after my daughter passed away, I had no 'umph' in me. I thought to myself, I helped so many people and this happened to me - why should I bother. But (I decided) to keep focusing, because this was important," she said.
"I keep thinking, how can I inspire people to live healthier lifestyles? After what happened to my girl, how can I help?"
Hardisty channeled that desire to help into her work. Currently, her team's focus has been on booths, presentations and evening programs on a regular basis in Fort Simpson, including a months-long tobacco awareness program.
The effect of that is already showing, she said. She has watched as youth from Fort Simpson who used to gather near the school to smoke cigarettes dwindled from 10 to only a few.
"What I really like is I don't see so many students standing out there smoking," she said.
Recently, Hardisty and her coworkers have been developing programs to increase health awareness in the Deh Cho. They regularly visit Jean Marie River, Nahanni Butte, Trout Lake and Wrigley, where they present to youth in the schools as well as to community members.
"A lot of (this job) has to do with awareness and promoting healthy lifestyles," she said.
"If somebody has diabetes, how do we help them live with (that) in a healthy way? ... We send awareness out into the community and say, 'Diabetes is high in aboriginal people. If it's in your family, be aware, be cautious - and try to live healthy lifestyles.'"
In order to practise what they preach, health representatives have to address issues specific to the North, such as high food prices. Currently, Hardisty's team is working with the Department of Industry, Toursim and Investment to garden with elders and children.
Her team's efforts on community engagement have been noticed elsewhere, she said. That became evident when other community health representatives across the territory began calling her office or e-mailing her to ask for advice.
"There are other (representatives) who are looking at the Deh Cho region and what we're doing," she said.
"(We) work hard to do programs and see what inspires the community to live healthy lifestyles."
