BC Women’s Health Foundation: Bringing Others Along

In 2019, Kim is featured in the BC Women’s Health Foundation speaking on a data-gathering project aimed at better understanding the health care priorities of Indigenous women across British Columbia.

Exerpt

Dr. Kim van der Woerd is a leading advocate for Indigenous women’s health. She is a member of the ‘Namgis First Nation and principal with Reciprocal Consulting, a unique firm specializing in culturally–responsive evaluation and research. Her traditional name is T,lalisam, which comes from an origin story about the killer whale, one of the totems of her family.

“I feel extremely fortunate to be able to witness the good work that happens in our communities and tell the story that can contribute to their advocacy and self-determination. At the forefront, culturally–responsive evaluation means being mindful of power and privilege, and to not always give privilege to the voices of people in power,” explains van der Woerd.

Her firm recently partnered with BC Women’s Hospital Foundation on a data-gathering project aimed at better understanding the healthcare priorities of Indigenous women across the province. In each of BC’s five health regions, Reciprocal Consulting’s team conducted focus groups with Indigenous women, exploring and quantifying some of the barriers and issues that hinder their access to, and interactions with the healthcare system.

Click here to read the original story on the BC Women’s Health Foundation website: https://www.bcwomensfoundation.org/bringing-others-along/