The community of Shoal Lake Cree Nation, located in northeast Saskatchewan, misses it's trusted and respected doctor.
Dr. Pat Chernesky has been commuting to Shoal Lake since 1997. Before that people from the community would go to Nipawin, an hour away, to see her and at times getting to the appointment was not easy.
“I think it was hard for them to come to Nipawin. Transportation was a big issue. Transportation was very difficult to get in and sometimes they weren’t able to come in during the day. Taxis were busy with other patients going into the city and other patients and they had to come in the evenings which was inconvenient for them or sometimes they could not get any transportation, to me I found that a very big problem.” Chernesky said.
Since Chernesky retired in July, 2014, the people of Shoal Lake have had to get used to the change and start building a new relationship with the new doctors serving the community. The Shoal Lake Cree Nation health centre works with the Kelsey Trail Health Region to have doctors commute to Shoal Lake once a week to see patients.
“Dr. Chernesky was very easy going about how many people she saw and even if she stayed late, she made sure people got seen. You don’t get that same service from other people. They come here for certain hours, they book so many people and that’s it, and if you can’t get in you can’t get in,” said nurse Georgina Quinney.
Three doctors now take turns rotating in to Shoal Lake once a week; the one issue with the new doctors, particularly amongst pregnant women, are that there are no female obstetricians.
Barbara Bear, an expecting mother, prefers a female doctor over a male doctor to deliver her baby. For the time being she has been seeing the nurse practitioner. Most expecting mothers from Shoal Lake feel the same way and are uncomfortable with having male doctors who are trained in obstetrics, but as of yet the two female doctors who commute to Shoal Lake are not trained in obstetrics.
“Chernesky delivered all my boys and I miss her,” says Bear, a mother of three.
Dr. Chernesky says, ever since she has retired she has been busy as Regional Director of the Rotary club and spending time with her grandchildren. She also misses the people in Shoal Lake and Red Earth.
“Now that I am retired, I’m not sure what to call it. I really realize how I enjoyed going to both reserves. People there are really appreciative for us taking the time to come and I was grateful for that, it was a good relationship. I see people in town and there’s always a hug in the street,” Chernesky said
