Transforming Indigenous Health Care in Northern BC - One Heart at a Time

October 1, 2025

Accessing health care remains a significant challenge for many Indigenous communities in Canada. Barriers such as navigating complex systems and policies, traveling long distances for basic services, and facing systemic racism and cultural insensitivity in medical settings have contributed to persistent health disparities. For many First Nations communities, specialized care often requires journeys of hundreds of kilometres to urban centres, trips that are not only costly but also emotionally taxing. Elders, parents with young children, and those without reliable transportation are especially affected.

In response to these challenges, there is a growing movement to bring culturally safe and accessible wellness services closer to Indigenous communities. Organizations like Carrier Sekani Family Services (CSFS) were founded to meet this need, creating health environments rooted in ancestral values and cultural knowledge. This vision is shared by many who recognize the shortcomings in the current system.

One promising contribution to this communal issue is the One Heart at a Time - Cardio Diagnostic Tour, a collaborative medical outreach initiative aimed at improving cardiovascular care in Northern British Columbia. This project reimagines how care is delivered, bringing services directly to the people. Instead of requiring patients to leave their homes and communities, the diagnostic launch brings advanced cardiac diagnostics, such as stress tests and echocardiograms, to local clinics, making care more accessible,

 “Our healthcare system serves major urban centres very well, but remote First Nations communities have much lower access to preventative and ongoing care,” says Kyle Pearce, one of the project managers of the initiative. “The question was: how do we overcome this?”

Rooted in the vision and support of Indigenous communities, this represents a bold and collaborative step toward improving health outcomes and advancing Indigenous health and wellness. This initiative brings essential cardiac diagnostics and treatment directly to remote Indigenous communities, helping to bridge long-standing gaps in accessing quality health care. It aims to transform health-care delivery by bringing services directly to Indigenous communities in ways that are safe, respectful, and culturally informed. 

“Our health-care system wasn’t built with Indigenous people in mind. This initiative is about creating a model of care that is led by the community and delivered where people live. I believe in the strength of our communities and in taking control of our own health,” says Dr. Miles Marchand, one of the project’s visionaries, cardiologist at St. Paul’s Hospital, and a member of the Syilks First Nation, Okanagan Indian Band. “I’m here as an advisor. My goal is to support communities as they take charge of their health.”

At the heart of this is an exciting and impactful cardiologist-led team bringing specialized care directly to remote communities. Dr. Marchand also serves as a cardiologist for CSFS, together with Dr. Daisy Dulay and Dr. John Pawlovich (Family doctor and Medical Lead with both CSFS and RCCbc), who are part of the vision, planning and action phases of this project.

This initiative goes beyond medical testing; it’s about building relationships and trust. Through community meals and informal gatherings, residents have opportunities to meet the healthcare team in a welcoming environment, fostering deeper connections, and mutual understanding. 

From September 22, the Cardiologist Diagnostics Launch has been visiting several communities, sharing updates and stories along the way through social media and the project website. These platforms will offer a window into the journey and the impact it’s creating.

The Cardio Diagnostic Launch has been brought to life through strong partnerships of organizations like: CSFS, Northern Health, Vancouver Coastal Health, Providence Health Care, the UBC Division of Cardiology and Department of Family Medicine, Sports Cardiology BC, Doctors of BC, Sanofi, Abbott, the Rural Coordination Centre of BC (RCCbc), and TELUS. Mussi Cho for your support.

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