It is not every day that a traditional First Nations ceremony is held in Chilliwack General Hospital with a dignified procession, blanketed participants, cedar boughs, singing and drumming.<\/p>\n
But the history-making gathering in the caf\u00e9 at CGH on Saturday (Feb. 21) was anything but an everyday occurrence.<\/p>\n
It was a ceremony to put things right, heal traumas of the past, and celebrate a new artwork unveiled in honour of the late Keegan Combes of Skwah First Nation.<\/p>\n
Combes was a chess champion, a Grade 10 pianist, and a high school grad who died in September 2015.<\/p>\n
The 29-year-old man, who lived with developmental disabilities and was mostly non-verbal was rushed to hospital by his caregiver. The records show he was tragically misdiagnosed at CGH, with what is now known to have been accidental methanol poisoning, which ultimately caused his death.<\/p>\n
The gathering brought together leadership and staff of Fraser Health, the First Nations Health Authority, Fraser Coast Salish Health Council, CGH officials, as well as community members, and family from Keegan Combes\u2019 home community of Skwah First Nation, all there to act in some way as a witness, as the parties reaffirmed a shared commitment toward cultural safety in the system, and reconciling some of the health-related wrongs.<\/p>\n
The event emcee, who explained parts of the ceremony, was Sts\u2019ailes Grand Chief Chasta Willie Charlie, also a member of the Fraser Coast Salish Health Council.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt offers a little glimpse to see that we\u2019re still here, that we still have our ways,\u201d Charlie said about the ceremony at the hospital. \u201cWe still have our beliefs and our practices, to help each other.<\/p>\n
\u201cToday we are helping the family that\u2019s left behind,\u201d Charlie said about the Combes family and caregivers who were left to mourn Keegan, who was 29 when he passed.<\/p>\n
\u201dToday we are releasing that spirit, if you will, Keegan\u2019s spirit, to the other side.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhile we\u2019re doing that we\u2019re going to educate the Fraser Health Authority so others don\u2019t have to experience what he went through.\u201d<\/p>\n
The ceremony for Keegan at CGH on Feb. 21, which would have been his 40th birthday, was described as a \u2018reconciliation gathering\u2019 by organizers.<\/p>\n
A new uplifting artwork by Carrielynn Victor, went up inside the hospital featuring warm tones, an upward trajectory of the lines, and the eagles that Keegan so loved during his lifetime.<\/p>\n
The painting is meant to replace the metal artwork by Francis Horne Sr. which was installed in 2019 and then strategically removed from outside the hospital last year.<\/p>\n
The latest ceremony, constituted a second attempt to make right of some the health-care related wrongs and to do it once again in ceremony since the initial promises were also made in ceremony.<\/p>\n
Alisha Peters, Skwah councillor and member of First Nations Health Council member said among the messages that family would like to share was to \u201cremember Keegan\u2019s story, not his pain.\u201d<\/p>\n
The plaque next to the new artwork states that what happened to Keegan ended up being the catalyst for St\u00f3l\u014d and Coast Salish leaders to press for a wholesale transformation of the health system, taking it from \u201ca sickness model to a wellness model of care.\u201d<\/p>\n
Keegan\u2019s story has already had its transformational aspects, including being used as the basis of the Fraser Health accord, and a case study in Combes\u2019 name that now helps medical students at the university level.<\/p>\n
Grand Chief Doug Kelly spoke about how he and Grand Chief Willie Charlie and others were present for the original deliberations about transforming the medical system, and honouring the promise with an artwork based on the pledge to improve the health system.<\/p>\n
\u201cPromises made,\u201d Kelly bellowed. \u201cAsk yourselves, have you kept your promises? You know what the answer is. I\u2019m not asking you for answers. I\u2019m asking you to think about it when you leave here. There were big promises made. Big promises. Why? So it doesn\u2019t happen again.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kelly suggested it\u2019s still happening.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot just here; but elsewhere in the system.\u201d<\/p>\n
The grand chief, who was the former chair of the Fraser Coast Salish Health Caucus, pointed out that the Combes family has effectively healed in the years since Keegan\u2019s death.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe family\u2019s healed. The people here have not healed,\u201d he offered, adding that the re-installed plaque was written with words he helped craft with the family and the FHA.<\/p>\n
The plaque reads:<\/p>\n
\u201cIn Keegan\u2019s memory the Fraser Salish Health Caucus leadership will work with the board and seniors executive team of the Fraser Health Authority to transform the care provided to all.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn his memory we will work together to ensure that all peoples from all places and all races will be provided the highest quality of care that is respectful of all cultures and beliefs.\u201d<\/p>\n
A top hospital official spoke about the significance of the gathering and called it a \u201creminder\u201d about what Keegan\u2019s story can offer.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor us, this is not just a ceremony,\u201d said Kristy Eckland, director of clinical operations for CGH.<\/p>\n
She called it a reminder.<\/p>\n
\u201cHis story teaches us what must transform in our system, and so that other families don\u2019t experience the same harm and difficulty that his family has endured. As leaders and staff in this hospital, we hold a direct responsibility to ensure that health care is safe, respectful, and grounded in cultural humility, especially for Indigenous children and families.\u201d<\/p>\n
Eckland added: \u201cThis work is not easy, but it\u2019s necessary.\u201d<\/p>\n