Thursday, October 3, 2024

Wellness Wheel Medical Clinic is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing equitable access to high quality clinical and holistic care for Indigenous and vulnerable populations. The clinic’s team collaborates with Indigenous leaders and communities to create a community-driven healthcare model that integrates Indigenous culture and traditional practices with the western healthcare delivery model.

Inspired by the clinic’s work, Pfizer colleague Scott helped create a partnership in which Pfizer sponsored a short documentary, highlighting impact of the Wellness Wheel’s model of care, on its patients. The documentary also received support from The Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation. The film captures the unique healing journeys of Indigenous women of childbearing years across Saskatchewan.

Susanne Nicolay, a registered nurse with First Nations & Métis Health in the Saskatchewan Health Authority who has worked with the Wellness Wheel Medical Clinic, explains the importance of visual storytelling in their approach. “We use visual storytelling to share the work with First Nations communities because it aligns with their tradition of oral communication. Hearing directly from individuals with lived experiences - whether dealing with diabetes, HIV, or COVID—helps us understand what works, what doesn’t, and how health and wellness can be achieved. It’s exceedingly important for us to understand differences in health values, health literary, and to reflect on what we are truly able to bring to communities.”

The film highlights the experiences of individuals whose voices are often underrepresented in health narratives, and who are at higher risks of contracting disease than any other social group due to historical and contemporary factors. Healing for these individuals includes being able to take control and ownership of their healing journey and fostering a culture that protects vulnerable groups from stigmatization, racism, and discrimination. The result of this healing is often the ability to form relationships that are centered around trust and safety.

Susanne notes that strong relationships are central to the clinic’s care model. She advises clinicians to engage with Indigenous communities in a humble, authentic, and transparent manner, showcasing the community’s strength and resilience rather than reinforcing the stereotypical negatives.

Pfizer Canada is proud to have supported this initiative as part of our own journey of truth and reconciliation.
“Pfizer’s support validates the impact of the work in, with and for First Nation communities,” Susanne says. “I feel heard and supported within the larger health care community, and I love being able to share the amazing strengths that are present in First Nation communities; strengths that I have the privilege to see every day,”

To watch the film and learn more about the Wellness Wheel Clinic, visit their website:

Wellness Wheel Clinic Website
Wellness is Life (youtube.com)