Hello everyone!

Our names are Carolyn and Mytchel and we are excited to say that we have been given the opportunity to participate in a pilot program with the Four Directions Aboriginal Student Center this year with Queen’s Health Outreach. Located on campus, the Four Directions Center is a place devoted to teaching and celebrating the Aboriginal heritage. At Four Directions, we had the opportunity to work with several local high school students, learning about and exploring Aboriginal culture.

Diabetes is an ongoing problem in the Aboriginal community, so our role with QHO has been to educate students at Four Directions about diabetes prevention, treatment, and complications. We approached this topic by generating discussion with the students about how the customs related to Aboriginal culture are applied to the prevalence of diabetes. We also implemented activities to encourage critical thinking about risk reduction strategies that can be incorporated into traditional cultural practices.

Working with students at Four Directions was a rich opportunity for cultural exchange. It is our hope that QHO and Four Directions will be able to maintain this relationship for years to come!

Mytchel & Carolyn