St. Theresa Point First Nation Community - H1N1 Vaccination Clinic

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Health Canada employees help with mass H1N1 vaccination at St. Theresa Point First Nations community.

Transcript - St. Theresa Point First Nation Community - H1N1 Vaccination Clinic

Description: A plane flies over St. Theresa Point

Narrator: St. Theresa Point, a remote First Nations community in northern Manitoba was hit hard by the first wave of H1N1 in the spring.

Description: Boxes of supplies are piled into a charter plane.

Narrator: Mass immunization planning began shortly after the crisis in May, and soon a call for volunteers.

Nellie Erickson, Acting Nurse in Charge - St. Theresa Point Nursing Station: "Chief and Council were absolutely in support of as many volunteers as possible. There was to be a radio program calling for volunteers with specific skills sets."

Narrator: The call was answered from far and wide.

Description: Volunteers wait for charter flight to St. Theresa Point.

Narrator: Elaine McDougall is a nurse working for Health Canada in southern Manitoba. This isn't the first time she's volunteered to help out this community.

Elaine McDougall, Health Canada Volunteer: "I was actually in St. Theresa when the first wave hit. I was up there helping out in the community in the nursing station. So I knew how important this is for all the First Nation communities."

Narrator: Elaine is one of 14 volunteer team members lead by Joe Gecheru, the nurse manager at St. Theresa Point who has been working with the team for close to six months.

Joe Gecheru, Nurse Manager - St. Theresa Point: "We have had several meetings to train them and prepare them for the mass immunization."

Narrator: Bags are packed and spirits are surprisingly high as the volunteers get ready to board the small plane bound for this isolated community. Lending a helping hand to those in need seems to be what drives these Health Canada employee volunteers, many leaving young families behind.

Elaine McDougall, Health Canada Volunteer: "I have a seven year old and a 23 month old, so it's a little bit difficult to leave them, but because they know where I am, they know I'll be safe, they know that I have a good team that I'm going up with, they're very supportive and I'll be home soon."

Description: A camera takes a photo. The flash lights up Elaine's face.

Narrator: The effects of the first wave on the community seem to have heightened awareness. People aren't taking any chances here as young and old make their way to the vaccination clinic at the brand new nursing station.

Jerri Southcott, Health Canada: "This 7-million dollar nursing station recently opened its doors to accommodate the ever-increasing population here at St. Theresa Point. And the timing couldn't be better."

Description: The crowded waiting room inside the nursing station at St. Theresa Point.

Jerri Southcott, Health Canada: "As hundreds make their way through the doors of this nursing station for day one of the H1N1 immunization clinic. And, if all goes well, 4,000 needles will go into the arms of all eligible in the community."

Sylvie Flint, Health Canada Volunteer: "They have really, really focused on doing education. And education of all the public and the community as a whole, so I think that's really been instrumental to getting folks aware that we're here and to come down and to be immunized."

Narrator: Ask people in this community why it's so important to get the H1N1 flu shot and the answer is simply put in both languages; Cree and English.

Russell Mason, Band Member - St. Theresa Point: "Espee-guy-akwa-din. So you don't get sick. Espee-guy-akwa-din. That's it."

Bertha Flett, Band Member - St. Theresa Point: "One of my nieces was really ill in the springtime. She was hospitalized and hooked up to a ventilator, so I don't want anybody to go through that."

Caroline Chartrand, Volunteer - 4 Arrows Regional Health Authority: "I was speaking with one grandmother and I think she said she had a two month old baby that was in hospital in Winnipeg with the H1N1 and on a ventilator. So yeah, the baby was quite ill. To see all of the devastating effects that it had on people, yeah, it was no question for me or my family."

Narrator: The team flown in from other parts of the country handle the crowd with ease. And that's thanks to another army of more volunteers from the community itself.

Narrator: Day one of this clinic comes off without a hitch. And so far, as the second wave makes its way across the country, St. Theresa Point remains disease free.

Description: Volunteer driver goes out the door of the nursing station.

Narrator: The day winds down and everyone takes solace in knowing that, with a little help given to those in need, much can be achieved. All it takes is a helping hand.

Edward Flett, Band Council - Health Portfolio: "The old cliché that to raise a child you need to have a community, that's exactly what we like to promote in our community."