Members of the Heiltsuk Nation in Bella Bella, BC, are celebrating a happy arrival with the birth of baby Anthony Bennett Johnson, the first Heiltsuk baby to be born in Heiltsuk territory in years.
And, to make the moment even more special, the delivery doctor was also Heiltsuk.
The local hospital in Bella Bella, a town of about 1,200 people on Campbell Island, about 300 miles northwest of Vancouver, is not equipped to deliver babies, so expectant parents often travel to higher-level medical facilities in the weeks before their due date.
But Nicole Johnson went into premature labor on Sunday at 34 weeks pregnant.
Bad weather prevented an air ambulance from landing and the ferries were full.
Enter Dr. Don Wilson.
Wilson, an obstetrician-gynecologist from the Heiltsuk Nation, was on duty at Comox Valley Hospital in Comox, B.C., on Sunday when he received a call from a military flight surgeon.
Would Wilson herself help with an obstetric emergency in Bella Bella? place of birth?
Of course.
Wilson had 45 minutes to get to the military base and knew he had to prepare for the lack of birth-specific medical equipment at Bella Bella Hospital.
“I thought in the back of my mind that maybe we would have to do a C-section and for that I would need an anesthesiologist,” Wilson said.
I knew exactly where to find one.
Wilson’s life partner is an anesthesiologist who locums in the Comox Valley.
“So I dragged him with me and we got to Bella Bella together in the Cormorant helicopter,” Wilson said with a smile.
It was a smart decision. The team at ƛ̓uxválásu̓ilas Heiltsuk Hospital (pronounced kwil-valas-iwaylas) had to perform a cesarean section.
Wilson praised the hospital staff.
“People worked long, long hours. People came in when they weren’t on duty. Everyone who needed this to happen just stepped up and made it happen.”
Wilson said the hospital does not have an operating room, so the team used the trauma room.
They set up the equipment so Wilson could perform the cesarean section.
“It certainly wasn’t the standard I’m normally used to, but in the end everything went pretty well and we had a healthy baby in 1:35.” [a.m.] in the morning,” he said.
Johnson and her baby are doing well, according to Wilson.
‘A healing event for the community’
Max Johnson, Nicole’s uncle, said having the baby home in Bella Bella has cheered up the family.
He highlighted how special it was to have a Heiltsuk doctor deliver the baby.
“The fact that one of our own Heiltsuk doctors delivered the baby added to everyone’s excitement.”
Johnson estimated this is the first time in about 13 years that a Heiltsuk baby has been born at the local hospital.
Wilson said thinking about the importance of a Heiltsuk baby being born to the nation makes him emotional.
“As First Nations people, we are so incredibly connected to our lands and territories that when we are not born on our lands and territories, that is a loss. And that has to be faced with every birth.”
He said the story highlights the importance of having a strong public health system.
“We really need to strengthen support for our rural suppliers in particular,” he said.
He added that more indigenous people should be encouraged to enter health professions.
Wilson said the hospital used to routinely perform deliveries, but stopped doing so around 2000, in part because the training process for the family doctors who run the hospital has changed.
Vancouver Coastal Health did not respond to a request for comment by publication deadline.
Wilson said there have been a lot of smiles and happiness in the hours since Anthony was born.
“It’s wonderful to be a part of this. I think it’s been a healing event for the community and the nation.”
