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On National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, we honour Survivors of residential schools, their families and communities, remember the children who never returned home, and reflect on the ongoing impacts of residential schools and colonialism. September 30 is also Orange Shirt Day, which honours the children who survived residential schools and remembers those who did not return home.
Indigenous perspectives and lived experiences are essential to Praxis’ work to improve health outcomes and quality of life for people living with spinal cord injury (SCI). We recognize that advancing reconciliation requires ongoing listening, learning, relationship-building and action.
Praxis supports the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action and is committed to advancing meaningful Indigenous engagement throughout our work in SCI research, care and innovation.
Building relationships and understanding priorities
Led by our Indigenous Peoples’ Liaison, Richard Peter, and supported across Praxis, our Indigenous engagement work focuses on building meaningful relationships with Indigenous communities and organizations, listening to the experiences of Indigenous people living with SCI, and better understanding community priorities related to SCI research, care and innovation.
Praxis continues to strengthen connections among Indigenous people with lived experience of SCI, researchers, clinicians, health organizations and community partners. Through these relationships, we aim to create opportunities for Indigenous knowledge, perspectives, experiences and priorities to meaningfully inform our work.
Bringing Indigenous perspectives into SCI research and care
Over the past year, Praxis has continued to create opportunities for Indigenous voices and lived experiences to inform learning across the SCI community.
Praxis-led SCI Clinical Education in rural and regional communities have included Indigenous Perspectives sessions facilitated by Richard Peter in collaboration with Indigenous people with lived experience of SCI from participating communities. Through personal experiences and discussion of barriers encountered within the health system, these sessions help clinicians deepen their understanding of Indigenous experiences of SCI and consider how care can be more culturally responsive.
This work is part of Praxis’ ongoing commitment to supporting a more inclusive and culturally responsive SCI ecosystem—one that respects Indigenous ways of knowing and reflects the needs, strengths and priorities of Indigenous communities.
On September 30, we encourage our community to take time to listen, learn and reflect, and to engage with Indigenous voices, perspectives and resources that deepen understanding and support reconciliation.
LEARN MORE
Explore research and resources from Praxis and members of the SCI research community examining Indigenous perspectives, experiences and approaches in spinal cord injury research:
Indigenous Canadians experience greater challenges living with spinal cord injury than the rest of the population. Praxis works with Indigenous and research communities to better understand these challenges and collaborate to find solutions.
Praxis acknowledges that Indigenous people with SCI experience many unique issues and barriers, from diagnosis and medical care to support within the community. These issues are frequently unseen, unrecognized and unsupported by consultation, affirmative action, inclusion or respect for cultural and traditional ways of being.
Richard Peter is a proud member of the Cowichan Tribes on Vancouver Island. As the Indigenous Peoples’ Liaison, Richard works to enhance collaboration between researchers, healthcare systems, and Indigenous peoples living with SCI to improve the quality of life of people in every community provincially, nationally and globally.
