Guest Speaker February 14, 2018

Celestia Richards, Director of Development, Faculty of Community Services Ryerson University

Each year, RTE awards four Dr. Robert McClure Bursaries of $2,500 to First Nations students in Health Science at Ryerson University. The bursaries were created to honor the work of Dr. Robert McClure, an outstanding humanitarian, gifted surgeon, the first lay Moderator of the United Church of Canada and a member of RTE. To endow this fund, the club organized two “McClure Miracles”-a gala dinner and auction in 1991 and 1993.
 
Jackie introduced our speaker Celestia Richards, Director of Development, Faculty of Community Services Ryerson University who spoke about the 2017-18 McClure Award winners. All winners are currently studying midwifery at Ryerson University.
 
Walter W pictured above with the winners
  • Jasmine Allan-Sferrazzi is of Indigenous, Syrian Finnish and British descent. She is currently studying Midwifery and hopes to work with urban indigenous women to bring the power, sacredness and hope of birthing in a culturally safe space back to these families.
  • Rachel Back is of Ktunaxa and German/English descent from Akisg’nuk First Nations. She has worked as a policy analyst at the First Nations Health Science Authority in BC.  After graduation, she hopes to launch one of first culturally –based Indigenous-led healing support group for sexual assault survivors.
  • Doriesha Watson-States has worked with Indigenous women in Yellowknife. After graduation, she hopes to empower families to bring ceremony back to childbirth and volunteer in communities where healthcare and premarital care is less accessible.
  • Alyssa Gagnon is currently involved with the National Aboriginal Council of Midwives. She plans to work to bring midwifery back to Taykwa Tagamou Nation and to the James Bay, her ancestral home.
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