Clinic reopens at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, July 20.
Youth invited to enter National Day for Truth and Reconciliation artwork contest
Youth in the Interlake-Eastern health region are invited to reflect on reconciliation through an artwork contest.
Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority is launching an artwork contest for students in grades 5 to 12 in advance of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, which takes place on Sept. 30.
This day honours children who never returned home and survivors of residential schools, as well as their families and communities. Public commemoration of the painful history and ongoing impacts of residential schools is a vital component of the reconciliation process.
To acknowledge National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, IERHA is seeking artwork submissions designed by youth. The artwork will be made available to IERHA staff during the month of September to use as backgrounds for virtual meetings and computer screens.
All designs must be original and fit on a landscape-oriented poster-sized paper (11 inches high by 17 inches wide), and should try to keep important elements of the artwork away from the top and bottom edges, to ensure the artwork isn’t cut off when sized down to fit computer screens.
All submissions become property of IERHA. The contest is open to youth (Grade 5 to 12) residents in the regions or anyone with a connection to the Interlake-Eastern health region.
To enter, visit ierha.ca/forms/artwork-contest. For those without access to a computer to submit the entry, please call 1-855-347-8500 for other options.
One selected entry will receive $100.
The submission deadline is Sept. 20, 2026.
Supporting Self and Family Managed Care in the Interlake with Care Possible
As an alternative to traditional home care, IERHA offers provincial funding under Self or Family Managed Care where clients or families take responsibility for ensuring client’s care needs are met in employing their own care givers. Learn more at this virtual session: Supporting Self and Family Managed Care with Care Possible
Medical Device Reprocessing (MDR) Open House in Selkirk
Join us for a tour of our modern equipment and technology at Selkirk Regional Health Centre and learn about a career in MDR profession. Register here: Medical Device Reprocessing Open House
Manitoba Government Adds 200 Hip and Knee Surgeries Across Province
SELKIRK—The Manitoba government is continuing to address surgical wait times by adding 200 hip and knee replacement surgeries across Manitoba this year, in addition to the 800 completed at Selkirk Regional Health Centre this past year, Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care Minister Uzoma Asagwara announced here today.
National Indigenous History Month
View this page for opportunities to learn, reflect, and celebrate National Indigenous History Month – Shared Health
Learn more about how Waabishki Bineshiins Indigenous Health team can help you navigate the health system: Indigenous Health – Waabishki Bineshiins
Waabishki Bineshiins offers Indigenous-led support in health system
June is National Indigenous History Month, a time to honour the culture and contributions of First Nations, Inuit and Métis people — including those right here in the Interlake-Eastern health region.
It’s also a time to reflect on the impacts of colonization while taking tangible steps toward reconciliation.
Indigenous cultural perspectives are at the forefront for Waabishki Bineshiins, IERHA’s Indigenous-led health team committed to improving cultural safety, health equity and reconciliation within the health system. Waabishki Bineshiins supports patients in their health journey, helping them interpret health information and understand their options.
The team’s work is guided by the teaching that spirit must always come first.
To honour this teaching, the team offered tobacco to an elder from one of the communities. Through ceremony, the team asked the elder to help find a name that would guide their work in a positive way. They received the name Waabishki Bineshiins, or White Thunderbird. This name reflects not only their spiritual foundation but also accountability to their relatives and communities. Each spring, they hold a ceremony and feast to honour the name.
Robert Maytwayashing, a regional elder and knowledge keeper with Waabishki Bineshiins, outlines the importance of Indigenous representation in health care.
“As a people, we have been systemically marginalized in all sectors of society. It’s been a long time coming to start to have Indigenous representation in the health-care system, not only for our region but for all regions across the province. It’s nice to see a familiar face when you enter these facilities,” he said.
“For the longest time, it was a rare occurrence to see an Indigenous person working in health care. Now there are starting to be more and more Indigenous people involved, and more so with our recent Indigenous Health team. They’re there to support our relatives when they enter the health-care system in one of our facilities — to help them navigate and also to support them.”
The Waabishki Bineshiins team is made up of three main roles: elders/traditional knowledge keepers, Indigenous social workers and skaabes.
Elders/traditional knowledge keepers carry Indigenous teachings from their ancestors and are knowledgeable in the ways of healing, spiritual care and ceremony. They may provide guidance for staff and patients, personal consultation, cultural care, and support and mentorship to patients and their families.
Indigenous social workers also play an important role by supporting and advocating for Indigenous families who are receiving care. With their knowledge of Indigenous teachings and health care, these social workers help with navigating the system through a cultural lens and facilitate safe care plans.
Rounding out the team are the Indigenous Health skaabes, an Anishinaabemowin word that refers to a helper who walks alongside elders, knowledge keepers and community members with humility, respect and a deep commitment to service. Skaabes ensure Indigenous patients receive appropriate and safe patient-centred care during their stay in the hospital and throughout the discharge planning process. At the same time, they help build bridges between Western medicine and Indigenous ways of knowing. They listen, guide and connect so patients and families feel supported during their health-care journey.
“We need more Indigenous people involved in all sectors of the health-care system,” Elder Maytwayashing added. “We need more doctors, nurses, psychologists, social workers, support staff and senior leadership, the whole gamut.”
In his view, events such as National Indigenous People’s Day on June 21 also help to dispel myths and misinformation about Indigenous people and culture.
“When we have annual event such as this, it’s a friendly reminder that we’re still here. We’re not going anywhere,” he said.
“The sooner we learn to understand, respect and appreciate each other, the better off we’re all going to be.”
The Waabishki Bineshiins team continues to grow, and they’re looking to fill all three roles — elder/knowledge keeper, social worker and skaabe — in Ashern. To learn more, visit ierha.ca/indigenous-health or call 204-482-2144.
New Dynacare Laboratory Opens in Interlake-Eastern Region
Manitobans in Selkirk and the surrounding Interlake-Eastern region now have improved access to laboratory and diagnostic services with the opening of a new Dynacare laboratory at the Interlake-Eastern Health Services building, Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care Minister Uzoma Asagwara announced today.
View provincial announcement: Province of Manitoba | News Releases | New Dynacare Laboratory Opens in Interlake-Eastern Region
The power of nurses to transform health
National Nursing Week offers an ideal opportunity to celebrate the vital contribution of nurses across the Interlake-Eastern health region and beyond.
This year, National Nursing Week runs from May 11 to 17. The theme is “the power of nurses to transform health,” which acknowledges how nursing leadership and expertise can create a lasting impact on health care.
For Selkirk-based nurse Geeta Cook, this year’s Nursing Week theme highlights the important role nurses play in improving care, shaping programs and creating positive change.
“Nurses have a unique ability to combine knowledge, compassion and leadership to make a lasting impact,” she said.
Looking back, Geeta knew from a young age that she wanted to work in a helping profession.
“I’ve always been naturally empathetic and drawn to supporting people,” she said, “so nursing felt like a natural fit for me.”
Today, Geeta is the regional director of mental health and addictions with Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority.
“I oversee a range of mental health and addictions services across the region, supporting teams that deliver everything from crisis response to community-based care. A big part of my role is working with teams and partners to make sure services are accessible, coordinated and meeting the needs of the communities we serve,” she said.
“Throughout my career, I’ve been driven by a commitment to improving access to care, supporting vulnerable populations and contributing to meaningful system-level change.”
Part of this meaningful change includes her role in leading the development and launch of the Mobile Withdrawal Management Service. This program provides community-based withdrawal supports across five First Nation communities: Lake Manitoba, Lake St. Martin, Little Saskatchewan, Pinaymootang and Dauphin River.
“The service is delivered by a team that includes a nurse practitioner and two addiction nurses,” she said. “We provide moderate acuity withdrawal support Monday to Friday through community visits, home-based care, clinic spaces and virtual support.”
Geeta helped to establish clinical policies and procedures, supported staffing and clinical readiness, and ensured the team was prepared to deliver safe withdrawal care in community settings. At the same time, she focused on early and ongoing community engagement.
“Before the launch, I focused on building relationships at the grassroots level, meeting with community members and leadership to establish trust and understand local needs. That engagement helped shape how the program was delivered and ensured it was responsive and culturally grounded,” she said.
“The program also reduces barriers to care by allowing self-referrals and strengthening access within community settings. Since the launch, all five communities have welcomed the service.”
As a result, they’ve been able to establish clinic space and begin supporting community members directly where they are.
“As a Barren Lands First Nation member from a northern community, along with my lived experience and professional nursing experience, I bring a unique perspective to my role,” she added.
“I use that to improve accessibility, strengthen programs and help ensure services meet the needs of people and communities today.”
Geeta has also been involved with medical withdrawal management services at Ashern’s Lakeshore General Hospital, which includes two dedicated beds. The team consists of a withdrawal addictions nurse, a social worker and a knowledge keeper.
“We are strengthening access to medically supported withdrawal management services within the region through a culturally appropriate, recovery-oriented model of care that supports individuals from acute care through to longer-term treatment and community supports,” she said.
Reflecting on her career journey, Geeta said it all started when she earned her health-care aide certificate. Before long, she realized how much she enjoyed working in health care, and that passion led her straight to a bachelor of nursing program.
“My career has evolved from frontline nursing into leadership roles across mental health, addictions and Indigenous health,” Geeta said. “I’ve worked in long-term care and acute care, and during the pandemic I supported isolation sites and remote First Nation communities, gaining valuable experience in public health and harm reduction.”
From there, she moved into leadership and policy roles, including work as a tribal nursing officer and senior policy analyst. This role focused on advancing First Nations health priorities and improving access to care. Most recently, Geeta worked as a clinical specialist in addictions for Manitoba and Saskatchewan, which allowed her to provide clinical guidance and support the implementation of evidenced-based approaches.
For anyone considering a career in nursing, Geeta encourages them to follow their passion.
“My journey shows that nursing is a rewarding career that can open many doors, whether someone wants to remain in direct patient care, move into education, management, public health or specialized practice,” she said. “There is room to grow while staying connected with the purpose of helping others.”
For Geeta, collaboration is the most important aspect of nursing within a health-care team.
“Nursing doesn’t happen in isolation — it’s part of a much larger team that includes health-care aides, physicians, allied health professionals and many other support roles such as housekeeping, administration and others who all contribute to patient care,” she said.
“No one works in isolation, and every role plays an important part in supporting the client’s journey.”
What she likes best about being a nurse is the direct connection with community members and the ability to make a meaningful difference in their care.
“When I reflect back to my time as a frontline nurse, the most rewarding part was bedside nursing, being present with people during some of their most vulnerable moments and being able to support them in a professional and compassionate way,” she said.
“As my career progressed, I started to see the bigger picture of how systems impact care. That’s what gradually shifted my focus from direct bedside nursing into leadership and system-level work, but that foundation of caring for people at the bedside is still what drives me today.”
National Volunteer Week is April 19-26 – Ignite Volunteerism
National Volunteer Week is April 19 to 26 and this year Interlake-Eastern Health is acknowledging 368 people from around the region who take the time to volunteer in health facilities and programs that impact the lives of many people and families in our region.
Holly Typliski is a fourth-year University of Manitoba student who volunteers once a week at Selkirk Regional Health Centre’s dialysis unit.
“I started volunteering at the front door to the hospital and that was a great way to interact with all kinds of people. It also exposed me to different departments across the hospital that I could potentially volunteer in,” she says. “No one wants to be at the hospital, so by being a friendly familiar face they see every week, I try to make them feel safe and comfortable while they are here. The best part is having conversations with patients while they are receiving treatment and hopefully making their day a little better by providing them that support.”
Holly’s experience working as a volunteer in a health-care setting is one way she is starting to prepare for a future career in health care. She is completing her Bachelor of Health Sciences in the Interdisciplinary health program with the goal of getting a master’s degree to become a physician assistant. Holly also works part time while she is in school as a research assistant at St. Boniface Research Centre.
Marline Wruck and her friend Henrietta started to volunteer by singing with the patients at the Pinawa Hospital in 2018. They took a hiatus in 2020 and recently thought about how valuable this was to not only the patients but the staff and themselves as well. So mid-January 2026 they returned, bringing music and singing to those at the hospital.
“The joy, conversations and care for one another is what brings us back to them,” Wruck says. “Many of the patients are in the hospital for a long time, and the days can get very long. I’ve heard that since COVID, many of the volunteers who once came to the hospital have not returned.”
Melody Horn lives east of Lac du Bonnet and volunteers at the personal care home running the local bingo game and helping out at family events at least once a week for almost three years.
“I try to make people smile, laugh and enjoy themselves. I also do the same and find myself enjoying it just as much. I go before the game starts to talk to residents and get them excited to play. I also enjoy helping out for special family events too. Volunteering brings me joy.”
Anyone interested in helping out with the recreation department is invited to contact regional recreation manager Lori Martin at [email protected].
Melody Horn, personal care home volunteer, dressed up as a rabbit for last year’s Easter celebrations at Lac du Bonnet Personal Care Home.
Holly Typliski, dialysis unit volunteer at Selkirk Regional Health Centre.
Registration now open for free Spirit of Caring course
Get in the spirit of caring through a training session focused on spiritual health.
A free nine-week Spirit of Caring volunteer education course will run on Wednesdays from April 8 to June 3 from 12:30 to 3 p.m. The location will be determined based on the communities of registered participants. Virtual sessions via Microsoft Teams will also be an option if participants are from different communities.
Through this course, participants will learn about spiritual care in health care. Other topics include death and dying, communication, spiritual development and spiritual diversity. The course will also touch on understanding suffering and compassion, as well as self-care, prayer, mediation, rituals, trauma and crisis.
“Illnesses and loss are those crisis points where our way of life and seeing things can be profoundly shaken and tested,” said Ferdinand Funk, spiritual health services co-ordinator for Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority.
“It is during these moments that we ask questions about meaning, purpose, suffering, forgiveness, hope, resilience, connection with the people we love and the sacred. The Spirit of Caring course is designed to train spiritual health volunteers to journey with and support people during these crisis points.”
Regular attendance and participation are requirements to be considered for a Spiritual Care volunteer position.
For more information, contact Ferdinand Funk at [email protected] or 204-461-3414. Visit https://forms.office.com/r/KYubUZ5sRx to learn more or register for free.
IERHA staffer heads to the Brier with Team Calvert
A Selkirk-based community mental health worker is hurrying hard toward a lifelong dream of competing in the Brier, Canada’s national curling tournament.
Corey Chambers plays third on Team Calvert, which recently won the 2026 provincial curling championship at the Selkirk Recreation Complex. With the win, the team – that also includes skip Braden Calvert, lead Brendan Bilawka, second Kyle Kurz and alternate Rob Gordon – qualified to compete in the 2026 Montana’s Brier in Newfoundland from Feb. 27 to March 8.
The winner of the Brier gets the honour of representing Canada in the World Curling Championship, which will be held this spring in Ogden City, Utah.
“It feels absolutely unbelievable. It’s been a dream of mine since I was a kid to win provincials and represent Manitoba at the Brier,” he said. “I’ve lost the final three times previously, so to finally accomplish the goal and get the opportunity to play in the Brier is incredible.”
It’s been a long time coming, since Corey has been immersed in the curling realm his whole life.
“Basically my entire family curls or loves watching curling, so I was playing from a pretty young age,” he said. “I’ve always loved the competition and relationships you build along the way.”
When he’s not throwing rocks in the curling rink, Corey is making a difference through his professional role in health care. Although he lives in Winnipeg, he has built his career in the Interlake. He worked at Selkirk Mental Health Centre for seven years before joining Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority in 2019.
“I work as a community mental health worker. I’m responsible for assessing and triaging new referrals at intake as well as completing geriatric mental health assessments,” he said. “My team is amazing – everyone is always available for support or assistance whenever needed.”
Marlane Gibbs, IERHA’s health services manager for mental health and addictions, outlined the important role Corey plays in the health region.
“He’s our intake worker, which is an integral and prominent role as he’s often serving as the liaison between our program and other programs in health care. He is very dedicated to his work with mental health services for the elderly and knows the program inside and out,” she said.
“He is our go-to guy, and he is a great team player on and off the ice. We are so very proud of him.”
From his unique vantage point, Corey can draw connections between positive mental health and engagement in activities like curling.
“Regardless of the activity, I think it’s an important concept to just try to maintain a positive outlook, even when faced with adversity or challenges,” he said. “Just believing that you are always building towards something can help when trying to achieve a goal.”
Looking ahead, Corey is proud to represent the province in St. John’s.
“It’s been a long-time goal to get to the Brier,” he said. “We hope to represent Manitoba well.”
Interlake-Eastern RHA welcomes pediatricians
Three new pediatricians in the Interlake-Eastern health region are currently accepting referrals.
Dr. Wail Seleem started in December 2025 and is based in Selkirk and Eriksdale. Dr. Hammam Akil started in October 2024 and is in Selkirk and Pine Falls. Dr. Carla Bowes is a developmental pediatrician who started in October 2025 and is working in Gimli and Arborg.
All three pediatricians are working as part of a team to serve communities within the Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority. Contact your primary care provider to schedule a referral.
“For years, families in our region had no local pediatric specialists,” said Dr. Scott Gregoire, vice-president of medical services and chief medical officer for Interlake-Eastern RHA.
“Having three pediatricians now serving our communities is a major step forward that will improve care for children and reduce the need for families to travel for essential services.”
Selkirk QuickCare Clinic is moving Jan. 26
The Selkirk QuickCare Clinic is moving to the Interlake-Eastern Health Services building at 100 Easton Drive on Monday, Jan. 26. To accommodate the move, the clinic will be closed at 5 pm. on Friday. Jan. 23, closed all day Sat. Jan. 24 and Sun Jan. 25 reopening on Monday, Jan. 26 in the new location at 1 p.m.
To make an appointment at the QuickCare Clinic in Selkirk call 204-482-4399 (phones answered at 9:30 a.m. to book same-day appointments) or book with Quick Care Clinic online at medinav.ca
QuickCare clinic health care providers diagnose and treat your minor health issues such as common cold or flu symptoms, minor stomach aches, diarrhea or vomiting, cuts, sores, infections, back or neck pain, stress or anxiety.
First Baby of the Year Celebrated at Selkirk Regional Health Centre
Arielle Marshall and Tanner Wachal welcomed a baby boy, Arthur, at 9:18 am at Selkirk Regional Health Centre on Saturday, Jan. 3. He was the first baby born in 2026 at the health centre.
Arthur weighed seven pounds and was 19 inches long. His parents are from Winnipeg.
“Selkirk has a great labour and delivery ward which is why we are grateful to have delivered here,” says Wachal.
Wachal’s mom, Charity, is an RN at Selkirk Regional Health Centre and was present for the birth of her grandson along with Dr. Bunkowsky who delivered him.
Chair of the Selkirk Hospital Gift Shop volunteers, Betty Milkowski, maintained a tradition by gifting Arthur diapers, playpen, toys, blankets and clothing to celebrate the arrival of the first baby of 2026. She said the volunteers make the New Year’s baby gift tradition possible.
“Thank you to all the volunteers for all their work running the gift shop. They make it possible for us to donate to the family of the New Year’s baby every year,” says Milkowski. “This has been going on since the first hospital was built in Selkirk and the original ladies auxiliary was founded. Congratulations to new parents Arielle and Tanner!”
In 2025, 455 babies were born at Selkirk Regional Health Centre compared 443 in 2024.
Anyone interested in delivering a baby at Selkirk Regional Health Centre should call 204-482-2150 or email [email protected] to be connected to family medicine obstetrics or midwifery services.
For a tour of the obstetrics unit at Selkirk Regional Health Centre, please call 204-785-7402.
From left to right: Arielle Marshall and Tanner Wachal accept a gift from the Chair of the Selkirk Hospital Gift Shop volunteers Betty Milkowski for New Year’s baby Arthur (centre) who was born Jan. 3 at Selkirk Regional Health Centre.
Nominations now open for Physician Emeritus Award
Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority (RHA) is now accepting nominations for this year’s Physician Emeritus Award.
Physicians who are retired or have reduced their practice in preparation for retirement are eligible for nomination if they have provided exemplary service and expertise to their communities.
The nomination can be submitted by either physician colleagues or by community members.
Nominations should be signed and have a paragraph about why the physician should be considered for the award.
The regional Medical Advisory Committee will consider nominations and make the final decision about granting the designation based on the considerations listed above. The award will be presented at the annual physician dinner in April.
“Being acknowledged by the people we care for and by our professional peers is one of the most meaningful forms of recognition in medicine,” said Dr. Scott Gregoire, chief medical officer for Interlake-Eastern RHA. “I’m eager to see physicians in our region highlighted for the exceptional commitment they show to their patients every day.”
Have a physician in mind? Nominations should take into account:
- Length of service (commitment to the community),
- Scope of service,
• Recognition of exemplary skills by colleagues,
• Recognition by the community, and
• Demonstration of the Interlake-Eastern RHA values in their practice (Humility and learning from others; Respect, compassion and collaboration; Actioning reconciliation; responsiveness and accountability.
Please send nominations to Jennifer St. Laurent at [email protected] by February 6, 2026.
The regional Medical Advisory Committee will consider nominations and determine award recipients.
Award recipients will be recognized in-person at the annual physician dinner in April.
Past award winners as posted here: Physician Emeritus Awards – Interlake-Eastern RHA