Building Culturally Safe Spaces for Indigenous Care Across Lakeridge Health

Creating culturally safe, respectful, and welcoming care environments is an important part of Lakeridge Health’s commitment to Indigenous patients, clients, families, residents, and communities. Throughout the organization, a variety of initiatives are helping to ensure access to spiritually and culturally responsive practices that honour identity, tradition, family, and community throughout the health-care experience. 

This commitment is reflected in Lakeridge Health’s enhanced Indigenous Cultural Practices Policy and Procedures, updated and relaunched in 2024. The policy supports practices such as smudging, prayer offerings, hand drumming, songs in Indigenous languages, cedar baths, Qulliq oil lamps, pipe ceremonies, and Sacred Bundles when requested as part of care. It also provides team members with guidance to help facilitate timely access to ceremony and appropriately respond to requests. 

Alongside these policies and procedures, Lakeridge Health continues to expand culturally responsive spaces across its sites. In 2024, through the support of the Central East Regional Indigenous Cancer Program, Oshawa Hospital became the first Lakeridge Health site to open a dedicated Sacred Fire space. Sacred Fire spaces have since been established at Ajax Pickering, Port Perry, and Whitby Hospitals, with an additional space planned as part of the future Bowmanville Hospital redevelopment. Indigenous art and healing gardens at the Ajax Pickering and Oshawa Hospitals have also contributed to these welcoming spaces for several years. 

“Having access to cultural practices and ceremony can bring comfort, connection, and healing for Indigenous patients and families, especially during times of illness, grief, and loss,” shares Kathy MacLeod-Beaver, Indigenous Navigator, Central East Regional Indigenous Cancer Program at Lakeridge Health’s Oshawa Hospital. 

“This work is an important reminder that reconciliation in health care must be reflected in the everyday environments we create, the policies we shape, and the decisions we make,” says Dr. Onye Nnorom, Chief and Medical Director, Health Equity and Population Health. “Advancing culturally safe care requires us to go beyond a statement of commitment. It requires meaningful action: creating visible and inclusive spaces, establishing clear processes, investing in ongoing education for team members, and building respectful, sustained relationships with Indigenous communities and partners.” 

Kirsten Burgomaster, Health System Executive, Clinical, adds that the continued growth of Indigenous cultural supports across Lakeridge Health reflects strong collaboration across teams and a shared commitment to improving access to culturally responsive care. “As these initiatives continue to evolve, we remain focused on increasing staff awareness, improving pathways for ceremony and cultural practices, and co-creating environments, in partnership, where Indigenous Peoples feel acknowledged, welcomed, and valued.” 

Learn more about Lakeridge Health’s commitment to Indigenous Cultural Practices on the organization’s website.