Sam Kewaquado’s Advice: Live Stress Free

Sam cuts a striking figure and while I have been aware of him since first moving to Parry Sound, it’s only recently that we met. Sam is an artisan who crafts birch bark baskets in the pre-European contact Ojibway tradition and this year, celebrates a century of the industry within his family.  His notable stature and soft-spoken manner belies an inner spirit ready to fight for honor, justice and moral right. 

When Sam was 44 his doctor warned him about diabetes.  Totally at odds with the man sitting across the table from me in our interview, in 1988 Sam weighed 290 pounds.  His doctor advised him "Loose weight!"  Sam spent a year eating nothing but greens, lost 78 pounds and then, as Sam puts it, ‘coasted until 2000'.  

Sam's first heart attack came in January 2000 amidst a severely stressful time.  As a Chief Council Member at Shawanaga, Sam was in the center of a strongly contested fight within the community that took place over the Christmas period.   Two weeks later, Sam was in hospital.

On January 5^th, Sam was driving home from a trip to town when he began to suffer severe chest pains.   By the time he reached the house he was covered in heavy sweat.  Believing that he was suffering a chest cold, Sam went to rest.  As he lay quietly, Mary called 911.  On a treacherously icy evening ten years ago, Sam was taken to the Emergency Department by ambulance.  He suffered a heart attack and was moved to Intensive Care for 4 days.  He was 54.  

In 2000 Sam was a good candidate for cardiac rehab but he had already lost time from his busy role on Council.  Instead of taking the program he went right back to the job.  That worked for a few years and then in 2007, Sam suffered another heart attack.  This time he was ready to make changes.  He quit smoking and entered the West Parry Sound Health Centre's cardiac rehab program.  

It's hard to reconcile the gentle man in front of me with the inner struggles he has experienced over the last few years.  Sam tells me his stress of 2000 gave way to a new stress as the Federal Government began the process of reconciliation over the Residential School System.  When Sam was 15, the Federal Government sent him to a provincial residential school in Uxbridge.  While the provincial school was miles from his home and family, it was chosen because there was no federal school in the area.  But when the Federal Government began the reconciliation program Sam was refused a settlement because of bureaucracy.  He fought for justice but received none.   

Sam tells me that of the approximately 160,000 individuals ‘eligible' for restitution through the federal reconciliation program, about 50% received payment.  The others passed away in the interim.  An estimated 5,000 to 10,000 people across the country have slipped through the bureaucracy in cases similar to Sam's.  Added to his anxiety is Sam's struggle to pay for needed medication.

Sam's dry sense of humour has us both smiling as he tells me, the doctors keep telling him to "Go home, eat well and live without stress."  Good advice but not so easy to follow.  Last fall, Sam came to Emergency with chest pain. After testing, Sam was sent to Sudbury where he received 2 stents.   Sam is grateful to both hospitals, "I've had remarkable treatment in both places".   

Sam has donated one of his beautiful baskets to the Foundation's auction for the Perfect Picnic Gala this year at Camp Tapawingo.  This is the second year Sam has graced us with his beautiful art.  Sam is thankful.  So are we.

On May 30th the Foundation is hosting the 3^rd annual Cardiac Rehab Biosphere 2K, 5K, or 10K race, run, walk ‘Do It For Life'.  All money raised from this goal setting day of fun and exercise will remain in the community purchasing a second BI-PAPP machine (breathing assist) for ICU and step counters for Cardiac Rehab participants.  Please help save a life locally and join in the fun.  You can learn more at www.psrun.com.

If you think you would benefit from participating in Cardiac Rehab, discuss the Health Centre's cardiac program with your family doctor.

Lynne Atkinson is the Executive Director of the West Parry Sound Health Centre Foundation.