In order to promote improved health outcomes for Indigenous families who receive pediatric palliative and, or oncology care in Saskatchewan, Dr. Jill Bally and graduate student Meridith Burles are looking to improve understanding of Indigenous family caregivers’ experiences of negotiating care of children with life limiting and life threatening illnesses. Their team will also seek to develop and pilot test a culturally-based support intervention to enhance healthcare in Saskatchewan. Their work is guided by cultural and family advisors.

Dr. Carol Bullin is working with nephrologist Dr. Joanne Kappel (Saskatchewan Health Authority) to explore how Indigenous patients with chronic kidney disease and their families, make decisions about treatment options for failing kidneys. Working with Indigenous patients and their families in participating communities, their research involves the co-development of educational tools regarding the treatment of failing kidneys, specifically within the Indigenous population. Their work will result in the co-creation of culturally appropriate educational materials about treatment options for failing kidneys that will facilitate evidence-informed decisions among Indigenous populations.

Dr. Anthony de Padua’s work brings together two things he is interested in – HIV/AIDS and the impact it has in Prince Albert and Northern Saskatchewan, in particular on Indigenous people. His research looks into whether or not there are connections between a person’s spirituality and healing with HIV, specifically, how spirituality plays a role in holistic care and healing for an Indigenous person living with HIV.  In addition to exploring the experiences of spirituality and healing for Indigenous people living with HIV, he is co-creating a Circle for Healing. He is meaningfully including the voices of community members, the family of those living with HIV, and those living with HIV to better understand the experiences and issues involved. Dr. de Padua is collaborating with Sturgeon Lake First Nations health care center to help ensure his research is influenced through Indigenous knowledge and community participation.

Dr. Tania Kristoff’s work focuses on supporting the academic achievement of Indigenous postsecondary students. Tania aims to identify potential barriers that may prevent Indigenous students from completing post-secondary education, such as intergenerational effects stemming from historical events, experiences with racism and inadequate funding. By identifying these barriers, she hopes to provide supports to influence academic persistence of Indigenous post-secondary students.

Dr. Maposa's research focuses on quality of life and improving health promotion for Indigenous women, newcomers and African youth women in complex life situations. She is leading a research team that is looking at how a community-based approach to holistic care for mother-infant pairs experiencing a substance use disorder and/or HIV improves health and social outcomes. Her work examines the benefits of keeping these babies with their mothers in a supportive care home with pre-and postnatal care. Her research will also examine if keeping the mother and baby together in the beginning impacts the number of children entering the foster care system. This work aligns with Saskatchewan's provincial goals of reducing the high HIV and hepatitis C rates associated with injection drug use.

Dr. Marcella Ogenchuk is exploring oral health in Indigenous communities. Her research looks to identify the strengths and barriers of oral health care services, specifically, the availability, accessibility, accommodation, and acceptability of oral health care in two Indigenous communities. She hopes to engage individuals, families, community leaders, health care practitioners, educators, and policy makers in the building of a framework and the groundwork necessary for future oral health care funding opportunities in Indigenous communities.