We need to protect ourselves…

I think vaccinations are really important in our community, and in Aboriginal communities. Before I was a nurse I wasn’t too sure and I don’t think I had enough information to make a decision, but now after being in the workplace and being certified to give vaccinations, I had that information.

You know, in our history as Aboriginal people, we’ve been so affected by different diseases like small pox, like influenza in the pandemics that came through and killed so many of our people. We lost so many of our people that we need to protect ourselves through vaccine programs.

Things like flu, the people that are most susceptible are children, babies and Elders. We lost so many of our Elders. They carry our knowledge, they carry our languages and our traditions and we really need to have them as long as we can and keep them healthy. So protecting them against those diseases means vaccinating your children.

- First Nations nurse and mother