“Wherever I go, whenever I work, I try to be a beacon of light. Everyone is dealing with something. Kind words and a genuine smile, or just laughing with somebody goes a long way.” – Barry Bostwick, Registered Nurse, Thompson General Hospital.

I grew up in the Bahamas so my choice to immigrate to northern Canada, with its polar opposite climate, can sometimes require an explanation.

The story of my journey to Thompson, Manitoba is quite simple really. It involved falling in love with my classmate and chemistry lab partner while attending nursing school in Florida. I took a leap and moved to her hometown with her where we are now raising our two beautiful daughters in a place where we are surrounded by the support of her family and this community.

I am grateful to be working for the Northern Health Region. As a nurse at Thompson General Hospital, I get to work with a lot of friends and the comradery feels like family and keeps me super motivated.

Thompson is a special community and a bit outside the norm. We are relatively isolated so we see more challenges with addiction and people who are hurting, having to respond to those issues without the resources of a bigger centre. Our teams have to get creative to meet the needs of whoever is seeking help.

In my role here, I want to be a breath of fresh air for people. Wherever I go, whenever I work, I try to be a beacon of light. Everyone is dealing with something. Kind words and a genuine smile, or just laughing with somebody goes a long way. I know that lightheartedness can boost morale and I try my best to emulate my dad, who is an easy-going jolly guy.

That approach works well in a city that is very diverse.

Here, I work with people from all over the world with very different backgrounds. In my experience since my arrival, race has not been a factor in the progression of my career or the opportunities given to me.

Respecting and honouring diversity and equity are part of my role and I look for ways to provide care that meets a patient’s religious and cultural beliefs and customs. I also find myself advocating for people who may face barriers and might not be familiar with the Canadian health system. We see new immigrants all the time and as someone who also immigrated here, it is nice to be able to help them navigate our system and offer them not only equal care but care that is tailored to their individual needs.

That is what we should continue to strive for, equal opportunities for all.

For me, Black History Month is a time to reflect on where we have come from as black people and the limited opportunities we have had in the past. Today, if you want to achieve something, you can go and get it.

Looking into the future, I hope we can recognize and honour the advancements made so far by society as a whole and continue to bridge remaining gaps in diversity and equality. We’ve made strides but there is still a lot of work to be done and room for improvement, right here in our community.

During the month of February, Manitoba’s health system recognizes the significant contributions, influence and achievements of the Black community.

Black History Month is an opportunity to celebrate Black culture and highlight some of the many compassionate Black individuals within our health care community who continually provide excellent care and strengthen our teams. We encourage you to read their stories and join us in honouring their achievements and the contributions they make every day.

A Beacon of Light – Black History Month with Barry Bostwick – Shared Health