(Ottawa, ON) August 3, 2021 – On this week’s Roots & Hoots episode, the Legacy of Hope Foundation’s host, Gordon Spence, is pleased to be joined by a young Inuk woman and cardiac surgeon, Doctor Donna May Kimmaliardjuk. Donna May is Canada’s first Inuk cardiac surgeon. Growing up in Ottawa, she knew from a young age that she wanted to become a surgeon, and she has since found her way to the top. Having trained in Ottawa at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute (UOHI), she is now based out of the Eastern Health, St. John’s Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, USA. Dr. Donna May and Gordon sat down to discuss what life was like for a young Inuk heart surgeon, and how she got to where she is now.

Born in Winnipeg to an Inuit mother and Ukrainian father, Donna May’s mother knew that she wanted to raise her family down south and in a big city. Down south from Chesterfield Inlet, Nunavut, where her mother is from meant the family would find their home in Ottawa. From a young age, Donna May knew that she wanted to help people, and had a strong desire to become a doctor. She was also a classically trained pianist, though it is difficult with her busy schedule, to find time to play these days. Being a cardiac surgeon is a lifestyle, and Dr. Donna May’s passion for her work is infectious and obvious when you hear her speak about the long hours of what a typical day at the hospital entails. She is a woman who believes in pursuing dreams, and the fulfillment that comes from that. Her message for young Inuit is that if you feel excited or passionate about something, you should absolutely go for it. When it comes to pursuing higher education, there are bursaries available, and though the application process may be frustrating at times, it is worth it because it means getting you where you want to be and reaching your full potential. No matter what age, Dr. Donna May says, absolutely go for it! To listen, visit: https://bit.ly/rootsnhoots

The LHF is pleased to be in their 21st year as a national, Indigenous-led, charitable organization that has been working to promote healing and Reconciliation in Canada. The LHF’s goal is to educate Canadians about the history and existing intergenerational impacts of the Residential and Day School System, Sixties Scoop, and other colonial acts of oppression on Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit, and Métis) Peoples. The LHF has 22 exhibitions that are available for loan for free.

Our latest exhibition, Escaping Residential Schools: Running for their Lives, is now available through an animated virtual video, along with the Survivors’ Oral Testimonies. The exhibition examines the experience of Survivors of the Residential School System and raises awareness on the impacts it has on our communities. For more information on the project, please visit: https://legacyofhope.ca/project/escapingrs/ The LHF is working on making its other exhibitions also available on line.

The LHF also has curriculum from K-12 and for adults, along with Activity Guides, Workshops and Training aimed at educating Canadians about Indigenous history and the shared history of Residential and Day Schools, the Sixties Scoop, Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, etc. The LHF works to develop empathy and understanding so as to eliminate racism and to foster Reconciliation in Canada.