A new display at the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital in Saskatoon aims to symbolize the bond between the hospital and the Indigenous community.
At a special ceremony this week, Indigenous leaders, hospital staff, and members of the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital Foundation, unveiled a star blanket to be displayed in the main corridor of the hospital.
According to officials, the star blanket represents “the interconnectedness of all living things and carries the prayers and well wishes of the Indigenous communities it represents.”
“The star blanket symbolizes community connection and marks bonds of honour in First Nation communities,” said Saskatoon Tribal Council Tribal Chief Mark Arcand in a media release. “When one is gifted a blanket, it shows respect and honour,”
Both the STC and the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital Foundation say the star blanket will serve a a testimony of the collaborative efforts between the two groups to improve health outcomes for all children in Saskatchewan.
(PHOTO – Indigenous leaders and members of the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital Foundation pose in front of the newly displayed star blanket. Photo provided by the JPCHF.)