Hamilton hospital opens Indigenous families room in memory of Makayla Sault
A Hamilton children’s hospital has opened an Indigenous families room in memory of an 11-year-old First Nations girl who opted out of chemotherapy in favour of alternative healing methods to treat her cancer.
Hamilton Health Sciences said the space at the McMaster Children’s Hospital will be one where patients and families can learn about or participate in Indigenous culture.
The room is dedicated to the memory of Makayla Sault, a girl from the Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation, who died in January 2015. Her case sparked a national conversation on Aboriginal Peoples’ right to opt out of the health system.
“We are grateful to Makayla’s parents, Ken and Sonya Sault, and many other Indigenous community leaders who have provided guidance as we work to become a culturally aware, safe and welcoming place for Indigenous patients and their families,” the president of the McMaster Children’s Hospital said in a statement.