This week I completed my first photo essay. It was quite a lesson in dealing with the public.
The photo essay consisted of photographs from the H1N1 immunization clinic at Robert Usher Collegiate in Regina. My task was to take photographs in and around the clinic. In preparation for the task I made calls to the health region, got permission, checked in with the nurse on site when I arrived and ensured everyone in charge knew who I was, what I was doing and that I had permission to be there. Everything was in place and I started snapping.
What I didn't think about was the human factor.
I arrived at the clinic moments before it opened for the day. There were approximately 50 people waiting to get their shot. I snapped photographs of people in line, the registration desk, the room; very general shots, no close ups.
One woman was not impressed with my camera. She threatened to call security, demanded I stop shooting, yelled at me to stop what I was doing immediately.
I explained that I had permission to do what I was doing, assured her she was not in my shots, in fact no one really was at that point. I suggested she remain calm but to feel free to call security if she wanted verification.
She did not call security.
As I continued and eventually moved to close-ups, I asked permission and was greeted with very eager and willing people. I left with some photographs that I feel capture the mood and environment of the clinic.
In the end I was reminded about the wild-card that public places throw at us. I have worked filming video in public places before but was never treated as I was in this instance. There is something very personal and almost intimate about a camera and I respect that not all people are comfortable being on film.
This experience was a good reminder to do research, get permission and be ready for adverse reactions.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Time to vote
I have to admit, this is my first civic election. More accurately, this is the first civic election where I will vote. Kind of embarrassing when I admit that I am old enough to have voted in several civic elections by this point in my life.
So why vote now? Could be because I'm a home owner now. Perhaps it's because I'm a mother. Is it because I'm a journalism student? I think it's a little bit of each.
One thing for certain is that I am far more concerned with how my city is run now than I ever have been before and that alone is reason to vote.
I've spent a lot of time researching the candidates for council. In particular I've been talking to Heather McIntyre, a candidate running in Ward 2. She reminded me about the trouble of voter apathy in civic elections. I'm excited about this election but as I've already admitted, this is my first civic election. She also said that she thinks civic politics is the level of politics that probably affects people the most. There is no doubt that city politics shape our day to day, every day.
Makes it all the more depressing that historically voter turnout in Regina civic elections is very low. I would know, this is my first vote.
Go vote. It's your community.
So why vote now? Could be because I'm a home owner now. Perhaps it's because I'm a mother. Is it because I'm a journalism student? I think it's a little bit of each.
One thing for certain is that I am far more concerned with how my city is run now than I ever have been before and that alone is reason to vote.
I've spent a lot of time researching the candidates for council. In particular I've been talking to Heather McIntyre, a candidate running in Ward 2. She reminded me about the trouble of voter apathy in civic elections. I'm excited about this election but as I've already admitted, this is my first civic election. She also said that she thinks civic politics is the level of politics that probably affects people the most. There is no doubt that city politics shape our day to day, every day.
Makes it all the more depressing that historically voter turnout in Regina civic elections is very low. I would know, this is my first vote.
Go vote. It's your community.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
We've got them but we don't often give them
The need for organ donors is high in Saskatchewan. The province is not alone. Nation wide there is demand for healthy organs but yet the number of donors is not increasing.
In Saskatchewan individuals can indicate their desire to be an organ donor by putting a sticker on their health card and completing a short consent card. Do that, and you are on your way to being an organ donor. I say 'on your way' because even that step does not ensure your organs will be used upon your death. It is more complex than that.
The more important step is talking to your family. It is critical that your next of kin be notified of your desire to be an organ donor in the event of your death. Sounds simple enough but in reality most people don't have that conversation. The reason is simple - we are not a society that likes to talk about death.
This lack of conversation is one of the major reasons the number of organ donors stays low in Saskatchewan. Our province is not alone. In fact, with around 14 organ donors per year, Saskatchewan actually matches or exceeds the national average. Issues such as cultural beliefs, lack of knowledge, religious beliefs and trauma resulting from death also greatly affect the number of organ donors.
With the number of donors staying low, the number of recipients continues to grow. Researching this issue I had the opportunity to speak with Tara Griffiths, a registered nurse who works as a transplant coordinator. She was able to help me understand the challenges in the process of organ donation. A big obstacle is that there is no mandatory reporting of death in Saskatchewan. That means that if someone has died or is about to die, the transplant team is not contacted to discuss organ donation options with the family. The responsibility to indicate desire for organ donation usually falls entirely upon the family. In times of great stress this is a great responsibility to place on family.
Education is key in upping the donor numbers. This is an area Griffiths and her team focus on. With education there is hope that more people will consider having that critical conversation about their wishes to donate in the event of death. It's not an easy conversation but it's critical for saving lives of the hundreds of people on donor wait lists.
Rod McDonald is waiting for a kidney. Speaking with him really put it all in perspective. His life is changing quickly as he waits for a kidney. A formerly very active individual, he now sleeps for up to 16 hours a day. He is also on dialysis every day. He needs a kidney and knows his wait will likely be at least two years long. It's a daunting reality. He has developed what he calls 'gallows humour' to get through the process. He has learned to laugh at the very long and often painful process of being on the kidney donor list.
I personally have signed my donor card. I signed it years ago and I wondered if I was an anomaly so I decided to talk to a few people. Turns out I am. It's not that the majority of the people I spoke with were against being donors, they just hadn't thought about it. In some cases with the younger people I spoke with, they didn't even know being an organ donor was an option. They literally had no idea.
McDonald even admitted to not having signed his donor card in the past. He sees the irony in that and like the other people I spoke to, it was simply something he never thought about until it became his reality.
He really encourages people to think about being a donor and giving what he calls the "gift of life."
In Saskatchewan individuals can indicate their desire to be an organ donor by putting a sticker on their health card and completing a short consent card. Do that, and you are on your way to being an organ donor. I say 'on your way' because even that step does not ensure your organs will be used upon your death. It is more complex than that.
The more important step is talking to your family. It is critical that your next of kin be notified of your desire to be an organ donor in the event of your death. Sounds simple enough but in reality most people don't have that conversation. The reason is simple - we are not a society that likes to talk about death.
This lack of conversation is one of the major reasons the number of organ donors stays low in Saskatchewan. Our province is not alone. In fact, with around 14 organ donors per year, Saskatchewan actually matches or exceeds the national average. Issues such as cultural beliefs, lack of knowledge, religious beliefs and trauma resulting from death also greatly affect the number of organ donors.
With the number of donors staying low, the number of recipients continues to grow. Researching this issue I had the opportunity to speak with Tara Griffiths, a registered nurse who works as a transplant coordinator. She was able to help me understand the challenges in the process of organ donation. A big obstacle is that there is no mandatory reporting of death in Saskatchewan. That means that if someone has died or is about to die, the transplant team is not contacted to discuss organ donation options with the family. The responsibility to indicate desire for organ donation usually falls entirely upon the family. In times of great stress this is a great responsibility to place on family.
Education is key in upping the donor numbers. This is an area Griffiths and her team focus on. With education there is hope that more people will consider having that critical conversation about their wishes to donate in the event of death. It's not an easy conversation but it's critical for saving lives of the hundreds of people on donor wait lists.
Rod McDonald is waiting for a kidney. Speaking with him really put it all in perspective. His life is changing quickly as he waits for a kidney. A formerly very active individual, he now sleeps for up to 16 hours a day. He is also on dialysis every day. He needs a kidney and knows his wait will likely be at least two years long. It's a daunting reality. He has developed what he calls 'gallows humour' to get through the process. He has learned to laugh at the very long and often painful process of being on the kidney donor list.
I personally have signed my donor card. I signed it years ago and I wondered if I was an anomaly so I decided to talk to a few people. Turns out I am. It's not that the majority of the people I spoke with were against being donors, they just hadn't thought about it. In some cases with the younger people I spoke with, they didn't even know being an organ donor was an option. They literally had no idea.
McDonald even admitted to not having signed his donor card in the past. He sees the irony in that and like the other people I spoke to, it was simply something he never thought about until it became his reality.
He really encourages people to think about being a donor and giving what he calls the "gift of life."
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
One little beetle
I recently received a notice in my home mailbox. It was from the City of Regina and this is what it said:
"Important Spraying Notice. Within 48 hours of the date stamped on the bottom of this notice city elm trees in your area will be sprayed with the pesticide Dursban (TM)."
The notice continued with details of how the trees were to be sprayed and why they were being sprayed. The part of the notice that particularly struck my interest read like this: "City Council reaffirmed the use of Dursban (TM) after Health Canada's Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) re-evaluated and confirmed that Dursban (TM) is safe to use in the management of DED."
I found this curious and decided to look into Dursban (TM).
I discovered that Dursban(TM) is the product name for a chemical called chlorpyrifos, a highly toxic and controversial chemical. Chlorpyrifos has been under review by Health Canada for almost 10 years. It has been banned for residential sale but, as indicated by the City of Regina's notice, is approved for commercial users particularly in the battle against Dutch Elm Disease.
I tried at great length to get in touch with the city to learn more. They did not return my calls. I then contacted the Wascana Centre Authority, as they too use the chemical on Dutch elm trees that fall in their jurisdiction, an area of parks and recreation sites that cover 2300 acres of Regina.
There are many opposing views on this issue.On one side there are the officials who deem the pesticides safe. Then there are individuals who fight for pesticide free cities who believe that no amount of pesticide use is safe.
One thing I have left with is my desire to learn more. I think it's really important to question what is happening around you. This includes the chemicals that are being sprayed in our cities and our neighbourhoods. I am going to do my best to protect myself with information.
"Important Spraying Notice. Within 48 hours of the date stamped on the bottom of this notice city elm trees in your area will be sprayed with the pesticide Dursban (TM)."
The notice continued with details of how the trees were to be sprayed and why they were being sprayed. The part of the notice that particularly struck my interest read like this: "City Council reaffirmed the use of Dursban (TM) after Health Canada's Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) re-evaluated and confirmed that Dursban (TM) is safe to use in the management of DED."
I found this curious and decided to look into Dursban (TM).
I discovered that Dursban(TM) is the product name for a chemical called chlorpyrifos, a highly toxic and controversial chemical. Chlorpyrifos has been under review by Health Canada for almost 10 years. It has been banned for residential sale but, as indicated by the City of Regina's notice, is approved for commercial users particularly in the battle against Dutch Elm Disease.
I tried at great length to get in touch with the city to learn more. They did not return my calls. I then contacted the Wascana Centre Authority, as they too use the chemical on Dutch elm trees that fall in their jurisdiction, an area of parks and recreation sites that cover 2300 acres of Regina.
There are many opposing views on this issue.On one side there are the officials who deem the pesticides safe. Then there are individuals who fight for pesticide free cities who believe that no amount of pesticide use is safe.
One thing I have left with is my desire to learn more. I think it's really important to question what is happening around you. This includes the chemicals that are being sprayed in our cities and our neighbourhoods. I am going to do my best to protect myself with information.
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