A Halifax woman who lives with fibroids, cysts and adenomyosis shared her struggle and potential five-year wait to see a gynecologist with reporters on Wednesday, as the Opposition called for action to address health care wait times in the province.
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Opposition → live → province
Haley Smith, 36, said she shouldn’t have to fight just to receive care.
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she → say → care
“For the past 131 days, I’ve been feeling lost, alone, unheard, and frustrated,” she said.
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she → feel → days
“For 131 days, I have been experiencing prolonged bleeding while being told that what I’m going through is somehow normal.”
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going → experience → what
Smith says her dream is to become a mother, but the lengthy wait time to see a specialist has her concerned about the possibility.
“Being referred to a gynecologist and then being told I have to wait four to five years is heartbreaking, especially when I’m already worried about fertility and my future,” she said.
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she → say → fertility
“I’m sharing my story because I know I’m not the only woman experiencing this.
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I → share → this
Women deserve to be listened to.
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Women → deserve → ?
We deserve timely care.”
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We → deserve → care
Smith spoke at a news conference organized by the NDP, which said it is forcing debate on three pieces of legislation aimed at improving health care.
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it → speak → care
NDP Leader Claudia Chender said the province should have a way to measure progress for all aspects of health care.
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province → say → care
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“I believe that all women in this province are experiencing unnecessarily long and dangerous wait times.
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women → get → times
Well, that’s the question.
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that → ’ → ?
And what we want is transparency.
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want → want → what
And we want to be able to measure progress,” she said.
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she → want → progress
“How long should it take?
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it → take → ?
How are we going to get to that point?”
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we → go → point
Meanwhile, the group Women’s Access to Care & Health (WATCH), organized a march to Province House Wednesday to amplify their message to the government.
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group → organize → government
Independent MLA Elizabeth Smith-McCrossin, who represents Cumberland North and is also a member of WATCH, tabled a bill Wednesday to improve women’s health outcomes.
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who → represent → outcomes
“The reality is that our bodies as women are different than men’s, and they deserve the same adequate attention,” she said in the legislature.
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she → deserve → legislature
“Madam Speaker, if a man had a cancerous lesion on his penis, he would not have to wait four years for it to be removed.
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it → have → penis
A woman can have a cancerous mass on her labia, be given a four-year wait for a gynecologist, and she’s dead long before she is seen.”
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she → have → gynecologist
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who → age → change
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workers → vote → action
In a statement, Nova Scotia Health (NSH) said the province has been improving access to gynecological and pelvic care — highlighting the Endometriosis and Chronic Pelvic Pain Clinic, which recently “progressed from a pilot clinic into a recognized research clinic.
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which → say → clinic
“Thirteen full-time equivalent positions have been recruited for gynecological services — the resources flow between general gynecology and the Endometriosis and Chronic Pelvic Pain Clinic,” NSH wrote in a statement.
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NSH → recruit → statement
As well, the Department of Health unveiled new initiatives on Monday aimed at improving women’s health care, including efforts to reduce breast cancer screening wait times.
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Department → unveil → times
Health Minister Michelle Thompson also provided an update on the new Menopause Centre of Excellence — a clinic poised to open in the Halifax neighbourhood of Spryfield this winter.
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Thompson → provide → Spryfield
The clinic will offer in-person and virtual care, and will be staffed by a gynecologist, pelvic floor physiotherapist, registered nurse and general practitioner.
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clinic → offer → gynecologist
All this has WATCH member Cairista MacIsaac hopeful, but still waiting.
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MacIsaac → have → ?
“We are grateful about the announcement, we are happy they are finally acknowledging the issue.
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they → acknowledge → issue
We’re here to make sure no woman in the province is being left behind when it comes to their care,” she said.
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she → ’re → care
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