An awareness walk is scheduled to wrap up today in Dryden.

It’s called Jeannie’s Way.

It started on Tuesday from the Tourist Bureau in Sioux Lookout and will end at the Northwest Community Care Access Center on King Street.

The walk is to raise awareness of a lack of support for health care for off-reserve members.

The Sioux Lookout First Nation Health Authority says it’s fully supporting the walk by Howard Meshake and Jeannie Carpenter.

“It’s our goal to see a system designed around people having the ability to look after their loved
ones at home”, says Sonia Isaac-Mann, CEO and President of the health authority.

“People should not be living in hospitals or long-term care facilities simply because there is a lack of support services. We call on both levels of government to work with us to make sure our clients have a full continuum of care with a coordinated system of services so they can live with dignity and live with their loved ones.”

Jeannie Carpenter is a patient requiring 24-hour medical help due to her complex medical needs brought
on by a stroke in 2018.

She lives at home, in Sioux Lookout, with Howard who is the primary home caregiver.