CBC: Indspire Awards honour Cree doctor who serves her home community
Dr. Marlyn Cook didn’t plan to work in her own community but six years ago, she became Misipawistik Cree Nation’s community physician.
“I never thought I’d be able to come back because I thought it’d be too difficult to take care of family, but that’s what brought me back,” she said.
In 1987, Cook became the first First Nations woman to graduate from the University of Manitoba’s faculty of medicine. This year, she is one of 12 Indspire award winners. She won in the Health category for her decades of work as a doctor in First Nations communities.
Serving her home community happened after three of her sisters were diagnosed with cancer within a short period of time. She said it has brought her closer to her friends and family.
“It’s not as hard as I thought it would be… but it’s still difficult because just about everybody working with you is your family.”
She currently lives in St. Laurent, Man., 95 km from Winnipeg. For three weeks of every month, she is on 24 hour call as the community physician.