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8TuesdayApril232013ByRENEFRANCOEURAfter13yearsofbringingFortSmithsnewestgenera-tionsintotheworldmidwifeGiselaBeckerispackingherbagsandstartinganewpo-sitioninCalgarythisJuneasAlbertasrstdirectorofmidwiferyservices.Beckersaidsheleaveswithonlythebestofmemories.Itsbeenanincredibleride.IwillmisseveryonehereinFortSmith...Changeisgoodbutitsalwaysemo-tionaltooshesaid.BeckerstrailblazingrolewillbetoadvancemidwiferyservicesthroughoutAlbertaaswellasstrategizethefur-therintegrationofmidwiferyintothepublichealthcarestructure.Inmanysituationsmid-wiferyhaslargelybeenserv-ingasanadd-onserviceinhealthcareandwellbelookingtoseehowitcantmoreintothesystemwithouttakingtheautonomyofmidwivesawayandhighlightingwhatmakesmidwiferysospecialwomen-centredcarewomen-centredchoicesBecker50said.Midwiferyhasbeenregu-latedinAlbertasince1998butserviceswerenotpubli-callyfundeduntil2009.Sincethenmidwiferyhasseenheightenedactivitywithintheprovinceleadingtothees-tablishmentoftherstCollegeofAlbertaMidwiveswhichrepresentsandsupportsreg-isteredmidwivesinJanuary.TheideaistoalsoexpandmidwiferyservicestoFirstNationscommunitiesandmoreruralandremoteareasacrossAlbertaBeckersaid.Illbeworkingcloselywithnotonlymidwivesbutalsophysiciansmanagerspolicymakers.Itsexciting.Whilehernewjobisnotashands-onastheonesheleavesbehindintheNWTBeckersaidsheenjoystheadvocacypartofmidwiferyasshedis-coveredwhensheservedasapastpresidentoftheCanadianAssociationofMidwives.Ifeltlikeitwastimetojumpononelastopportu-nitybeforeIretireshesaidlaughing.TheprogramhereinFortSmithisstrongandIknowitwillcontinuetobe.BeckeroriginallyfromGermanywhereshereceivedhermidwiferytraininghasworkedinvariousplacesacrossCanadasincesheimmigrated20yearsago.ShewasinvolvedinamidwiferypilotprojectinRankinInletNunavutwhichhassincebecomeathrivingprogramandalsoadvancedmidwiferyservicesinCam-bridgeBayGatineauQue.andinmanymorelocationsasalocummidwifeinclud-ingduringatwo-yearstintintheCaribbean.ShearrivedinFortSmithin2000workinginprivatepracticeuntil2005withfellowmidwifeLesleyPaulettewhoBeckercallsthegrandmotherofNWTmidwifery.Lesleysbeeninthecom-munitysinceshewasayoungwomanpracticingmidwiferyheresince1993.IfshehadnttakenthatfirstmoveandstartedprovidingservicestowomenIdontthinkthingswouldhavetakenoffforFortSmiththewaytheydidandImightneverhavebeenhereBeckersaid.Itsjustbeenatremendousteamhere-wenowhavearegisterednursetooJenniferMorris-andImsogratefulforthisbeautifulclosepartnershipwithLesley.BeckerandPaulettesuccess-fullyspearheadedthemotiontolegislatemidwiferyintheNWTwiththepassingoftheMidwiferyProfessionActin2003itwasfullyimplementedin2005.TheyalsopioneeredtheNWTsrstofcialmid-wiferyprogramoperatingwiththeFortSmithHealthandSocialServicesAuthor-ityFSHSSA.ItremainstheonlymidwiferyprogramintheterritorytodaydespiteongoingplanstoexpandtheprogramintoHayRiverandtheBeaufortregion.Afterallthehardworktryingtogetmidwiferyreg-ulateditwassoincrediblewhenweactuallysawithap-peningandwewereabletopracticeasrecognizedmid-wivesBeckersaid.ItwasabreakthroughmomentfeltbynotonlyusbutalsothewomeninthecommunityandthemidwiferycommunityinCanadaasawholebecauseatthattimemidwiferywasonlyregulatedinbiggeres-tablishedareaslikeOntarioandBCandthisshowedusanythingispossible.BeckerwhonotedtheFSHSSAiscurrentlylookingforanewmidwifetollthevacancysaidherdeparturefromtheNorthisntreallyagoodbye.Somuchhappenedinthese13years...IllalwayslookbackfondlyandIknowthatLesleyandIwillstayconnectedandsupporteachotherandworktogetheracrossthemilesshesaid.LesleyandIarenotget-tinganyyounger...ItwillbegoodtohaveanewmidwifeandImsuretheywillbeaswarmlywelcomedasIwas.LookingtowardthefutureBeckersaidshedliketoseeagreaterpushforaNorthern-basedmidwiferytrainingandeducationprogram.WeknowhowtoughitistondandkeepmidwivesintheNorth...Withatrainingpro-grammaybewithAuroraCol-legeorsomethingrighthereintheNWTthatcouldhelpBeckersaid.Northernmid-wiferyismuchdifferentfromsouthernpractices.Womenslivesaredifferenttheirneedsaredifferent.YoudonthaveaNorthernmidwifeovernight.Beckersnaldayasamid-wifeinFortSmithisMay10.PioneeringFortSmithmidwifebeginsnewjourneyHealthWellnessMidwiferyPhotoReneFrancouerOnbehalfoftheTownofFortSmithWewouldliketothankallofthosewhogivetheirtimefreelyhelpingtomakeourcommunityabetterplacetolive.avolunteerGiselaBeckerispreparingtoleaveFortSmithandthemidwiferyprogramshehelpedspearheadforanewposi-tionwithAlbertaHealthServices.