“It was terrifying to me because I had little understanding about the disease. It was the nurses that worked in the local clinic that helped ease my worries by providing thorough education.”
This is how Tina Campbell describes her own encounter with latent TB infection.
Now, Tina is an incredible advocate in the fight to #EndTB and we’re proud to feature her as a champion.
Currently a Tuberculosis Program Advisor with the Northern Inter-Tribal Health Authority and co-chair of Stop TB Canada, Tina spent the majority of her life living in Inuit Nunanngat, Iqaluit Nunavut. This is where she started her career as a nurse in Public Health. Here, she began to observe high rates of TB around her and in many of the Inuit and First Nations on -reserve communities she worked.
Also noticeable was the lingering impact of colonization and mistreatment in these remote and largely Indigenous communities. Tina saw firsthand the impact of intergenerational trauma and mistrust in healthcare institutions. Stigma was also big barrier to TB elimination in these communities.
“While being a patient as well as being a care provider, I developed an understanding of just how challenging both sides can be.”
Healthcare providers eased her worries during her own TB infection, and Tina finds that education and knowledge continue to be a powerful tool in reaching out to community members. They feel comfortable opening up to her due her lived experience as both a patient and as an Indigenous healthcare provider.
This May, Tina was invited to the United Nations High-Level Meeting (UN HLM) multi-stakeholder meeting as a panelist to represent the Canadian Indigenous population. She boldly shared her experience and deep understanding of the impact of TB on Indigenous communities.
“Being able to sit there and represent the Canadian Indigenous population and the impacts that TB has on our communities was the highest honour I was given. I was extremely proud being an Indigenous woman. I feel like we are finally being heard and considered and this is huge if we are going to work towards any progress and TB elimination.“
One of her key messages was in line with our call-to-action, urging Canada to be a global leader in the fight to end TB the UN HLM on TB in September 2023.
“The more voices we have the stronger we become.”
Watch the full interview now!
Tina Campbell is a Tuberculosis Program Advisor with the Northern Inter-Tribal Health Authority and co-chair of Stop TB Canada where she takes pride in being able to use her voice to advocate for her community and for the elimination of TB everywhere. In her free time, she can be found spending time with loved ones or practicing for her next half-marathon. Find her on Twitter at @NITHATB306.
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