Heather Winterstein’s tragic death at St. Catharines General Hospital in December 2021 has raised serious concerns about the systemic issues within Ontario’s healthcare system. Her family and community are preparing for an inquest beginning Monday. They want to get to the bottom of what happened in the days leading up to her tragic death. The inquest is expected to take two weeks. It’s expected to have nearly 22 witnesses testify, laying out their testimonies regarding what led to her care and treatment.
On December 9, 2021, Heather Winterstein was taken to the ER after a fall left her with crippling back pain. She had abnormal vital signs on her first assessment as well. Even though she met these criteria, she waited hours in the emergency department before passing out on the floor. An autopsy determined the cause of Jerrelle’s death. After undergoing severe ascites and infected necrotizing fasciitis, she eventually passed away from sepsis caused by these treated-by-antibiotics bacteria. Even more disturbingly, Winterstein was released without a proper evaluation following her first appointment.
Findings and Recommendations
Following her passing, a third-party panel thoroughly investigated what transpired at St. Catharines General Hospital. In August 2023, they published their conclusions in a detailed report. The report released a comprehensive series of recommendations, focused on reshaping care delivery to better serve patients while combating systemic biases. Niagara Health has committed to all of the panel’s recommendations, starting with ensuring cultural safety training is made mandatory for all staff.
Heather Winterstein’s case has raised awareness of the systemic racism that marginalized people often encounter when interacting with the healthcare system. Because she was classified as dually homeless and addicted to drugs I worried that unconscious bias would impact her care. Running through her daughter’s struggles with heroin and fentanyl addiction, Francine Shimizu-Orgar, Winterstein’s mother. In spite of these challenges, she rejoiced in and shared her daughter’s happiness and vivaciousness.
“You are going to be outraged as I was,” – Francine Shimizu-Orgar
In her remarks, Shimizu-Orgar focused on her drive to prevent any other parent from having to go through the experience of losing her son. As she put it, “My whole mission in life is to make sure this doesn’t happen to any other parents. I want to save other families who have kids addicted to drugs, especially Indigenous and marginalized families.” Her passion for this cause helps highlight the need to tackle these systemic issues now.
Community Response
In Fort Erie, Ontario, friends and family have recently come together as a community to remember the life of Heather Winterstein. This emotional memorial displayed a frilly pink prom dress. This colorful representation was a reflection of her colorful spirit and the love she radiated to each and every person she encountered. A cousin Jill Lunn described her as “a human being, a beautiful human being surrounded by family.” Her words were echoed by dozens of other speakers at the historic convergence.
Lunn’s statement resonates with the larger community’s desire to remember Heather not only for her struggles but for the person she was: “We want to support Heather’s parents and remind people she was a beautiful, wonderful person who deserved better.”
That moment served as a powerful reminder of the tragic impact that systemic bias in healthcare can have. It highlighted our deep desire—and deep desperation—for something to change.
The Role of Systemic Bias
Ontario Regional Chief Abram Benedict denounced the death of Heather Winterstein. He hoped that this awful incident could raise awareness about the systemic racism First Nations people face in health care. He said that Heather’s death epitomizes a sad truth. It was a tragic reminder of the systemic racism that First Nations people continue to face in health care. He goes on to characterize the inquest as an incredibly necessary opportunity. It provides us a novel opportunity to unpack how stigma and bias affect First Nations patients in hospitals and emergency departments across Ontario.
Sean Longboat emphasized how Friendship Centres experience the real-life repercussions of cultural disrespect. They experience first-hand the damaging effects of institutional racism on Indigenous people. He stated that unless we deeply understood these realities we would never make the systemic changes to the system required for true reform.
“These realities must be understood if meaningful change is to follow,” – Sean Longboat
Linda Boich from Niagara Health acknowledged the issues raised by Winterstein’s case and expressed a commitment to addressing them. “We acknowledge the broader concerns about racism and bias in health care, including in hospitals like ours.”
