Health officials in Manitoba have acknowledged the essential role systemic racism played in the medical care Stephen Rockwell received. He was a 33-year-old member of the Shamattawa First Nation who died tragically on March 13, 2024. His family’s harrowing experience highlights the alarming difficulties Indigenous peoples in Canada endure when meeting their need for care and healing. Rockwell is survived by his wife, Darilynn, and their three children, Sean, Austin, and Madelyn. They are now on the long road of dealing with the loss of their dad.
Stephen Rockwell had originally been diagnosed with an acute myelogenous leukemia over a year before his death. His health started deteriorating in early October 2023, starting with emergent crippling back pain, a symptom that he repeatedly communicated to medical staff. Unfortunately, his complaints were met with skepticism, as medical staff prescribed pain medication without further investigation into the underlying issues.
In the ensuing months, Rockwell underwent an aggressive chemotherapy regimen followed by a stem cell transplant. His sister, Stacey Rockwell, selflessly donated her stem cells to help him win his battle against cancer. After four months of chemo, recurrence was detected, resulting in his tragic death.
Thompson’s healthcare has been criticized, the healthcare that he received at Thompson’s hospital has come under scrutiny. Health officials admitted that Rockwell incurred racial bias that helped determine his care. His family argues that medical staff disregarded his extreme discomfort. They contend that the staff failed to provide the active supervision required for an individual with his diagnosis. Even a doctor had accused Stephen Rockwell of being a “drug-seeker” – even though he never used them.
Leona Massan, Rockwell’s mother, expressed her frustration over her son’s treatment. She pointed to opportunities where doubt and concern pushed his medical journey off course.
“What if they would have listened to us? What if they would have given him treatment faster?” – Leona Massan
Massan shared an experience in which a doctor dismissed her incurring profound disrespect.
“And I said, ‘Excuse me, it says doctor in front of [his name], too,’” – Leona Massan
This was incredibly poignant for me, because my niece had gone with us to visit her father in the hospital shortly before he passed away.
“When her mom walked in with her, she perked right up — ‘Are we here to see Daddy? Are we going to visit Daddy?’” – Stacey Rockwell
The young girl’s innocent excitement is juxtaposed against the child soldiering reality of their outcome. As Stacey looks back on the emotional cost of all this has exacted on her family.
“And that’s heartbreaking, because she doesn’t understand.” – Stacey Rockwell
The family hopes that the story about Stephen’s experience will prevent any other families from experiencing what he went through.
“He was treated like, ‘You’re a drug-seeker,’” – Stacey Rockwell
“That narrative was placed on him, which is wrong.” – Stacey Rockwell
Her case has opened a welcome discussion on the systemic discrimination within healthcare that is often extended even to Indigenous women. Uzoma Asagwara, an inclusive representative of the Manitoba government, focused on the need to interrupt biases like these in order to provide better care down the line.
“Now we have to do the work of unpacking that and making sure it doesn’t happen moving forward,” – Uzoma Asagwara
Their family grieves deeply for their loss. They cling to the hope that Stephen’s experience will lead to systemic changes in the way healthcare providers serve Indigenous patients. This way, they argue, more people will be informed of their distinct struggles that Indigenous communities consistently encounter while traversing medical systems.
