REGINA — A former Regina nurse’s journey through injury, loss and mental health struggles has inspired her son and grandson to cycle across Canada to help other nurses access support.
The inspiration for the “Ride for Resilience” dates back decades, when Andrew Turnbull’s mother, Debby Turnbull, worked as a nurse at Pasqua Hospital.
“One day, she was lifting a patient at Pasqua while on shift. And the patient resisted her. As a result, she injured her back,” he said.
Debby started her road to recovery through rehab, but later found out she couldn’t return to nursing.
“The grief of not being able to return to work, that kind of loss not only of a job, but also of a kind of identity. As a nurse, she began to develop some mental health issues,” said Andrew.
Those mental health issues ranged from depression to schizophrenia to bipolar disorder.
Trying to get help for his mother, the Turnbull family moved west to British Columbia in the 1990s for treatment, where Debby has been supported since.
One day, the family found out that Debby had been diagnosed with cancer, but a positive interaction led Andrew to open his eyes to nurses needing support.
“One of the nurses serving both my mum and this other patient came in, and she got talking with the women. And she said, well, ‘once a nurse, always a nurse.’”
He added, “I realized my mum still is a nurse, and she sees herself that way. And if you listen to the way my mum talks about her nursing training or her nursing qualifications, she's always talking about them.”
Andrew’s focus then shifted to helping other nurses in the same boat.
The journey
Andrew and his son, Judah Turnbull, started cycling across the country from Victoria, B.C., on May 8.
Andrew said he had always wanted to try biking across Canada since he was around 18 years old.
“I had mentioned to Judah when he was a younger boy the idea that when he graduated from high school, we should do it together. And he latched on to that idea. And then it just so happened that his gap year between secondary school and university aligned with the sabbatical that I had.”
The pair chose to travel from west to east because prevailing winds typically blow from the west. However, Andrew admitted the plan did not work out as expected.
“The wind was often a southerly crosswind or a southeasterly wind or a straight-up easterly wind. And so the Prairies were very tough, just really exposed to the relentless kind of wind.”
Enduring the weather and mountainous terrain has made the pair more adaptable as they travel through Ontario, heading toward Sault Ste. Marie as of June 10.
Through their eight-week trip, the pair has raised over $14,000 as of June 10, closing in on their goal of $15,000 for the Canadian Nursing Foundation and one of its pillars, the Healing Healthcare Initiative.
“They're recognizing that some things about our health-care system are broken. And one of those things is how nurses are cared for when they struggle with their mental health. And so, the Canadian Nurses Foundation supports grassroots local initiatives that raise awareness and give training around nurses' mental health.”
A different story
If Debby had the same supports available in the 1990s as she has today, Andrew said her care would have been different.
“I think people are a bit more attuned today to trauma and childhood trauma and how that can relate to mental health conditions developing later in life.”
Andrew also said there needs to be a different approach to how nurses care for themselves.
“It’s right to be so compassionate toward others as part of your job. But when you start to notice that you have a weight on your shoulders, it’s not a sign of weakness.”
Andrew said that people often have others around them who can help support their resilience and recovery.
“There's always going to be players who are stronger and weaker, and sometimes we're the stronger ones, and sometimes we're the weaker ones, but we play the game together.”
Andrew and Judah are aiming to reach St. John's in July. However, based on Debby’s cancer condition, the ride could end sooner.
Anyone interested in helping their cause can find information here.
