<![CDATA[A 24 year old Indigenous Canadian woman named Heather Winterstein died of sepsis after ER staff dismissed her repeatedly and labeled her as a homeless addict.]]>A 24 year old Indigenous Canadian woman named Heather Winterstein died of sepsis after ER staff dismissed her repeatedly and labeled her as a homeless addict.

There’s an inquest into her death that shows her falling to the floor in the ER and still being ignored.

Bias, bigotry, misogyny and racism can determine the care you receive in the hospital .

I was Heather’s age when I experienced a life threatening complication after my hysterectomy

Like her I was sent home from the ER multiple times

Told I was exaggerating.

Attention seeking

Deemed a trouble maker

On my fourth visit my then boyfriend had to carry me in because I couldn’t even sit up

He had to raise his voice and cause a scene

He said he was refusing to take me home to die, and he firmly believed that’s what would happen

Triage called security who threatened to call police

They would rather arrest him than treat me

Thankfully a doctor heard him yelling and came to look in on me and instantly realized something was wrong

Within hours I was being rushed to a larger hospital for emergency surgery

I had been bleeding internally the entire time and developed a huge infected abscess

Had they treated me earlier, my survival odds would have been much better

Instead I very nearly lost my life and ended up spending a month in the hospital

I was one of the lucky ones

No one’s survival should ever be based on luck, race, money or privilege

Yet more often than not those things determine who lives and who dies

My heart is heavy for Heather and all who knew and loved her

We must do better

We must believe and listen to patients

We must strive to treat everyone equally

Link Preview Image
Video of woman collapsing in ER waiting room played at Ontario inquest into her sepsis death | CBC

favicon

CBC (www.cbc.ca)

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/topic/76bb2a1e-3fbe-4269-82a1-fa30495c628c/a-24-year-old-indigenous-canadian-woman-named-heather-winterstein-died-of-sepsis-after-er-staff-dismissed-her-repeatedly-and-labeled-her-as-a-homeless-addict.RSS for NodeFri, 15 May 2026 00:35:58 GMTSun, 19 Apr 2026 03:23:22 GMT60<![CDATA[Reply to A 24 year old Indigenous Canadian woman named Heather Winterstein died of sepsis after ER staff dismissed her repeatedly and labeled her as a homeless addict. on Mon, 20 Apr 2026 17:09:22 GMT]]>@DavidM_yeg

This.

Healthcare is so broken.

We need a sea change until nobody who thinks perceived addicts* don't deserve care works in healthcare.

*really, it's just the provider's idea of undesirables

The system as it stands attracts people who want to be gatekeepers.

I bet they'd be all denials if someone said "choosing to dismiss that person's concerns is saying you don't care if they die."

Ms Winterstein, may you rest well. May your family see justice.

@hamishb @broadwaybabyto

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.ie/users/ProcessParsnip/statuses/116438136418170414https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.ie/users/ProcessParsnip/statuses/116438136418170414Mon, 20 Apr 2026 17:09:22 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to A 24 year old Indigenous Canadian woman named Heather Winterstein died of sepsis after ER staff dismissed her repeatedly and labeled her as a homeless addict. on Mon, 20 Apr 2026 12:31:20 GMT]]>@hamishb @broadwaybabyto

Tbh, I think most addicts looking for free drugs are also just people in pain.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://beige.party/users/DavidM_yeg/statuses/116437043147629976https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://beige.party/users/DavidM_yeg/statuses/116437043147629976Mon, 20 Apr 2026 12:31:20 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to A 24 year old Indigenous Canadian woman named Heather Winterstein died of sepsis after ER staff dismissed her repeatedly and labeled her as a homeless addict. on Mon, 20 Apr 2026 12:16:30 GMT]]>A young friend of mine was almost denied treatment for kidney stones because his appearance led the ER to believe he was just another addict looking for some free drugs. He was not, he was just in pain.

In an awful way this is another consequence of our failure to deal humanely and effectively with drug addiction and homelessness.

@broadwaybabyto

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mstdn.ca/users/hamishb/statuses/116436984792396943https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mstdn.ca/users/hamishb/statuses/116436984792396943Mon, 20 Apr 2026 12:16:30 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to A 24 year old Indigenous Canadian woman named Heather Winterstein died of sepsis after ER staff dismissed her repeatedly and labeled her as a homeless addict. on Mon, 20 Apr 2026 08:42:27 GMT]]>@ariaflame Even during pandemics, some tie-wearing asshole manager in local hospitals decided to remove available places in ICU because "those beds aren't used often enough during the year to be profitable… We're not keeping them if if we don't use them ALL the time"

It's about consciously destroying healthcare because hospitals are treated like for-profit business when you put rich people in charge… Denying it out of your chauvinism is YOUR problem

2/2

@howking @broadwaybabyto

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mamot.fr/users/devnull/statuses/116436143151850010https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mamot.fr/users/devnull/statuses/116436143151850010Mon, 20 Apr 2026 08:42:27 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to A 24 year old Indigenous Canadian woman named Heather Winterstein died of sepsis after ER staff dismissed her repeatedly and labeled her as a homeless addict. on Mon, 20 Apr 2026 08:36:57 GMT]]>@ariaflame No, it's not "just overrun because it was a freaking pandemic"… Sure more people are lkikely to die during pandemics but it's NOT what I'm talking… I'm talking about conscious choices to destroy health care, choices amde policitans EVEN during pandemic,

Billionaires running this country litterally sent fascists militarized comps beating nurses during protest to ask for decent work conditions/tools… Medics were literally used fucking trash bags as PPE…

1/2

@howking @broadwaybabyto

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mamot.fr/users/devnull/statuses/116436121487943448https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mamot.fr/users/devnull/statuses/116436121487943448Mon, 20 Apr 2026 08:36:57 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to A 24 year old Indigenous Canadian woman named Heather Winterstein died of sepsis after ER staff dismissed her repeatedly and labeled her as a homeless addict. on Mon, 20 Apr 2026 03:58:42 GMT]]>@devnull @howking @broadwaybabyto So it wasn't to do with the fact that they were overrun because it was a freaking pandemic and that applied equally if not more so to staff working at hospitals likely to catch it? What's a sentiment in your opinion?

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://masto.ai/users/ariaflame/statuses/116435027409159323https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://masto.ai/users/ariaflame/statuses/116435027409159323Mon, 20 Apr 2026 03:58:42 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to A 24 year old Indigenous Canadian woman named Heather Winterstein died of sepsis after ER staff dismissed her repeatedly and labeled her as a homeless addict. on Sun, 19 Apr 2026 23:54:25 GMT]]>@broadwaybabyto There should be criminal penalties for this and the deprivation of all licenses related to medical treatment.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://equestria.social/ap/users/115786986163483583/statuses/116434066861215559https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://equestria.social/ap/users/115786986163483583/statuses/116434066861215559Sun, 19 Apr 2026 23:54:25 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to A 24 year old Indigenous Canadian woman named Heather Winterstein died of sepsis after ER staff dismissed her repeatedly and labeled her as a homeless addict. on Sun, 19 Apr 2026 23:02:31 GMT]]>@SteveClough @broadwaybabyto in the U.S. they’re overcrowded and short staffed and you can frequently top off the process in bankruptcy court. Somewhere medicine went wrong.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.world/users/CatDragon/statuses/116433862735093354https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.world/users/CatDragon/statuses/116433862735093354Sun, 19 Apr 2026 23:02:31 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to A 24 year old Indigenous Canadian woman named Heather Winterstein died of sepsis after ER staff dismissed her repeatedly and labeled her as a homeless addict. on Sun, 19 Apr 2026 18:49:23 GMT]]>@broadwaybabyto Reminded of the death of New Orleans piano legend James Booker.

He was left at Charity Hospital in the emergency waiting room sitting in a wheelchair, and was there for almost half an hour before anyone noticed him. When they did, Booker was already gone. At 43.

I'm so glad you survived.

Link Preview Image
]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.world/users/YakyuNightOwl/statuses/116432867376649362https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.world/users/YakyuNightOwl/statuses/116432867376649362Sun, 19 Apr 2026 18:49:23 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to A 24 year old Indigenous Canadian woman named Heather Winterstein died of sepsis after ER staff dismissed her repeatedly and labeled her as a homeless addict. on Sun, 19 Apr 2026 16:52:24 GMT]]>@howking

> Something like that could never happen in Europe

Just because something didn't happen doesn't mean "it could never happen"

Of course it could and would happen, fascists are taken over and universal healthcare is one of the first things fascists destroy…

Actually, in france people died in hospitals during covid pandemics while they were left waiting, cause "Hospitals costs too much and are not profitable, let's reduce their staff and sentiments to reduce costs"…

@broadwaybabyto

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mamot.fr/users/devnull/statuses/116432407380557603https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mamot.fr/users/devnull/statuses/116432407380557603Sun, 19 Apr 2026 16:52:24 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to A 24 year old Indigenous Canadian woman named Heather Winterstein died of sepsis after ER staff dismissed her repeatedly and labeled her as a homeless addict. on Sun, 19 Apr 2026 16:08:12 GMT]]>@broadwaybabyto They sent my mom home the day after a hysterectomy, even though she complained several times about shortness of breath. They told her that was normal after anaesthesia. We took her back the next day. She had a pulmonary embolism and almost died.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://sunny.garden/users/steggy/statuses/116432233611488704https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://sunny.garden/users/steggy/statuses/116432233611488704Sun, 19 Apr 2026 16:08:12 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to A 24 year old Indigenous Canadian woman named Heather Winterstein died of sepsis after ER staff dismissed her repeatedly and labeled her as a homeless addict. on Sun, 19 Apr 2026 14:21:15 GMT]]>@howking @broadwaybabyto

It does happen here.

Medical sexism and racism happens in European countries, too.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://hachyderm.io/users/akareilly/statuses/116431813073758642https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://hachyderm.io/users/akareilly/statuses/116431813073758642Sun, 19 Apr 2026 14:21:15 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to A 24 year old Indigenous Canadian woman named Heather Winterstein died of sepsis after ER staff dismissed her repeatedly and labeled her as a homeless addict. on Sun, 19 Apr 2026 10:05:16 GMT]]>@howking @broadwaybabyto sir, that is the naivety of privilege. I'm jealous.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.ie/users/Iwillyeah/statuses/116430806475659632https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.ie/users/Iwillyeah/statuses/116430806475659632Sun, 19 Apr 2026 10:05:16 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to A 24 year old Indigenous Canadian woman named Heather Winterstein died of sepsis after ER staff dismissed her repeatedly and labeled her as a homeless addict. on Sun, 19 Apr 2026 10:04:34 GMT]]>@broadwaybabyto 🕯️

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.social/users/Aileen22/statuses/116430803713368799https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.social/users/Aileen22/statuses/116430803713368799Sun, 19 Apr 2026 10:04:34 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to A 24 year old Indigenous Canadian woman named Heather Winterstein died of sepsis after ER staff dismissed her repeatedly and labeled her as a homeless addict. on Sun, 19 Apr 2026 09:55:55 GMT]]>@broadwaybabyto Something like that could never happen in Europe, even if you were a homeless addict. "God bless America" 😞

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodonczech.cz/users/howking/statuses/116430769690188542https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodonczech.cz/users/howking/statuses/116430769690188542Sun, 19 Apr 2026 09:55:55 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to A 24 year old Indigenous Canadian woman named Heather Winterstein died of sepsis after ER staff dismissed her repeatedly and labeled her as a homeless addict. on Sun, 19 Apr 2026 09:39:17 GMT]]>@broadwaybabyto I cannot speak for the Canadian system, but in the UK, the system is under so much pressure, I get that clinicians have to make difficult decisions, snap judgements. To prioritise those people they can treat.

This is not an excuse. It is an acknowledgement that the system is broken, in a bigger way. It is not just the health system, it is the homeless support system. It is the mental health system. It is everything.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://metalhead.club/users/SteveClough/statuses/116430704308276716https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://metalhead.club/users/SteveClough/statuses/116430704308276716Sun, 19 Apr 2026 09:39:17 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to A 24 year old Indigenous Canadian woman named Heather Winterstein died of sepsis after ER staff dismissed her repeatedly and labeled her as a homeless addict. on Sun, 19 Apr 2026 08:47:25 GMT]]>@broadwaybabyto

How on earth…

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.social/users/xs4me2/statuses/116430500335580494https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.social/users/xs4me2/statuses/116430500335580494Sun, 19 Apr 2026 08:47:25 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to A 24 year old Indigenous Canadian woman named Heather Winterstein died of sepsis after ER staff dismissed her repeatedly and labeled her as a homeless addict. on Sun, 19 Apr 2026 08:40:26 GMT]]>@broadwaybabyto
No one's survival should be based on luck, race, money or privilege anywhere, ever

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.social/users/HeatherMJ/statuses/116430472885653991https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.social/users/HeatherMJ/statuses/116430472885653991Sun, 19 Apr 2026 08:40:26 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to A 24 year old Indigenous Canadian woman named Heather Winterstein died of sepsis after ER staff dismissed her repeatedly and labeled her as a homeless addict. on Sun, 19 Apr 2026 07:08:04 GMT]]>@broadwaybabyto And these people are supposed to have taken the Hippocratic Oath.

They all deserve time in prison to think about their actions.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.social/users/Johns_priv/statuses/116430109730683967https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mastodon.social/users/Johns_priv/statuses/116430109730683967Sun, 19 Apr 2026 07:08:04 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to A 24 year old Indigenous Canadian woman named Heather Winterstein died of sepsis after ER staff dismissed her repeatedly and labeled her as a homeless addict. on Sun, 19 Apr 2026 05:44:19 GMT]]>@broadwaybabyto

Racism. Full on crime. Crime.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mstdn.social/users/kevinrns/statuses/116429780362109677https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://mstdn.social/users/kevinrns/statuses/116429780362109677Sun, 19 Apr 2026 05:44:19 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to A 24 year old Indigenous Canadian woman named Heather Winterstein died of sepsis after ER staff dismissed her repeatedly and labeled her as a homeless addict. on Sun, 19 Apr 2026 05:38:20 GMT]]>@broadwaybabyto some people are disappearing with no records, like 6 COVID victims I know disappeared from a housing project that mainly houses seniors:
accurate records seem to be even more vulnerable than the victims

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://kafeneio.social/users/indyradio/statuses/116429756874871902https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://kafeneio.social/users/indyradio/statuses/116429756874871902Sun, 19 Apr 2026 05:38:20 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to A 24 year old Indigenous Canadian woman named Heather Winterstein died of sepsis after ER staff dismissed her repeatedly and labeled her as a homeless addict. on Sun, 19 Apr 2026 05:26:43 GMT]]>@LukefromDC @broadwaybabyto I didn't have anyone to advocate for me, so I simply went home and accepted that my life wasn't worth saving in this society. It took a year and half to figure out what my problem was on my own. All that time suffering and unsure changed me as a person.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://hear-me.social/ap/users/115696907373093865/statuses/116429711184008478https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://hear-me.social/ap/users/115696907373093865/statuses/116429711184008478Sun, 19 Apr 2026 05:26:43 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to A 24 year old Indigenous Canadian woman named Heather Winterstein died of sepsis after ER staff dismissed her repeatedly and labeled her as a homeless addict. on Sun, 19 Apr 2026 05:14:11 GMT]]>@broadwaybabyto same thing happened to me in los angeles. I was severely malnourished and lacking potassium, though I didn't know it at the time. It was causing vasovagal syncope and as I was passing out while getting my blood drawn, the entire ER nurse staff started shouting at me to get out and I couldn't move, was sweating bullets, and freezing. I asked to please get the doctor to come back and look at me, but instead they shoved me out into the waiting room and labeled me as drug seeking. I left, and luckily survived. I figured out why I was falling down and hitting my head hard enough to bleed almost daily. But I had to do it on my own.

I don't know what the root of the problem is, or how to fix it, but I just felt like sharing my recent experience (last year). I imagine many people die this way.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://hear-me.social/ap/users/115696907373093865/statuses/116429661865458366https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://hear-me.social/ap/users/115696907373093865/statuses/116429661865458366Sun, 19 Apr 2026 05:14:11 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to A 24 year old Indigenous Canadian woman named Heather Winterstein died of sepsis after ER staff dismissed her repeatedly and labeled her as a homeless addict. on Sun, 19 Apr 2026 04:06:52 GMT]]>@broadwaybabyto
This is absolutely sickening. The poor woman. I feel bad for her family and friends.

]]>https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://ottawa.place/users/Pinchy63/statuses/116429397173564601https://board.circlewithadot.net/post/https://ottawa.place/users/Pinchy63/statuses/116429397173564601Sun, 19 Apr 2026 04:06:52 GMT