About Turtle Island
Located in Vancouver, British Columbia, Turtle Island Health and Research Society supports initiatives focused on the at-risk residents who have been unsuccessful in accessing the current healthcare system.
We acknowledge that the barriers faced by so many inner-city residents are complex and not well understood by the system that attempts to care for them.
As a dedicated organization, we aim to become the national pioneer for partnership-based research and outreach for the at-risk population in Downtown Eastside and other areas of the city.
Our Leadership
James Hiebert - Founder and Chairman
James was born in Hay River, Canada, and is a treaty Mohawk Nation Citizen of Canada. He is a former professional hockey player turned continental entrepreneur with a specialization in Clean Energy and Healthcare.
James is the founder of Texas Solar Energies, the owner of Medical-Surgical Services, an NWT based home medical company, as well as the founder and Chairman of Turtle Island Health and Research Society.
As he expands his entrepreneurial interest, James hopes to demonstrate that indigenous citizens can be a part of the solution for all of our country’s issues and not just those of the First Nations people. James hopes that through his support of innovative healthcare initiates and cultural understandings, that he can contribute to the future of healthcare sustainability in Canada’s Inner Cities.
John Shaske - Lead Research Consultant
John Shaske has 37 years of experience expanding the boundaries of pharmaceutical care to improve health outcomes by resolving drug therapy problems.
He has won Innovator of the Year awards from BCPhA and CPhA, and was honoured with the first Agent of Change award in 2016 from the Faculty of Pharmacy at UBC.
John’s experience in the Urban, Rural, Clinical, administrative, and research settings of healthcare make him an ideal contributor to the vision of Turtle Island Society and the future of Indigenous and Inner city health care.
Cherryl Purcell - Lead Indigenous Advisor and Elder
Cherryl is a Coast Salish born citizen of Vancouver with over 25 years experience working in healthcare, housing and research organizations in British Columbia. As lead administrator, Cherryl assists leadership in handling research applications, grants and administration required to realize the vision of support for at-risk citizens and communities of indigenous and other descent.