A Saskatchewan family and First Nation leaders are calling for answers after a 36-year-old woman and her baby died following pregnancy complications. Chelsea Bear died on Aug. 12, shortly after having twins. One baby was stillborn, while the other, Gracie, remains in the neonatal intensive care unit. Bear’s family said she died from blood loss following a placental abruption, a condition in which the placenta separates from the wall of the uterus before birth. In the days leading up to her death, Debbie Bear said her daughter was in pain and went to the Meadow Lake hospital, where she was later discharged. The next day, Bear was experiencing stomach pain and urinating blood, her mother said. She was taken to hospital by ambulance and later transferred to Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital in Saskatoon, where she and one of her babies died. “Nobody deserves to go through what my girl and her baby went through. I don’t want to point fingers at anybody, I just don’t want this ever to happen to anybody else,” said Bear’s mother, Debbie Bear. Now, her family, Flying Dust First Nation and the Meadow Lake Tribal Council are raising concerns about the care she received, including her medical assessment, discharge from hospital and the circumstances leading up to her death. “Her loss has deeply affected our nation,” said Flying Dust First Nation Chief Tyson Bear. “As leadership, our responsibility is to stand with Chelsea’s family and ensure that their concerns are heard.” They are also calling for an independent and transparent investigation. In a statement, the Saskatchewan Health Authority extended its condolences and said its leaders have met with Bear’s family to discuss the case. “Any time there is a serious concern about patient care or outcomes, the SHA conducts a thorough patient safety review to understand what might have occurred and implement any recommendations to improve care,” the statement read. “We are committed to continuing to engage directly with the family and community to discuss this review.” Bear leaves behind five children. Her family is remembering her as a beautiful person who was loved by those around her.
