In a world sometimes marked by distance and disconnection, Soolee Ironchild of Queen City Wellness Pharmacy in Regina stands out as a figure of familial love in the community.
It’s part of the reason many people from the community call her ‘kokum,’ the Cree term for ‘grandmother.’
Visitors to the business have been treated to her friendliness and welcoming demeanor for four years now. You’ll spot her serving up coffee to folks in the pharmacy needing to warm up or taking baking and snacks to those feeling hungry.
Sure, they are all actions and characteristics you’d expect to see from someone who is not only called kokum but is also a grandmother to 16 grandchildren and numerous adopted grandchildren. But those aren’t the only reasons people view her as a grandmotherly individual.
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Ironchild is an advocate for those affected by homelessness, addictions and mental health. Some of the visitors to the pharmacy, which is known as a community health-care hub, are folks who come from these types of situations.
But when they need someone to talk to or someone to lean on — Ironchild is there to listen and provide comfort.
“We always have something to share and learn from each other, whether it be art or whether they are poems. There are just such great people that are living on the streets homeless,” Ironchild said during her interview for Shaping Saskatchewan.
She mentioned how the job of being the pharmacy’s kokum sort of fell into her lap.
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The plan initially was to hire a security guard. That was until a couple of her co-workers thought of an alternative plan that would better support the needs of both the pharmacy and the surrounding area.
“I didn’t even apply for it,” Ironchild said. “Two of my co-workers decided, ‘No, we’ll bring in a kokum. Let’s try a kokum.’ And this is how the job fell on me. I walked through that door and I never left.”
It’s fair to say Ironchild has a strong, positive impact on not only the business and its clients, but the community altogether.
At 64 years of age, the question now is whether she’ll continue her “pharmacy kokum” role for much longer or whether there are other opportunities awaiting her in retirement.