A plea for more nurses

Pudloo Nowdluk died of cancer on April 24, 2003, at the Baffin Regional Hospital, leaving behind his children Noah, Leetia, Kooyoo, Elisapee, Levi, Nancy, Arnakallak, Saila, Andrew, Lena, Appa and Mark, who was adopted out at birth.

He leaves behind his brothers and sisters Enokee, Jacopie, Kilabuk and Arnaq. Pudloo also leaves behind 23 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

We want to thank our spouses and children for understanding, as we left them for many hours at a time. We thank our employers for their support in giving us time to be with our father, for the beautiful flowers and food provided by them and from friends after the funeral. Thank you to Nanook School for the beautiful wreath.

We thank all our aunts, uncles and cousins who stayed with our father during the evenings so that he would not be alone.

We would especially like to thank Dr. Atkinson at the Ottawa Civic Hospital, Dr. Finney of Iqaluit, Dr. Netcher for her previous care, Bryan Pearson, Reverends Methusaleh Kunuk, Daniel Aupaluk and Ron McLean, the department of health and social services for our father’s return before he passed, and all the nurses, both in Ottawa and Iqaluit.

Our father had a hard time returning to Iqaluit because of the lack of nurses at the Baffin Regional Hospital. We thought of promoting nursing in Nunavut as our desperation grew to get our father home before he passed. We truly encourage Nunavummiut to look at becoming nurses, as they carry out a very important job. Without them, our loved ones cannot be sent home.

Thank you for everything. Our father was a very good hunter, carver, teacher and provider. We will miss him dearly.

The Nowdluks and their families
Iqaluit