Sherri Marino, Indigenous Health Liaison at Surrey Memorial Hospital.
When we walk into a hospital, we come often at a vulnerable point in our lives. Trust is imperative to one’s healing journey.
Trust, however, is hard to earn and even easier to lose.
For Sherri Marino, trust guides the way she shows up each day at Surrey Memorial Hospital. As an Indigenous Health Liaison with Fraser Health, she helps Indigenous patients feel seen, supported and understood – offering a steady presence in moments that can feel uncertain or overwhelming.
“I see myself as a bridge between the health care system and the people who come through these doors.” Sherri says.
What Does an Indigenous Health Liaison Do?
Many people are unfamiliar with the role of an Indigenous Health Liaison. Sherri explains that her work is different from that of a social worker.
“People sometimes think we’re social workers, but that’s not really what we do,” she says. “We’re here to help people – to make sure they feel safe, supported and seen while they’re in the hospital.”
A Calling to Care
Sherri, from Esk’etemc Nation in Alkali Lake, brings deep empathy and lived experience to her role. After spending years caring for her mother, she felt called to continue caring for others. She returned to school at 45 with a clear purpose in mind: to give back by helping others.
“Taking care of my mom was my whole life for a long time,” she says. “After she passed, I knew I still wanted to care for people. I wanted to help my people within the health care system.”
Her work is rooted in relationship – helping people feel connected not only to their care teams, but also to who they are individually and culturally. That can be especially important for Indigenous patients, whose experiences with health care systems may be shaped by personal, family and historical harms.
“For a lot of us, there can be fear or distrust when they come into the system, and that didn’t come from nowhere,” Sherri says. “There’s history there. There’s lived experience there.”
That is why cultural safety matters so deeply.
Why Cultural Safety Matters
In one case, Sherri supported a patient living with PTSD who had become increasingly anxious and withdrawn during her hospital stay. The steady flow of people in and out of the room, the opening and closing of the door, and the lack of predictability in the space were heightening the patient’s distress.
“She was feeling cornered,” Sherri recalls. “People were coming in and out of the room, the door kept opening, and you could see how much it was affecting her.”
When Sherri introduced herself and shared where she was from, her face lit up.
“That created a bridge, a way to move forward” she says.
As the patient began to open up about her experience, Sherri was able to share important context with the care team. With that understanding, they adjusted their approach – reducing unnecessary intrusions and creating a calmer, more predictable environment.
“Once the care team understood what was making her feel unsafe, they were able to change their approach,” Sherri says.
Over time, the patient became more comfortable with staff, more engaged in her care, and even began joking with the nurses. By breaking down these barriers, Sherri created a bridge for trust to grow and flourish.
“When people feel safe, when they are able to trust in the system, it leads to better health outcomes for everyone,” says Sherri.
Trust Leads to Better Care
Moments like that may seem small from the outside, but they can have a profound impact on how care is experienced and on how healing begins. For Sherri, cultural safety is not separate from health care, it is an integral part of what makes healing possible.
For patients, being culturally seen and understood can ease fear, strengthen communication and help people feel less alone in some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives.
It also points to what more can be done.
At Surrey Memorial Hospital, the conversation around culturally safe care continues to grow. Alongside the work of people like Sherri, there is an opportunity to think more deeply about the spaces where healing happens – and how they can better reflect the needs, identities and experiences of Indigenous patients and families.
“Actions speak louder than words,” Sherri says. “It’s not just about saying we care about cultural safety – it’s about creating spaces and experiences that show it.”
Creating environments that foster calm, connection and belonging is one more way to support healing for everyone who walks through the hospital’s doors.
Donor support and philanthropy is integral to the creation of trust within the hospital system. If you are interested in learning how you can support, please reach out to info@surreyhospitalsfoundation.com.
