About us
Health Beyond Hurdles
Plain-language health information and support, in French and English, for newcomers building a new life in Saskatchewan.
Who we are
We are a proposed bilingual nonprofit based in Regina, created to close a specific gap: newcomers arrive in Saskatchewan with the right to healthcare, but not the map to reach it.
Our work is non-clinical. We do not diagnose, treat, or replace healthcare professionals. We explain how the system works in plain language, and connect people to the services, organizations, and professionals already equipped to help them.
The Newcomer Health Navigation Project is our first program, piloting in Regina before expanding across the province.
Our mission
Mission
To help newcomers in Canada and underserved communities navigate and understand Saskatchewan's healthcare system by providing them with the support, education, and resources they need to make informed decisions about their health and well-being.
Our vision
Vision
A Saskatchewan where every person, regardless of language, culture, income, or immigration experience, can confidently access healthcare services, understand their options, and participate actively in decisions concerning their health.
The challenge
What stands in the way
Newcomers often arrive with little knowledge of how Saskatchewan's healthcare system operates. A combination of everyday barriers can turn a routine health need into a crisis.
Language barriers
Conversational English or French isn't the same as understanding medical terminology, consent forms, or instructions given during a stressful appointment.
Unfamiliar terminology
Referrals, requisitions, deductibles, HealthLine: the vocabulary of the system is rarely explained in plain language.
Cultural differences
Expectations around appointments, consent, and provider relationships can differ significantly from a person's home country.
Transportation challenges
Getting to a clinic, pharmacy, or appointment isn't always straightforward without a vehicle or transit knowledge.
Limited service knowledge
Many newcomers simply don't know what services exist, who provides them, or when to use which one.
Together, these barriers can prevent people from seeking care, delay treatment, or push them toward the emergency department when another option would have served them better.
Our identity
Bilingualism is who we are, not a feature we added
We understand the hardship of facing a health system in a language you are still learning. Conversational English is not the same as understanding a consent form, a prescription label, or instructions given in a stressful moment.
So we work in both languages from the start. Every guide, workshop, intake conversation, and public communication exists in French and in English, with the same care given to each. Neither is a last-minute translation of the other.
We use plain language instead of medical jargon, and we explain key healthcare terms in both languages. When someone needs a language we do not work in, we connect them to interpretation services rather than leave them to manage alone.
Equal quality and depth in French and English, never an afterthought
Plain language instead of medical terminology, with key terms explained in both
Bilingual volunteers, advisors, board members, and partners
Direct connections to Francophone organizations and interpretation services
The road ahead
Where we go from here
Growth follows evidence, not ambition. Each phase has to work before the next one begins.
Publish the bilingual newcomer healthcare guide, build partnerships with settlement agencies, and train the first cohort of bilingual volunteers.
Through community partnerships, trained volunteers, and culturally respectful education, we work to ensure that newcomers are not left to navigate Saskatchewan's healthcare system alone.
Explore the program