Dr. Derek Poteryko hopes additional Orange Bench initiatives can be launched in Nanaimo. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Ian Holmes

Orange Bench

Family doctor launches accessible health discussions in Nanaimo’s Bowen Park

Nov 9, 2023 | 5:26 AM

NANAIMO — A grassroots health movement has sprouted in Nanaimo, one bench at at a time.

The Orange Bench debuted on Tuesday, Nov. 7 outside Bowen Park Complex: a multi-partner initiative allowing people to have sit-down conversations with Nanaimo family physician Dr. Derek Poteryko.

A family of six were his lone visitors on the unmistakable bench located outside the main administration building near the Nanaimo Lawn Bowling Club.

“As a family doctor we can see and field anything, I may not have all the answers, but I’ll know where a person can get the answers,” he said.

Understanding the vast healthcare system was one theme covered during the informal visit.

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“To be able to navigate our healthcare system is a little challenging, having somebody to help them advocate and navigate is what we’re trying to do here.”

He’s scheduled to be at the bench on the second Wednesday of every month for about a half-hour starting at 12:15 p.m. for the foreseeable future.

Inspired by a similar initiative in Zimbabwe called Friendship Bench, Dr. Poteryko said medical professionals in the African nation and other well meaning people offered their wisdom for people seeking guidance.

Dr. Poteryko installed an Orange Bench outside his family practice on Waddington Rd. just prior to the pandemic, while he teamed up with the City of Nanaimo on the Bowen Park bench.

Similar to his prior ‘Walk with a Doc’ initiative where Dr. Poteryko discussed health matters with people at Maffeo Sutton Park, he said the aim is to help guide people in the right direction, while being as discreet as possible in a public setting.

Stating roughly 25,000 people in Nanaimo don’t have a family physician, Dr. Poteryko constantly promotes the new Health Connect Registry for those in the Harbour City who don’t have a family doctor.

“Every door is the right door, we’ll do our best to help those in need and go from there, because that’s what it’s all about.”

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Ian.holmes@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes