The Keynote Address for the BCAPOP virtual conference on October 6th will be delivered by Trystan Reese, a Portland-based educator who works on transgender fertility and LGBTQ+ issues.

Trystan Reese will present his unique parenting story, focusing on his experiences as a transgender man who gave birth in 2017. He will share both his personal story as well as concrete takeaways from his experience and what the research recommends when supporting transgender and gender non-conforming gestational parents.

Plenary sessions will include An Indigenous Perspective of Supporting Prenatal Care and Infant Development led by Sue Sterling-Bur, and Self-care for Workers and Avoiding Compassion Fatigue led by Dr Sarah Lea.

Sue Sterling-Bur is a Ph.D. student at the UBC Okanagan campus, working with Dr Jeannette Armstrong and Dr Rachelle Hole. Her doctoral research focuses on gaining a better understanding of an Indigenous perspective on the belief of giftedness for children with disabilities.

In her plenary session, Sue will share an Indigenous perspective to overall well-being and care for pre- and post-natal infants and their mothers.

Dr Sarah Lea is a GP Maternity Physician with a specific interest in perinatal addictions. Since completing her medical training, she has practiced in Victoria since 2016 as a GP locum doing full-service family practice with a specific interest in addiction medicine, women’s health and obstetrics. She has also completed an Enhanced Skills Training Program in Addiction Medicine with a focus on Perinatal Medicine. She joined GROW Health in 2018 and has recently been appointed the South Island Division Head of GP Obstetrics. She has three young children, with whom she likes spending time hiking, biking and enjoying the outdoors.

In her plenary session, Dr Lea will define and discuss beliefs about self-compassion, mindfulness and self-care as it relates to the role of the healthcare provider, looking at the role of self-compassion, mindfulness and self-care in the prevention of compassion fatigue and burnout. She will share strategies to incorporate these skills into daily routines.

Registration is open for the conference at https://www.bcapop.ca/Annual-Conference-2020 and for those who may not be able to attend for the full day, all registered attendees will receive access to the recorded sessions for a limited time after the conference.