The first all-female surgical team at the Melfort hospital. (Facebook/Saskatchewan Health Authority)

By Angie Rolheiser

Girl Power

First all-female surgical team in Melfort hospital history delivers baby girl

Dec 5, 2019 | 2:01 PM

History was made in the Melfort hospital operating room last month.

The first all-female surgical team to operate at the hospital delivered a healthy baby girl on Nov. 10.

Dr. Erin Beresh was the surgeon on call with Dr. Stephanie Nyberg who was the physican on-call and Dr. Chelsea Wilgenbush as the anesthesiologist on-call in the operating room, were accompanied by an all-female nursing staff.

“When we got to the [operating room], we realized that this is probably the first time this has ever happened in Melfort,” Beresh said. “Dr. Nyberg suggested taking a picture so we finished up with the patient and then took a photo.”

As the first permanent female surgeon at the hospital, Beresh was also able perform her first solo caesarean.

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“It was really good to get it under my belt and everything went smoothly and we welcomed another little woman into the world so it was just a super happy day,” she said.

Kerrie de Gooijer, the mother of the baby girl, said it was a really cool and unique thing to have happen.

“We were happy we delivered in Melfort, with the new children’s hospital in Saskatoon, we had thought about going straight there but I’m glad we didn’t,” de Gooijer said. “My husband, Curtis, told me about the all-female team after she was born and how he was the only male in the room.”

The first-time mom is doing great and looks forward to telling her daughter Mya Iris all about the team of impressive, young women that brought her into the world. Mya weighed in at six pounds 10 ounces.

“Dr. Beresh and everyone else were so professional and made me feel at ease, so that was very helpful especially when you look back on it now,” de Gooijer said.

With the majority of people practicing medicine being men, Beresh said that it is important to have the female physicians in the Melfort area that might be able to serve as role models.

“Certainly our staff in the OR is fantastic and we have had the capability to do C-sections for a long time,” Beresh said. “We have wonderful male colleagues as well but I think that it is very nice and remarkable to have young women here making it known.”

Other female physicians in Melfort are Dr. Desjardins who is set to return from her maternity leave on Dec. 16 as well as Dr. Levendall.

Beresh did her medical school training in Saskatoon, followed by residency in Regina, and then training in Winnipeg over the last year. She began practicing in Melfort on Oct. 1.

“It was not uncommon in those places to have women around you doing all kinds of roles,” Beresh said. “To have someone step into the role of surgeon and anesthesiologist and surgical assist is a big deal because it just hasn’t happened in this community.”

The three doctors actually all went to medical school together according to Beresh who said it has been like a little bit of a reunion.

“We were all pretty happy about it and obviously still are going forward and I’m sure it will happen again,” she said.

The picture the women took to document the occasion was posted by the Saskatchewan Health Authority on Facebook last Friday and has since had over 1,500 likes, and nearly 350 shares, and over 100 comments.

“I just think it is so cool, and I think it is about time. I’m happy to be here and working to serve the community as well,” Beresh said.

She is also welcoming patients. To book an appointment call 752-8832.

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angie.rolheiser@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @Angie_Rolheiser