Alixandra Bacon RM MA (she/her)
Alixandra is a first generation Canadian, her mother was a settler of Irish decent. She graduated from UBC Midwifery in 2012 and has been serving families in her hometown of Richmond (& South Delta) ever since. She is Past President of the Canadian Association of Midwives and Midwives Association of BC and Adjunct Professor at UBC Midwifery. Alixandra has a special interest in ADHD/AuDHD/ASD and Pregnancy...want to learn more? Check out www.adhdpregnancy.ca. Outside of work Alixandra is mother to a lively 7 year old and sings soprano harmony and plays percussion in the Hillbettys.
Zoya Khan 2nd year UBC Student (She/her)
I am proud to be a clinical preceptor at UBC Midwifery helping to grow the next generation of Midwives. This means I periodically have students in my practice. Zoya will be with me Feb 17-Mar 10/25. If you are in care during this time I will ask your consent to have Zoya join us.
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I am a Pakistani immigrant and moved to Canada when I was 3 years old. I grew up in the interior of BC in a small town called Merritt BC, before moving to Vancouver in 2015 to complete my first undergraduate degree in Biology at UBC.
My interest in midwifery started after exploring different healthcare careers and having an experience that led me to realizing that the midwifery model of care is something that resonates more deeply with me that anything else. Continuity of care, long appointment times, an emphasis on trauma informed care, and social justice were what stood out to me in the midwifery profession and I knew that this was something that I had to pursue.
I have healthcare experience working as a surgical assistant at a laser eye clinic and as an MOA at a clinic specializing in trigger point injection therapy. As a surgical assistant I was responsible for pre and post-op care and support for patients. This involved taking their vitals, prepping their eyes for surgery, providing mental health support, and any necessary care for those who experience a vasovagal response following the procedure. In surgery I would run the lasers, assist the surgeon and provide support to nervous patients. I also have experience with general MOA tasks.
I spent the summer obtaining my post-partum doula certification and doing doula work for mainly immigrant folks in my community.
In my free time I enjoy doing crafts with my friends, crotchet, and rewatching my favourite movies and tv shows. I am so grateful to have the opportunity of starting placement this year. Thank you so much for accepting me as your student, I can’t wait to soak up as much knowledge as I can from you!
Why Strawberry Midwifery?
In many cultures across the world, strawberries are associated with motherhood, fertility, and abundance. Strawberries are among the first plant to produce fruit after winter in the areas where they are native, signifying rebirth and a new start. The “seeds" you see on the outside of a strawberry are actually the plant's ovaries! Each “seed" is technically a separate fruit that has a seed inside of it. Strawberries are also recognized for their rich vitamin c and folic acid levels, which are great for promoting a healthy pregnancy.
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I was blessed to spend my early childhood in Steveston. Across the street from my house were strawberry fields which had been slated for development. On summer days I remember begging my mum to play the Beatles Strawberry Fields song and then toddling across the way to gorge myself on the strawberries in the abandoned field. At the time I fancied I would become a strawberry farmer myself!
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Berry picking has a long history here. For thousands of years, the Musqueam peoples canoed to what is now called Lulu Island to set up temporary summer housing for fishing and foraging for berries and plants. For the Musqueam people, June is known as the time of the salmonberries, təәm lil’əә.
A historical researcher, Dellis Cleland, spoke to more than a hundred people in 1972 to ask them about their memories of berry picking in Richmond. The report “Berrying in Richmond – Pleasure or Profit” can be found in the City of Richmond’s Archives. Strawberries were grown in Richmond’s “rich clay soil” starting from the early 1900s and were hauled to markets in Vancouver over the two connecting bridges in wagons, cars and even in milk vans run by Van Dusen and Hawke, Cleland writes. Cleland writes that strawberry festivals were the “highlight of early summer” and were “interwoven throughout the social life of the area.”Strawberry festivals were held by different organizations – at churches and at the Orange Hall in Steveston.While the annual Orange Hall Strawberry Festival “is hosted by men of the lodges,” Cleland notes “Many are the crates hulled by the women of Richmond in the name of neighborliness and hospitality.”
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Rantanen, M. (Aug 5/22). Berries have long history in Richmond, including inspiring wineries. Richmond News. https://www.richmond-news.com/local-news/berries-have-long-history-in-richmond-including-inspiring-wineries-5665211