E138 Heather Patterson on her new book Shadows and Light, documenting COVID-19 and burnout

Cold Steel: Canadian Journal of Surgery Podcast

Podcast transcript: https://www.canjsurg.ca/content/e138-heather-patterson-her-new-book-shadows-and-light-documenting-covid-19-and-burnout

Sometimes it’s hard to process what we’ve all been through collectively over the last 2 years since the start of COVID-19. Canada's health care system is facing tremendous strain, and it’s likely fair to say that many health care workers are facing burnout.

Our guest for this week’s episode had an inspiring response to her own feelings of burnout and frustration. Dr. Heather Patterson is an adult and pediatric emergency physician in Calgary. She just released her book, Shadows and Light, a book of photographs that document the experience of dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. We caught up with her to ask her about her motivation for the book and what’s she’s learned along the way.

Check out some pictures from her book at the links below!

Buy Dr. Patterson's book here: https://gooselane.com/products/shadows-and-light

1. Dr. Patterson's website: https://www.heatherpattersonphotography.com/

2. Dr. Patterson's instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heather.l.patterson/?hl=en

3. Pictures of Sam and Jim: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1LhFPORGlkhUdqjgExu8XrP4NxETG08V6?usp=sharing

Bio: (from https://www.heatherpattersonphotography.com/about)

I am an emergency physician, photographer and mom of 2 who specializes in lifestyle and medical photography. My images capture the raw emotions and realities of daily life and celebrate the unique personalities and stories of our lives.

My current project shares the authentic story of patient experiences and the healthcare team collaboration in Calgary, Alberta during the COVID-19 pandemic. I hope that this celebration of our shared humanity generates empathy and inspires others to see what we can accomplish when we work together.