Helping Hands: Two Lay Health Interventions to Improve Gender-Affirming Surgery Outcomes for Patients in NL

While gender-affirming surgeries for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians are performed out-of-province, the months-long waiting and recovery periods primarily take place here at home. This presentation explores two programs led by lay health professionals that could be implemented in-province to support patients during these extensive pre- and post-surgery periods: a trans-specific prehabilitation (“prehab”) program, and a community health worker cohort able to provide non-medical post-operative support. Grounded in evidence from other surgical contexts, these approaches offer an actionable, community-driven path forward to enhance surgical outcomes for transgender patients within the constraints of our current system.

Rónán Martel (he/him) is a public health practitioner and researcher whose work focuses on creating the broader conditions needed for people to live healthy, connected, and meaningful lives. He holds a Master of Public Health from Memorial University where he is currently a graduate student in the Department of Political Science. He lives in St John’s, NL with his husband and cat where he enjoys book arts, running, and exploring the province.