ManitobaA Sapotaweyak Cree Nation family is seeking answers after the death of Shandi Cook. Her sister Naturelle says Shandi died after being turned away from the Swan River Health Centre while struggling to breathe and vomiting blood.Sister says Shandi Cook, 25, had leukemia, was vomiting blood, struggled to breatheChelsea Kemp · CBC News · Posted: Oct 29, 2025 6:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 5 hours agoListen to this articleEstimated 5 minutesNaturelle Cook, says her sister Shandi Cook, 25, died after visiting the Swan River Health Centre on Oct. 11. (Naturelle Cook)A Manitoba family is demanding answers after the death of a Sapotaweyak Cree Nation woman they say was refused care at a Manitoba hospital.Naturelle Cook says her sister Shandi Cook, 25, died after visiting the Swan River Health Centre on Oct. 11. She says her sister had previously been diagnosed with leukemia.Naturelle says a witness who drove Shandi to the hospital reported she was having trouble breathing when she arrived. In the waiting room, the witness said Shandi continued struggling to breathe and tried to get medical help as quickly as possible.While waiting, Naturelle says, her sister began vomiting blood, but still couldn’t get the care she needed. “They denied her help and then she got sent home,” Naturelle said.After not receiving treatment, Naturelle said her sister signed herself out and went home.That night, she continued coughing up blood and complained of difficulty breathing.Naturelle says her dad Henry Cook wanted to call an ambulance, but Shandi refused because she believed she’d be sent home again. “He thought that she was OK,” Naturelle said. “Then in the morning, he tried to wake her up and no response.… No pulse.” Henry performed CPR but, “deep down he already knew that she had passed away in her sleep,” Naturelle said.Naturelle believes the nurses at the Swan Valley Health Centre racially profiled her sister, assuming she was an addict seeking drugs, she said. There’s a community group for Sapotaweyak Cree Nation members that often posts warnings about avoiding the Swan River Health Centre due to alleged racial profiling, Naturelle said. Because of these warnings, Naturelle said people often choose to travel more than 200 kilometres to The Pas or 150 kilometres to the hospital in Hudson Bay, Sask., for treatment.Naturelle said she wishes her family had done the same.Naturelle says the family has contacted Manitoba Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara, an Indigenous advocate and a lawyer. They’re also trying to reach Premier Wab Kinew.They are also considering taking legal action, Naturelle said.Apology wanted“The morning that she had passed away, my dad worked on her, even though she’s already gone, he was talking to her,” Naturelle said. “He’s going to pursue legal action because if they had taken care of her or if they had sent her out, she would still be alive today.”Her family wants an apology and an explanation for why Shandi was turned away, Naturelle said. She and her father have been writing down questions they want answered. The regional health authority, Prairie Mountain Health, told CBC in a statement due to privacy and confidentiality guidelines, it does not comment on patients. It confirmed the health region is conducting an investigation into the family’s allegations.In a statement to CBC Manitoba, Asagwara said they are aware of the incident and confirmed the regional health authority has issued a formal review. “No family should ever have to experience this kind of tragedy,” Asagwara said. “I expect that review to be thorough, compassionate, and transparent, and that the family receives clear answers about what happened.”They say the government is following the review closely to ensure steps are taken to prevent tragedies like this from happening in the future’Always had a smile on her face’Naturelle remembers Shandi as one of the happiest people she knows.“She always had a smile on her face,” Naturelle said. “She made sure you had everything before she had something.”Shandi had been travelling to Winnipeg with her dad for chemotherapy treatments for the past year and a half. Naturelle says she was motivated to stay strong for her family.Being a mom was her pride and joy and her biggest accomplishment, Naturelle said.Shandi graduated high school in 2019 and was proud to show her five-year-old son he could do it too. She inspired siblings to graduate as well. Shandi had been diagnosed with leukemia, Naturelle said. (Naturelle Cook)Naturelle, 21, says she and her younger sister have been in foster care for 15 years and that Shandi was their foster mom before they were later placed elsewhere. Naturelle is now foster mom to her little sister.Their mother Melissa Cook, 41, was murdered in 2022. Naturelle says the family is still waiting on updates from police and continues to seek justice.Now, she says, they’re also fighting for Shandi.“I’m hoping that the health care system will do better rather than denying people help,” Naturelle said. “I’m hoping that people don’t take it so lightly … their family members could end up the same as my sister.”ABOUT THE AUTHORChelsea Kemp is a multimedia journalist with CBC Manitoba. She is based in CBC’s bureau in Brandon, covering stories focused on rural Manitoba. Share your story ideas, tips and feedback with chelsea.kemp@cbc.ca.
Family seeks answers after death of woman they say was turned away from Manitoba hospital
