The Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) Sexual Health Rehabilitation Service offers specialist clinical services at two sites: Blusson Spinal Cord Centre at Vancouver General Hospital and at the GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre. It is a specialized service that’s unique in Canada, including five Sexual Health Clinicians and a Sexual Medicine Doctor, trained in sexual health, disability and rehabilitation. Our goals are to facilitate the sexual health rehabilitation of clients and their families through medical intervention, education and emotional support; to provide education to health care providers, students and health care consumers; to lead in advanced research initiatives that will develop our knowledge of sexuality and disability.
We know that sexual health can be a private and sensitive subject and we work to be respectful of individual and family values and beliefs while protecting your privacy. Our work is based on a nonjudgmental approach, geared towards the readiness of you and your family, and your sexual health goals.
Shea Hocaloski RN, B.TechN
Shea (she/her) started working with the Sexual Health Rehabilitation Service in 2004. She is currently working as a Sexual Health Clinician at the Blusson Spinal Cord Centre in both sexual health rehabilitation and sperm retrieval. Shea is keenly interested in male and female fertility, working within the Vancouver Sperm retrieval clinic since 2005 and has been involved in numerous projects relating to male fertility and sperm retrieval. She was also involved in the development of the Pregnancy and Spinal Cord Injury booklet and brochure.
Dr. Stacy Elliott
Dr. Elliott (she/her) is a Sexual Medicine Physician trained to assess and treat sexual and reproductive problems in persons with illness or injury. She has a particular interest in sexual and fertility rehabilitation in persons with neurological disability. Dr.Elliott works with a team of nurses in a hospital setting, seeing patients, teaching young doctors and other health care professionals, and doing research. She presents the work of her team at national and international conferences and has written many academic journal articles and book chapters. Dr.Elliott was recognized for her work in sexual rehabilitation and fertility in persons with spinal cord injury in 2012 by receiving the QE II Jubilee medal.
Jaiden Wright RN-C, BScN, GCSH, ABS
Jaiden (she/her) graduated from Laurentian University in 2021 with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, with honours. While working within women’s health, fertility, and transgender care, Jaiden obtained her Graduate Certificate of Sexual Health (GCSH) from the University of Alberta, a Microcredential in Sexual Health Rehabilitation from BCIT, and her Contraceptive Management Certification (RN-C) through BCCNM. Jaiden is also a Certified Sexologist with the American Board of Sexology (ABS). Jaiden believes that sex and sexuality are lifelong, ever-evolving learning journeys.
Christine Zarowski, RN, BSN
Christine (she/her) has worked as a rehabilitation nurse since 1986. In 2002, she joined the Sexual Health Rehabilitation Service (SHRS) where she helped individuals (and couples) who were experiencing changes to sexuality as a result of a disability as well as facilitate sexual health education for other clinicians. In 2013, Christine joined the Prostate Cancer Supportive Care Program (PCSC) to develop and run a Sexual Health Service for patients and partners as they deal with the sexual consequences associated with prostate cancer treatment. She is a health coach for the SHAReClinic and has been Clinical Instructor for British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) and UBC Faculty of Psychiatry.
Kate McBride, RN, MSN
Kate (she/her) is the Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) for Sexual Health Rehab Service and has over 30 years experience in clinical care, education, research, and program and policy development.
Highlights of her career include leading a collaborative initiative to improve perinatal care for women with SCI and managing the project to develop provincial guidelines for sexuality and intimacy in care facilities in BC. Kate has a Masters in Nursing and has been an instructor with British Columbia Institute of Technology and the Faculty of Medicine at the University of British Columbia. As CNS, Kate promotes evidence-informed clinical practices and programs, which will lead to improved patient care outcomes in sexual health.
Our History
‘sex is spoken here’ by Dr. George Szasz
“One evening I received a call from the head surgeon of the new acute spinal cord injury unit at Shaughnessy Hospital in Vancouver, BC: Would I be interested in looking at the sexual needs of persons with spinal cord injury? Reports from other spinal cord injury units suggested that (without the prospect of sexual health and well being) some patients felt depressed and refused to participate in rehab…. I accepted the invitation.
The next few weeks spent on the newly opened unit changed my life…the nurses told me the patients asked about ‘sex’ as early as on admission to the unit, but staff felt untrained and helpless to address the topic. To understand the patient’s situation, I spent 3 weeks on the ward. I wore a tag on my white coast saying, ‘sex is spoken here’ – that caused some laughs but also opened the door to conversations…
Within a couple of weeks, I had a room immediately next to the unit with a large sign “Sexual Medicine” and funding for a nurse who became the first sexual health clinician.”
– Dr. George Szasz, member of the Order of Canada, pioneer in the study of sexual medicine and founder of the Sexual Health Rehabilitation Program in 1975.
Our Model
Resource for Reference: Supporting Sexual Health and Intimacy in Care Facilities: A Pocket Reference Guide.
Contact Us
Please get in touch with us if you are interested in being referred to our service, if you have questions about the site, or if you are looking for sexual health rehabilitation services outside of our practice area. The Sexual Health Rehabilitation Service takes referrals for clients in Canada, primarily within British Columbia. If you are outside of this area, we may be able to connect you to a sexual health clinician closer to you.
We unfortunately cannot offer consultations or medical advice through this contact form.