MEDIA RELEASE – New mural at Halifax Sexual Health Centre celebrates 50 year birthday!
January 25, 2024 – Halifax, NS – The Halifax Sexual Health Centre (HSHC) is pleased to announce the completion of a new mural in our waiting room, entitled “Connection” by Shannon Long (@shannon.long.art on Instagram) and assisted by David Hamp-Gonsalves (@davidhg.art on Instagram). The mural stands as a celebration of over 50 years as an organization. HSHC was officially founded in 1971 as the Metro Family Planning Association, and 2021 marked our 50 year anniversary. Unfortunately, we missed a true birthday celebration due to Covid-19 pandemic measures, but it is never too late to celebrate!
This mural is inspired by pleasure, community, and compassionate care. We wanted to highlight not just the clinical aspects of sexual, reproductive, and gender-affirming healthcare, but the joy and affirmation that comes from having your health needs met. We embraced the innuendo and playfulness inherent in our work to remind people in our waiting room of our values. At HSHC, we are sex positive, pro-choice, confidential, community driven, youth friendly, 2SLGBTQIA+ focused, and judgement free.
Especially apt for a 50 year celebration, the mural is dedicated to Dr. Pam Brown, a founding physician of HSHC. In 1973, the Family Planning Association of Nova Scotia opened a small clinic on Gottingen Street, in an old bank vault equipped with a phone line, a small office, committed volunteers, and two physicians – Pam was one of them. The clinic evolved into Planned Parenthood Metro Clinic, moving to Veith House, where Pam spent her committed and compassionate career. When she retired at age 75, the clinic had become the Halifax Sexual Health Centre. Dr. Brown passed away in 2020 at the age of 87. We are proud to finally highlight Dr. Brown’s incredible influence on the organization that became HSHC with this physical dedication. Her passion for delivering inclusive and compassionate sexual health care and education despite political and social adversity lives on in the way we practice medicine at HSHC to this day.
Dr. Pam Brown, in the Veith House clinic
“It was a 2023 highlight to work with the HSHC on this mural inspired by community, identity, sexual health, sex and pleasure,” said Long. “As a trained animator and comic enthusiast, I tried to incorporate sequence and movement using panels and flowing colours to capture the eye and pull it across the piece. Mixing static and dynamic elements to breathe life into the details, creating cohesion, from doctor to sexy hands! My hope is the cheeky mural inspires those in the waiting room to take a moment to google the impressive Dr. Pam Brown (after giggling at some suggestive fruit).”
The mural was funded by a generous donation from the physician team at Halifax Sexual Health Centre, who pool their compensation from training learning medical residents and students to fund an annual project at HSHC.
About Halifax Sexual Health Centre:
The Halifax Sexual Health Centre (HSHC) is a charitable non-profit community sexual, reproductive, and gender-affirming care clinic. The mission of HSHC is to improve and optimize the sexual health of all members of our community, by providing high quality and caring services, and empowering clients to make healthy choices. For more information, visit hshc.ca.
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For more information, contact:
Abbey Ferguson
She/her
Executive Director
Halifax Sexual Health Centre
ed@hshc.ca
902-455-9656 ext 2