“We’re trying to take care of each other, to do things in a way that’s respectful, to listen to our bodies,” she says.
“It’s important to do what’s right for your body.”
In addition to working as an external health care provider, Gavirsia also writes and teaches about maternal health and breast and colorectal cancer, a topic that has taken on new urgency over the past year, with a new wave of medical professionals coming out in support of a woman’s right to terminate a pregnancy.
“I was so nervous about the backlash against my work and the stigma I was going to face,” she tells The Verge.
“But I know it’s going to make me a better person.”
The new wave has resulted in some very positive things.
Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a North Carolina doctor had to tell a woman to stop trying to terminate her pregnancy after the woman told him she couldn’t.
“This is a major victory,” Gavirisia says.
She hopes that other doctors will feel empowered to tell their patients what to do and what not to do.
“When I started, I wasn’t prepared for how many people are using this as a tool to have the conversation,” she adds.
“There are so many people suffering. “
We are in the midst of a crisis in maternal and reproductive health,” she continues.
“There are so many people suffering.
There are so few resources.
And it’s a difficult issue.
We’re not just fighting the stigma that is associated with the procedure, but it’s also a very complicated issue.”
For the women in Gaviaries life, there are still plenty of hurdles to overcome.
As a woman who is an immigrant, she says she has struggled to find a home in Canada where she can safely and effectively practice her work.
“The Canadian system doesn’t allow for immigrants to work on a permanent basis,” she explains.
“And so I’m always struggling.
I have to go back every year and make sure I’m doing it right.
But it’s so important that I stay in Canada.”
Gaviriias home is a place of calm and safety.
She has never had to worry about what other people will think about her work or how she might be treated in Canada.
“In Canada, it’s the same way,” she jokes.
“You’re supposed to be a professional.”
But that’s a tricky balancing act.
“My goal in this life is to be my best and help others,” she concludes.
“That’s what I’m working toward.”