In 2007 the FNC started as a pilot project – a proposal by Dr. Amy Gilchrist to Acacia Integrative Health Clinic and The Young Parents Support Network that they join resources to start providing free naturopathic medicine to young low income families. The pilot project was a glowing success.
Later in 2007, Dr. Kristin Schnurr joined the team, taking over treating patients for Amy’s locum and then staying on as the primary treating physician and as a key player in direction and visioning of the FNC.
In 2009 the FNC partnered with CCNM (the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine), the only Naturopathic College in Canada, to expand our services and create more sustainability. Since then 3rd and 4th year interns have been making the trip from Vancouver to Victoria each FNC shift in order to treat patients under the supervision of our Supervisor Doctors – Dr. Jaime de Melo and Dr. Jane Rohon O’Halloran. This change allowed the FNC to triple our services and allowed us to enter a role as educators of future NDs.
To this day the FNC continues to provide free care to infants, toddlers, kids, moms, and dads. Our hope is to provide support to families so that they can be healthier. Healthier families in our community create a stronger community for us all.