Vending machine focuses on self care

By Lethbridge Herald on October 14, 2025.

Dr. Sean Rourke poses with an Our Healthbox vending machine which dispenses free HIV self-testing kits, harm reduction, sexual health supplies.

Alexandra Noad
Lethbridge Herald
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

BROCKET – The Piikani Nation is the latest recipient of Our Healthbox, a free vending machine that provides free HIV self-tests, Naloxone anti-overdose kits as well as other harm reduction and sexual health products.

Our Healthbox currently serves 17 communities across the country and was created in January 2023 by Sean Rourke, a scientist at MAP centre for Urban Health Solutions at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto.

Rourke says Our Healthbox was created with the premise that everyone deserves to have what they need to take care of their health without judgment.

“This offers an opportunity for people to come and have a low barrier way of getting things they need to take care of themselves, when it’s best for them and also to get it without judgement and stigma.”

Since its launch, Our Healthbox has reached more than 14,000 people. Each Healthbox contains unique items based on the needs of the community.

Piikani’s Healthbox, located in Brocket, will contain HIV self-tests, drug testing strips, pregnancy tests and socks and mittens.

Our Healthbox covers the capital cost of the unit, while communities are responsible for the supplies it contains.

Rourke says this will allow them to have autonomy to provide supplies to best serve the specific needs of their people.

With the opening of the Piikani Healthbox, Alberta now has two Heathboxes, with the other one located in Siksika. Both were done in consultation with leaders of both nations.

Rourke says he was impressed by the qualities of both Piikani and Siksika leaders.

“The leadership of these communities is really telling about how they value the people in their community and it’s extraordinary leadership in my view.”

e adds the opening of the Piikani Healthbox was a special event, which included an opening prayer and was held alongside a community health fair.

“We had an elder start us off for launch, they had s small health fair going on to introduce people to a variety to different service and things they offer in the community.”

The Healthbox houses screens which contain information about services available to users, no matter where they are on their recovery journey.

Rourke says the messages aim to meet people where they’re at, which also gives them autonomy when seeking recovery.

“I’m a big fan of letting the person decide what’s best for them and not making choices (between) one or the other.”

He adds he is always inspired at how willing elders are with helping with reconciliation and is honoured to stand shoulder for shoulder with them to change the trajectory of First Nation communities.

“It’s about supporting those leaders, working with them and walking with them shoulder to shoulder that makes all the difference in the world and I think that’s what reconciliation is about.”

Our Healthbox keeps track of the progress they have made, including how many people they have served and the number of each of the supplies they have dispensed at ourhelthbox.ca.