It sounds like something out of a dystopian novel, but in 2021, a Canadian doctor made a startling declaration: he diagnosed a patient with “climate change.” This wasn’t a publicity stunt; it was a desperate plea for the world to pay attention.
Let’s rewind to the summer of 2021. A brutal heatwave, the likes of which North America had never seen, settled over the west coast. From late June to mid-July, temperatures soared to record-breaking highs, culminating in the highest temperature ever recorded in Canada. The scorching heat turned forests into tinderboxes, sparking thousands of wildfires that blanketed the region in a thick, choking smoke.
In the small mountain town of Nelson, British Columbia, nestled deep within the dense forests, the air quality plummeted to alarming levels – a staggering 43 times below what’s considered acceptable. Imagine trying to breathe in air so thick with smoke, it feels like you’re choking on ash. This is the reality many faced during that summer.
Amidst this environmental crisis, a 70-year-old woman arrived at the emergency room struggling to breathe. She was clearly in distress, gasping for air in a town struggling to provide it. Dr. Kyle Merritt, an ER physician, examined her. He knew this wasn’t just another case; this was a direct consequence of the extreme weather event gripping their community.
The woman, already managing diabetes and heart failure, lived in a trailer without air conditioning, leaving her vulnerable to the extreme heat. Dr. Merritt determined she was suffering from heat stroke, dehydration, and severe respiratory problems, all exacerbated by the heat and smoke-filled air. It was clear her existing health conditions, coupled with the extreme environmental factors, had created a perfect storm, pushing her body to its limits.
That’s when Dr. Merritt made the unprecedented decision to list “climate change” as her diagnosis. He understood that listing her individual ailments wasn’t enough; it didn’t capture the root cause of her suffering. It was the heatwave, fueled by climate change, and the resulting wildfires that had pushed her already fragile health over the edge.
Dr. Merritt’s diagnosis wasn’t about changing medical terminology; it was about sounding the alarm. “If we’re not looking at the underlying cause,” he explained, “then we’re just treating the symptoms.” He knew that if they didn’t address the larger issue of climate change, they would continue to see more patients like this woman, their health deteriorating as the planet warms.
This case serves as a stark reminder that climate change isn’t just an abstract concept; it’s a real and present threat to human health. It’s no longer just about melting ice caps and rising sea levels; it’s about the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the very ability of our bodies to function in a changing world. Dr. Merritt’s diagnosis, though unconventional, was a wake-up call, urging us to acknowledge the undeniable link between our health and the health of our planet.
