Knowing and accepting are two different things. I think I always knew I was gay but it took time for me to accept who I am and be comfortable with actually saying it out loud.

I am a gay cisgender man and came out when I was 18, almost 20 years ago now. It was scary and I was cautious to tell people at first. I would only open up and share that side of myself to those I knew well and trusted. Now, it is a lot easier, not keeping that piece of me a secret, and for me to introduce myself confidently and say “this is me, this is who I am”.

My parents left their world behind and took a huge risk when they immigrated to Canada from the Philippines. Growing up in Winnipeg, I saw how hard they worked to give their family the opportunities they never had. I wouldn’t be where I am today without their sacrifices and feel very privileged to have the opportunity to become a neurosurgeon and spine surgeon, with their support.

A floor made of gym mats, some hoops, cones and a crawling tunnel combine to make the perfect obstacle course for Carla Peters’ pediatric physiotherapy session. With a few play-based materials, children complete the course, all while working on basic skills like balance, mobility and strength.

“Following a child’s lead means we have to be creative and spontaneous in finding ways that we can somehow fit a little bit of our agenda into the child’s needs while they lead us through play,” described Carla Peters, Pediatric Physiotherapist at Boundary Trails Health Centre.

My grandma immigrated to Canada from Northwestern India not knowing a word of English.

When she was older, she broke her shoulder and became very sick. She ended up being hospitalized at Grace Hospital where I would visit her regularly. I was moved by the amazing care she received from amazing people. Even though she wasn’t able to communicate with the health care team verbally, they found a way to care for her with so much compassion. Witnessing the way she was treated inspired me to become a nurse.

Treena Slate lights up as she recalls the moments that first sparked her interest in caring for others. 

“Growing up on a farm, I was often referred to as ‘Mother Hen’ because I was so attentive to the animals,” she laughed. “I can remember always wanting to help, even from when I was a small child. I think the caring aspect of my personality was really nurtured from a young age.”

I have always been so intrigued by the holistic approach to healing and the teamwork within public health care. My mother was an incredible nurse and also inspired me to follow in her footsteps towards a career in caring for others. For a long time, I knew I wanted to work in the health system but I had no idea where or how. I switched between four different faculties during my undergrad before I discovered physiotherapy. After that, it felt like an easy decision – this was the right career for me.

“I stumbled across the term non-binary and instantly had this ‘ah-ha’ moment, that was me. I was overcome with emotion that I finally felt validated. I felt like I belonged.” – Michelle Huot (they/them), Social Worker, Child Health Program, HSC Winnipeg

As a young person, I struggled with my identity. I didn’t fit in with society’s construct of being a ‘woman’ and its version of being ‘feminine’. I gave it my all to try and fit within that box.

“Harm reduction is really about meeting people where they are at with compassion and curiosity instead of judgement, helping them be as safe as possible,” – Karmen Bridges, Clinical Nurse Educator for Labour and Delivery at Health Science Centre.

Riding a bike comes with the inherent risk of falling and people still cycle. To reduce the potential for harm we wear a helmet. The exact same concept applies to providing harm reduction supplies to those who need them.  

“Being a paramedic, when we arrive on scene we’re meeting people for the first time and right away they trust me to do what is right and what is best for them. I’m very honoured to do what I do,”

– Helena Zacarias, Primary Care Paramedic, Flin Flon

New to Canada, Helena Zacarias practiced her English working at a fast-food restaurant, greeting and taking orders from her customers. One day a conversation with a customer in uniform had a lasting impact on the trajectory of her life. 

Nurse practitioner strives to provide exemplary oncology care

No matter their diagnosis, stage of illness, or goals of care, there is always one question Christine Eisma asks herself before meeting a new patient: “How can I help them through their treatments as safely, comfortably, and seamlessly as possible?”

This question helps guide her work as an oncology nurse practitioner, and is one she is well equipped to answer.

Eisma started her career as a bedside nurse at Health Sciences Centre, but she discovered her niche in nursing when she began working at CancerCare Manitoba in 2011.

“It was the people I worked with who fueled my passion for nursing,” said Eisma. “I saw them strive for excellence, and it made me want to do the same.”

Travel nurse finds adventure and opportunity

Chao-Yu Hu has seen and experienced a lot in her relatively new nursing career. Nearly two years after her graduation from the University of Manitoba, Hu is building her skillset working in facilities located across the province, finding both adventure and opportunities to grow.

“Just a couple of years ago, a patient was telling me about their hometown and I must have looked puzzled because they told me I should travel more,” said Hu.“I remember saying, ‘you’re right’.”

That patient interaction, and some follow-up conversations with HSC colleagues, had a memorable and lasting impact on the young Manitoba nurse, inspiring Hu to pursue a role in Manitoba’s new Provincial Nursing Float Pool.

“The communities, the cultures, the critical thinking skills I would have the privilege to experience and attain in these roles, all appealed to me,” said Hu, who had worked as a health care aide and an Undergraduate Nurse Employee (UNE) at a Winnipeg hospital before transitioning to a nurse at Health Sciences Centre after graduation.

Celebrating Nursing Week with Amanda Mann

Amanda Mann’s childhood was punctuated by interactions with the health system. Frequently in and out of hospital, she had a front-row view of the fast-paced – and often hectic – moments within health care.

“As a kid, seeing the doctors, nurses and health care workers in very busy and chaotic situations, act in such a calm and confident way really interested me,” said Mann. “They just knew what to do. I would watch them and think ‘I want to do that one day’.”

As her personal experiences turned into a calling, Mann began to pursue opportunities in health care, volunteering during her high school years in the local candy striper program at Percy E. Moore Hospital in Hodgson, Manitoba. The facility has played a central role in Mann’s decade of nursing. 

Caring for patients and the community

Working in a role that involved caring for others was always what Danita Lechelt pictured when she thought about her future career. Growing up, Lechelt was inspired both by watching her mother (also a nurse) and from the experience of having someone close to her, a cousin, receiving health care throughout her childhood.

“Ever since I was in elementary school, I have known without a doubt that this was the career I wanted to pursue,” said Lechelt, a Clinical Resource Nurse at St. Anthony’s General Hospital in the northern community of The Pas. “It felt very natural for me to move into a role where I’m able to take care of others, and see people not just as patients but as people, with families who love them.”

Lechelt worked in a number of locations across Manitoba, including Dauphin and Winnipeg, before finding the perfect fit for her career – and her family – in The Pas.

Celebrating Nursing Week with Colton Robak

“I have always liked working in a service type industry and hearing other people’s stories that I have met along the way. In health care, the people you meet is endless. You meet people from all over the world. Becoming a nurse has been the perfect career choice for me.”

Colton Robak’s drive and dedication to provide care in his home community of Dauphin and its surrounding areas led him to pursue a career in nursing and he hasn’t looked back since.

Inspired by his mother, who also works in health care, Robak started out as a health care aide before deciding to further his education at Brandon University to become a nurse.

“Once I started working with a lot of nurses, I was struck by the variety of work they do and it really inspired me to go back to school,” Robak said. “I have always liked working in a service type industry and hearing other people’s stories that I have met along the way.

Celebrating Nursing Week with lactation specialists

Welcoming a new baby into the world can be a life-altering experiencing, often accompanied by joy, fear, anxiety, and even some unexpected challenges for some parents. At Health Sciences Centre, these families and their newborns are cared for, supported, and offered some specialized education by the incredible care team members at HSC’s Women’s Hospital, Manitoba’s largest and busiest birthing centre, which welcomes more than 6,000 babies in an average year.

Unique to the HSC teams are three lactation specialists who are dedicated to offering support to new parents and their babies.