What is your educational background?
Honours Bachelor of Kinesiology (HBK), Lakehead University
Master of Science in Physical Therapy (MScPT), University of Toronto

What are your daily responsibilities?
– Work at two pediatric physiotherapy/medical clinics (Boomerang Health and Kids Physio) where I provide physiotherapy asssessment and treatment to kids and teens – Provide private in-home physiotherapy – Coach youth basketball players; provide sideline medical coverage and support (Bill Crothers Senior Boys Prep Team and Northern Kings AAU)* – Mentor and supervise kinesiology students from the University of Toronto (injury prevention program for Northern Kings Academy) – Manage MayeHealth, a digital health education platform for Eritreans – Assist in strategic planning and creation of the Black Physiotherapy Association (Canada)

What hurdles did you face?
– My father passed away when I was in elementary school. Money was tight but we made it work. Learned a lot about resilience early on in life. – In second year of undergrad, I was frustrated with my lack of playing time (in basketball). I was outworking my teammates and still couldn’t catch a break. My grades started to take a bit of a hit as well. Eventually, my mental health started to suffer. After one practice, I had an anxiety attack. I had no idea what was happening. Thankfully, I was going to be OK but I slowly started to change where I placed my value in myself.
– Start of 4th year (of undergrad), my coach communicated with me that after working hard to get into the rotation the season prior, I was going to go back to the end of the rotation. I quit. It took me 4 years to realize that I wasn’t valued. Instead, I dedicated that extra time into myself. I learned new skills, focused on school, and volunteered. It was one of the best decisions in my life.
– In my 4th year of undergrad, I applied to medical school and unfortunately wasn’t accepted. I was crushed. Felt like a failure. A lifelong dream felt unattainable in that moment. I did think of quitting. For a long time, I thought I did. But in hindsight, I realize I pivoted and created my own lane where I still do what I always aspired to do: help people bounce back from injury and reach new heights.
– I was in month 5 of working as a physiotherapist and… BAM! I was involved in a serious car accident that took me away from work for several months. I was so lucky that my head was untouched but my lower body was in rough shape. I was now the patient and had to relearn how to walk, to climb stairs, and manage my pain. It was a tough time becasue I was still relatively fresh out of school. I wasn’t making any money…. and my body wasn’t working. It tested me both mentally and physically. It made me reconsider continuing working in a physically intensive job with long hours. Thankfully I rehabbed well and 1 year later, I ran my first half marathon just to remind myself that the body is resilient. It was a good learning experience for me, as a therapist, to have a better insight in what my clients deal with on a daily basis.

What advice would you give to the 15-18 year old version of yourself?
Do not place your self-worth in your achievements; instead be proud of how you treat and support others.
“It always seems impossible until it’s done.” – Nelson Mandela