TYLENOL® Fund to Advance Diversity in Nursing and Health Equity Research

My name is Amanda McEachern, and I am thrilled to have been selected as the recipient of the Tylenol Diversity Scholarship. Pursuing a career in midwifery was my initial dream, but circumstances led me down a different path. I dedicated ten years to full-time parenting before transitioning into the field of education to support students with high needs. Now, as a solo parent of three children, I need a flexible and financially viable career that also relates to my passions. 

The losses of two loved ones deeply impacted me and sparked a keen interest in the significance of both the beginnings and endings we experience in life. This newfound passion has fueled my strong advocacy for medical assistance in dying (MAID) legislation in Canada, as well as my desire to provide compassionate care to patients facing serious illness or end of life, including those who choose MAID. I firmly believe that pursuing a career in nursing will offer me the best opportunity to fulfill my aspirations in the field of Palliative and end of life care. I identify as a person with a disability living with a mental health condition and a dynamic disability that I acquired after a workplace accident. These invisible disabilities present barriers that many fellow students, instructors, and preceptors are unaware of. I hope to increase awareness of invisible disabilities in healthcare education and employment, reducing barriers and promoting acceptance. I am an avid commuter cyclist and love a cold ocean sip. I also love a good book or a sci-fi series and when I have time I enjoy sewing gifts for my friends and family.