CNSA Bilingualism Award

This year, I will be attending my third year of nursing at Laurentian University. I decided to pursue a career in nursing in order to advocate for those who cannot access health care. I travel to Lebanon on a yearly basis and it has been hard not to notice the lack of proper health provision in the nation. I felt the inequality between the access I had in Canada versus what Lebanese habitants had.  Unfortunately, my own grandmother passed away from heart failure due to ineffective care, which is why I choose to engage in the health profession. I currently work in a pharmacy and volunteer with Syrian refugees to translate all their medical visits in order to promote access to care without a language barrier.

Nursing school has opened my eyes to the various career paths including cardiology and anaesthesiology. However my love for nursing grew on the oncology unit, where my patient and their family battled malignant lymphoma. They made me realised that nursing is not just about giving injections and administrating medication; it is also about the trust and the therapeutic relationship with my clients.

My proudest moment is my ability to work hard in order to succeed in nursing school. The countless late nights and spending my days in the library paid off during exam season and for this award. I would like to thank the Canadian Nurse’s Foundation and to all the donors for choosing me to be an award recipient!