My twin sister is the individual that motivates me to be the best person I can, every day. Without her, I would not have accomplished half of the achievements I have been awarded today. My spiritual, physical, mental, and psychosocial health is influenced by her attitudes, and we share a positive, unique energy that drives our ambitions.	My mother's breast cancer journey for the past seven years is one of the main influences that led me to becoming a nurse. The oncology nurses, emergency nurses, general-surgery nurses, and many others, were the first to demonstrate to me, the various roles these individuals can have and the different paths that are offered through nursing. It has also strengthened my empathy towards ill patients, both during and post-disease, and some basic care skills around monitoring drainage ports, PICC line	This is a photo of my father at a call during his early paramedic career. His experience with PTSD has been eye-opening for me, as it has displayed to me the importance of self-advocation and the role nurses have in assisting clients with this type of illness. It has also shaped me into becoming more compassionate and aware of diseases that are not physically seen.
​My nursing career began early as I landed my first job having to care with those with dementia before having any formal training. I was able to apply the techniques taught in the course, into my own practice in the residential care home. My confidence and skill level felt like it had transformed when delivering person-centred dementia care.	The FEED program changed my outlook on how mealtimes can become drastically different when these abilities are taken away. With the main focus being on gerontology throughout the NURS 1020 course, having the opportunity to complete this module allowed me to expand my skills while caring for this population during one of the most crucial parts of the day, meal time.	As we are faced with unimaginable circumstances while we deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, I am fortunate to have had the opportunity to receive my first dose of the Pfizer vaccine. Amongst all of the controversy surrounding the vaccines, I can only hope that receiving my first dose is a step in the right direction to protect myself and others from contracting this terrible virus while working on the front lines
During the summer of 2020, I was fortunate enough to be hired on with the Correctional Service of Canada as a PSW. I performed wellness checks and was a contact tracer during the COVID-19 pandemic, assisted nurses in organizing their medications, methadone and suboxone clinics, blood pressure and weight clinics, and other tasks. This was the first health care position I have experienced and acquired much hands-on knowledge I would not have gotten anywhere else.	I completed my Basic Life Support training as a requirement for my summer job and also for the Trent University Nursing program.	I was a figure skater for 10 years. By being dedicated to a single activity, I learned to persevere through hard times, to celebrate achievements, and has allowed me to build forever friendships with my fellow skaters and coaches. I was able to give back many years of volunteer service by assisting in coaching younger skaters, and helped raise money for the club through various fundraisers.
This photo is my modelling "comp" card I used when I participated with the Mode Elle agency. To me, this experience taught me how to be professional in interviews, how to present myself respectfully, and grew my self-confidence.