COVER STORY
HEROES ON THE FRONTLINES OF THE PANDEMIC Our eighth annual ‘Immigrant Women of Inspiration’ special shines a spotlight on heroes who have continued to work with courage, confidence and dedication every day of this pandemic, making vital contributions to improving the lives of people in Canada in their own unique ways. We bring to you four inspiring women from across Canada who have been on the frontlines of fighting COVID-19 and supporting their communities. Here are the inspiring and motivational stories of Dr. Theresa Tam, Jennifer Chen, Claudette Lennard and Vedanshi Vala. We would like to recognize all nominations we have received this year as women of inspiration – without their efforts, we would not be starting to emerge from this challenging situation.
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r. Theresa Tam, Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer, is a household name today. A fierce public health advocate, she has been a key voice in guiding Canadians during this pandemic.
Hong Kong-born Tam moved to the UK with her family when she was in primary school and got her medical license before moving to Canada in the early ’90s. Like all internationally trained medical professionals, Tam went through the re-qualification process and completed her pediatrics residency program at the University of Alberta before pursuing further sub-speciality training as a pediatric infectious diseases fellow at the University of British Columbia. “Inspired and guided by great mentors at the Children’s Hospital of British Columbia, I became interested in vaccines and their critical application in public health,” she says. Tam entered public health through the Canadian Field Epidemiology Program at Health Canada (now at the Public Health Agency of Canada). “Some of the happiest moments in my career were out in the field investigating and managing outbreaks of infectious diseases in Canada and internationally. “It took me a while to say goodbye to my clinical practice, but when the time came to choose, I realized I was much more interested in how the ways we live, work and behave impact our health. I wanted to know how,
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CANADIAN IMMIGRANT Volume 18 Issue 2 | 2021
by changing systems and structures, we could improve health for everyone. The work satisfaction in public health comes from the prevention of illnesses and promoting the wellbeing of communities rather than treating one patient at a time,” she says. One of Tam’s goals when she took on the key leadership role as Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer in 2017 was to make good health a possibility for everyone in Canada. “Equity is vital for ensuring health security and preventing future health emergencies. COVID-19 has highlighted the many facets of the pandemic response that are beyond actions of the health sector and that social, economic and other supports are crucial,” says Tam. Tam encourages newcomers and immigrants to take action and seek support during the pandemic. “... Speak to people you trust in your settlement community or consult your primary care provider – either a family physician, a walk-in clinic, a community health centre, or even a hospital – to learn about the options that are available to support your health and well-being. This help is also available to newcomers, including refugees. I urge you to get the help you need.” She talks about the importance of finding ways to stay connected to loved ones in these challenging times and shares innovative ways she connects
