A young woman from Alberta who decided to come to the Island to establish a business in the healthcare field over seven years ago is still finding it a struggle to make ends meet, but she is steadfastly determined not to give up on her dream.
Thanks to the support of the Nanoose Community Services (NCS) she is able to sustain herself and her two cats while travelling up and down the island meeting with clients of her innovative profession. She interacts with clients, doctors and other practitioners in her field and provides information sessions to groups about her natural health procedures.
“I love what I do”, she says, but having suffered physical and emotional problems resulting from a debilitating ailment while still trying to grow her business, and not covered by insurance, she found herself unable to make ends meet.
“I’m still not completely well and haven’t been for at least two years. Food and medication are so expensive and the help I’m receiving from NCS is a real life-saver”.
“I’ve always been a very frugal shopper and looked for bargains wherever I could”, she added. But as food prices skyrocketed she was living month-to-month wondering how she would continue to feed herself and her two cats nutritiously. She heard about the NCS and decided to seek the agency’s help.
She is appreciative of the kindness and generosity of local businesses such as Quality Foods and Bosley’s pet store in Parksville, both NCS partners. One of her cats is doing better now since receiving medication and nutritious food thanks to a Bosley’s gift card. Since coming to the island she has made a circle of friends and practitioner colleagues and is grateful to those in her neighbourhood who have provided support while she is in need.
“It gives me a completely different perspective to be on the receiving end”, she notes. “I’ve always been on the side of giving and providing support, so this has made me so aware of the plight of those who, for various reasons at some point, find themselves in difficult situations and in need of help.
“I am so very thankful to those who are helping me through a difficult time as I try to build up my business and try to get back to being self-sufficient”, she added.
She wants neighbours in Nanoose Bay who have supported NCS to know that their donations are making a huge difference in the lives of people like her as it helps to bridge that gap.