As the visitors said goodbye, Mariya Voloshyn saw the sadness in her patient’s eyes. She approached the hospital bed and said, “I’m going to make you a deal. If I smile at you, you have to promise you’ll smile back.” It worked. As her patient’s eyes softened and the sadness melted away, a small, grateful smile spread across their face.
Mariya knows that being a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) is so much more than giving medication and monitoring health. It’s the little things. She is taking care of people, and for Mariya, that means doing everything she can to make sure they’re okay.
At 46 years old, Mariya is new to the nursing field. But it’s where she belongs.
We didn’t spend money or travel. We just saved to give our children an education.
LIFE IN UKRAINE
Despite a tough life in Ukraine, Mariya remembers it as perfect. Her family had little, but they had enough. They had each other. She wished she could have taken music lessons as a child, but fondly remembers playing on the street with neighbours. Her parents worked hard to give Mariya opportunities they did not have. She was the first in her family to go to university, and when she had her own children, she vowed to work just as hard, so her daughters could pursue higher education and go even further in life.
Though she dreamed of becoming a doctor, Mariya put her dreams on hold, opening a restaurant and convenience store with her husband. “We didn’t spend money or travel. We just saved to give our children an education. That was our goal.”
HER DAUGHTERS’ DREAMS
Their plan worked. Yuliya, Mariya’s oldest daughter, was given the opportunity to complete her last year of high school in Boston, Massachusetts. After graduating in 2013, she moved to Canada to study science. A year later, as political tensions rose back home with the Russian occupation of Crimea, Yuliya urged her mother to send their youngest daughter, Irina, to Canada as well. Irina joined her sister in Canada in 2015.
Mariya wanted to be with her daughters, but she was scared. She didn’t speak English, and her life was in Ukraine. The restaurant. Her family. The streets she grew up playing in. Unsure, Mariya sought the advice of her priest. He told her to “never stay in the intersection. Make a decision, and follow through.”
GREEN LIGHT
Mariya took this advice to heart. She moved to Canada in 2016 and took English classes at Stenberg College’s sister school, Canadian College. Soon enough, she scored a five on her IELTS test. Mariya was proud, but her journey had just begun.
She came to Canada on a Student Visa and needed to be a full-time student for two years. “I took a Medical Office Assistant program at BCIT and studied psychology at Douglas College. I was very busy, so couldn’t work. My husband supported us. It was tough.”
But as time progressed, the sacrifices were worth it. Now that Mariya had learned a new language and obtained education in a new field, she was ready to work. She got a job as an Ophthalmic Technician and loved it. Supporting clients with their optical health, Mariya felt like she was making a difference. “I had to think critically, especially when screening patients. For example, if the macula [part of the retina, at the back of the eye] didn’t look healthy, I’d need to call the doctor right away. This could save a patient’s eye. It brought me a lot of joy.”
Never stay in the intersection. Make a decision, and follow through.”
CHOOSING NURSING
A few of Mariya’s coworkers were Registered Nurses in the Philippines now going through the process of becoming nurses in Canada. They were generous with their knowledge and helped Mariya learn more about the healthcare field. Talking with them, she couldn’t help but dream of working in a hospital.
One night, Mariya’s husband got sick, and they rushed to the hospital. Sitting in the Emergency waiting room, Mariya was mesmerized by the remarkable care provided by nurses. “I was looking at how they work and what they do. They were amazing. When we left, my husband said, ‘You should see your eyes. You should be a nurse.’”
From that moment, there was no turning back. Mariya researched schools with high regulatory exam pass rates and enrolled in Stenberg’s LPN program.
Even after a 12-hour shift in the hospital, I don’t feel tired. This career… It’s mine. I wanted this.
BACK TO SCHOOL… AGAIN
Not only did Mariya enjoy the program and make great friends, but she excelled, earning a 96% grade point average. She recalls one class, when her instructor excitedly approached her and whispered, “You got 100% on the midterm! You’re the first student to do that.”
Doing well meant so much to Mariya, and in many ways, she couldn’t believe it. Still insecure about her English, she would ask her daughters to check her writing for grammar. They would encourage her, saying, “Don’t worry mom! People will understand. You can do it.”
It was hard for Mariya to accept her success. Her instructor, Jocelyn Phillips, says, “Mariya worked so hard. She is humble and kind, continuing to work towards becoming the best she can be.”
Mariya graduated with employment offers from both Ridge Meadows and Langley Memorial Hospital. She gushes, “I’m so happy I chose to become a nurse. Even after a 12-hour shift in the hospital, I don’t feel tired. This career… It’s mine. I wanted this.”
“I love it here. It’s our home now.”
NEVER LOOK BACK
When asked how she feels about life today, Mariya explains, “Finishing the nursing program…it’s the same feeling as when I became a Permanent Resident. When I decided to move here, I never expected all this. But I love it here. It’s our home now.”
In 2016, Mariya did not know a word of English. Today, she is the second runner-up for Stenberg College’s prestigious Student of the Year Award. She is a Licensed Practical Nurse. But what she is most proud of is being the mother of two daughters, one who just began studying at UBC Faculty of Medicine, and the other who plans to become a Physiotherapist. Mariya and her husband are proud of their children. Going through the intersection was the best choice she could have made.
