8 minute read
RTAM Bursary Recipient
ABIGAIL WORRALL: RTAM Bursary Recipient
Public Relations Committee
When I was a kid my icebreaker for conversations was always “Did you know I live in a vet clinic?” When I was four my parents bought an abandoned vet clinic and turned it into a house. I never thought this to be abnormal, but to other kids it was odd—to have a lobby and a front desk or operating room. This is a small part of who I am, Abigail Worrall.
Growing up I had three places Abigail Worrall I considered to be home, and I mean that in more of a figurative than a literal sense.
My first home was the one I spent the most time at Ste. Rose du Lac, MB. It’s where we turned the vet clinic into a house, and where I would drive my dirt bike around the yard every sunny summer day. Ste. Rose is a small “nowhere” town surrounded by smaller “nowhere” towns, but it’s home. I went to school in Ste. Rose and in my elementary years I had many friends—ones you play in the sandbox with and skip rope and sit on the swings with. When middle school came around this slowly ended. My class was predominantly boys—from kindergarten it went from five girls in our class to one, me. In middle school, this was especially hard because I didn’t have a lot of friends. I typically spent my time drawing, reading, or writing. As I got older, I grew closer friendships with the boys in my class. When I graduated in 2021, I was the only girl in my grade, and it was a proud feminist moment when my all-boy class voted me as valedictorian.
My second home is my grandparents’ farm. Weekends, summers, and school breaks were spent there. Not only did I enjoy how secluded it was from the rest of the world, but I especially was fond of all that I learned there. Summer days were spent picking rocks in the field, setting gopher traps, or checking cows with grandma. I have a very close bond with my grandparents and spending all that time with them only grew our bond closer. They have taught me so many useful skills in life: filleting fish, driving, cooking, playing cards, and so many more valuable teachings. No matter what was going on in my life they remained my guideposts for everything—I am so incredibly grateful to have them in my life. When I was 12, my grandparents sustained life altering injuries. My grandma was in a quadding accident which resulted in a serious break to her ankle. My grandpa, my uncle, and I were working with cattle when a bull attacked my grandfather. Luckily nobody else was injured, but my grandpa endured serious life altering injuries to his left arm. The injuries he sustained caused serious nerve damage, which lead to him losing almost all motor function to that arm. For anyone, that injury would be seriously debilitating—but it was especially inconvenient for a farmer who constantly worked with his hands. During this difficult time my parents were going through a divorce. These two factors contributed to uncertainty in my life. It felt like just one month prior my life had a plan, everyone was healthy, and my family was whole. Due to these uncertainties my mom and I made the decision to move in with my grandparents to aid them in their time of need. For the six months spent living with my grandparents, I acted more as a nurse than a granddaughter. My time was spent doing physiotherapy with my grandpa, making sure they took all the correct pills at the correct times, assisting them to the washroom, helping them get dressed, and more. On top of this I was active in sports, doing my best in school, and trying to help
with the daily house and farm chores. I won’t deny, it was a lot of responsibility, however, I am forever grateful for those six months with my grandparents, as it is how I discovered how much I truly love caring for others.
My third home is probably the most beautiful and scenic of all – Paint Lake, Manitoba. Every year since I can remember, we would travel the seven hours north to our favourite camping retreat. Seven hours to a kid can feel like an eternity, but not to me. I would stare out the window for hours, watching the prairies turn into rock ledges with spruce trees growing out of the fractures in the stone. It always amazed me how such tall, lively trees could plant roots in the harshest terrain. I would count the osprey and eagle nests perched high on the hydro poles, comparing my statistics to the year prior. It was such a thrill to know I was going to a place that was so familiar, yet every time I arrived, it felt like a new experience. This trip was a long-standing tradition for my grandparents for over 40 years. We loaded our boats full of necessities and made our way to a remote island where we pitched tents and turned it into our home. Some of my most favourable memories stem from that island and the lake that surrounds it. As I got older, I realized that it isn’t necessarily the lake that makes it feel like magic but the people who you surround yourself with when you are there. I am so lucky that I get to experience it with my mom, grandparents, sister, aunts, uncles, and any other friends and family who join us.
When my high school career was ending, I had to think critically on what exactly I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I knew I was going into the medical field however, I was still uncertain which path I would take. After talking with my brother, a fire-medic, I opened my horizons to see what the field of paramedicine offered. This is when I discovered University College of the North in The Pas, MB. The idea of living in the north for a year was so exciting to me, it would be like returning home. There is just something about being surrounded by beautiful, peaceful lakes, and having every opportunity to hike, and explore. It was so enticing, I applied instantly and was so honored when I got in.
Now that my Primary Care Paramedic schooling in The Pas is coming to an end, it saddens me to be leaving University College of the North. My experience here has been exceptional, the people I have met and the things I have learned has been an incredible experience. This past year has taught me how much I love learning. Because of this, I was inspired to continue with my education with the hopes of becoming an Advanced Care Paramedic. In Manitoba there are very few Advanced Care Paramedic programs offered, so I made the conscious decision of applying out of province. When I discovered that Holland College in PEI had an ACP program, I eagerly applied. Knowing how competitive this program is, my expectations were not high for being accepted, however, I was incredibly surprised to find out I did get in! I have chosen to go the distance/distributive learning route, allowing me to work as a Primary Care Paramedic in Manitoba whilst going to school for Advanced Care Paramedic. After I complete the ACP program, I look forward to working in Manitoba. I love the idea of becoming a flight medic or working with STARS air ambulance in the future.
Throughout my year at UCN I was blessed to receive a bursary from the Retired Teachers’ Association of Manitoba. As we all know, postsecondary education has an expensive price tag and having generous organizations that offer financial awards, greatly decreases the stresses for university and college students. I would like to extend a huge thank you to the Retired Teachers’ Association of Manitoba for granting me this bursary. Not only has it helped me with the cost of living in the north, but it has also helped me financially in pursuing my goals of becoming an Advanced Care Paramedic.
A quote that speaks volumes to me is one from Michelle Obama, “The only limit to the height of your achievements is the reach of your dreams and your willingness to work for them.” As I continue to set academic goals for myself, it is comforting knowing that there are charitable organizations like RTAM to help students like myself work towards these goals. n
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