Family. She did it for her own family. She did it with the support of her family, and she joins a family of thirty eight Portage College graduates who share similar stories of determination, support and success.
Cassidy Handel is now a Practical Nurse. The recent graduate from the Portage College program is a proud Metis woman and proud mom who is busy completing the chapters in her own continuing story – a story that has brought her home.
Returning to her Buffalo Lake Metis Settlement family to begin her learning journey two years ago, Cassidy relied on the support of her family, her own determination, and the dream of creating a fulfilling life for her own growing family.
This wasn’t a fairytale story, admits Cassidy, explaining the challenges and obstacles facing a working mom raising a young toddler and trying to continue her education.
Finding childcare, juggling schedules, working as she studied, along with all the challenges of everyday life were tricky, she explains – but they also brought her closer to her family and closer to her dreams.
“My family, my parents, and my partner have been the backbone of helping me get through this,” said the recent graduate, who proudly crossed the convocation stage in early June and took part in the traditional Pinning Ceremony for graduates in the Nursing profession.
The Pinning Ceremony brought some unexpected emotions as Cassidy crossed the stage, congratulated by Portage College Practical Nurse program faculty and staff, and cheered on by family, friends and classmates.
“I never knew a pinning ceremony would be so intimate; it really felt like a dream come true,” she said.
The dream is shared with her supportive family. Her own grandmother helped to steer Cassidy’s path towards a career in healthcare. Cassidy remembers growing up and seeing her Kookum working night shifts as she also studied her career in nursing. Her Kookum’s school books, in particular the ones on anatomy that would be open on the kitchen table or in the living room, really got her interested in the healthcare field.
The opportunity to follow up on that interest happened at an Open House event at Portage College a few years ago. Cassidy hasn’t looked back since and encourages others to do the same.
Will it be easy? Heck no. There may be no perfect time to send your life toward a new goal, says Cassidy, but she tells everyone who asks that the rewards are worth it.
“Do it. It will benefit you,” she said. “It is tough in the moment, but I would look them in the eyes and say, ‘You can do it.’ You’ll look back and be so proud of yourself.”
As Cassidy begins her nursing career, she hopes to provide the same compassion and care that inspired her, by following in the footsteps of her grandmother. Her journey is a testament that determination, family bonds, a strong support system at home and in the College, and personal perseverance can lead to extraordinary achievements, even in the busiest seasons of life.
