I love to swim. I love the water. I love how it makes me feel — calm, meditative, clear. It’s a time for breath, thought and determination.

In 1977, I was a 12-year-old swimmer from St. John’s, buzzing with excitement and nerves as I stepped into the Canada Games athletes village right here in Newfoundland and Labrador. That summer changed everything. It gave me strength, independence and the joy of being part of something bigger than myself. It planted the seeds of who I would become.

Now, nearly 50 years later, I find myself at another life milestone — retired from Memorial University’s Faculty of Nursing – as the Canada Games return to our province once again.

And I find myself thinking: how lucky we are to live in a place where sport, community and perseverance run so deep.

1980 Olympic qualifier

The first pool I swam in was Wedgewood Park. I remember being in the shallow end with my father saying, “Come on, try again.” And I did. From those early swims to national and international competition, sport became a foundation. I even qualified for the 1980 Olympics but never went due to the boycott of the Moscow Games. That disappointment still stings. But sport taught me to push through. To dig deep. To do hard things with heart.

Swimming and exercise for me have always been more than a pursuit of medals. They’ve been a lifeline. During my PhD, my daily swims — even in winter, in Topsail Beach or Long Pond — kept me laughing, thinking and moving forward. As Olympian Clara Hughes once said, “Movement is medicine.” That philosophy has carried me through heartbreak, including the recent loss of my father this spring.

“Nurses are connectors and quiet forces of transformation.”

Exercise is increasingly recognized as a powerful form of medicine, with research demonstrating its effectiveness in preventing and managing various chronic diseases. It’s not just about physical health; exercise also positively impacts mental well-being.

I share this because I want young people — and future nurses — to understand: resilience and well-being go hand in hand. Whether you’re delivering a baby, studying for an exam or cheering at a swim meet, your mental, emotional and physical health matters. It’s the foundation of excellent care, strong communities and vibrant lives.

Canada Games = spirit and possibility

And it’s that same spirit of perseverance that lives in the nurses of this province.

Nursing is not for the faint of heart. It demands knowledge, stamina, empathy and a will to keep showing up. Every patient remembers how you made them feel. Nurses are connectors and quiet forces of transformation. Especially here, where community is our superpower.

We come from tough stock. Our great-grandparents rose at 3 a.m. to head out to sea, working the fishery in freezing cold conditions, adapting to whatever the day threw at them. That same hard work, resilience and adaptability lives on in our nurses, our athletes, our volunteers and in the way we care for one another.

This year, something remarkable is happening — we seem to be coming together stronger, as Canadians and as provinces. In a world that can feel divided, Newfoundland and Labrador has the chance to be a shining example of what’s possible. A place where people show up for one another. Where the Games aren’t just about sport, but about spirit. And possibility.

“Whether we’re in the pool, at the bedside or around a campfire next to the ocean, we move each other forward.”

As the 2025 Canada Games approach, I encourage everyone to get involved. This is a once-in-a-generation chance to witness the power of sport to inspire and uplift.

So come out. Cheer on a young athlete. Visit the Faculty of Nursing’s booth. Learn what it means to be a nurse today and what inspires us to keep going. If my 12-year-old self walked by today and asked about nursing, I’d say: it’s an incredible path. Like sport, it requires grit and adaptability. But it will shape you forever.

Because whether we’re in the pool, at the bedside or around a campfire next to the ocean, we move each other forward.

Let’s celebrate. Let’s connect. Let’s keep moving – together.