Supporting her passions now and into the future

Mary Whale

“I was the youngest of four children in a family with Ukrainian heritage. My father instilled in me the importance of women being able to support themselves, regardless of their life circumstances,” says Mary Whale, ’78 BA, ’83 BScN.

Following his advice, she completed two degrees at the University of Alberta - first a bachelor of arts with a fine arts major, then a bachelor of science in nursing with a specialization in gerontology (the study of aging).

Mary devoted three decades to nursing, specializing in gerontology for the past two decades. She feels grateful for the choices she’s been able to make in her life, thanks to her nursing career.

“I try to pass on the values my dad taught me to my three daughters. The importance of being self-sufficient usually means getting an education. But actions speak louder than words. So, I decided to make the U of A a benefactor in my estate.”

Mary has provided a bequest to assist the Faculty of Nursing. She has also established an award in her lifetime to support graduate studies in gerontology.

She is passionate about breaking stereotypes related to aging.

“Interestingly enough, my two professions came together and informed each other,” says Mary, who left nursing in 2019 to work on Between the Lines – a collection of stories and portraits of older adults.

Her motivation came from years of working with seniors. “While working in nursing, I noticed the complex nature of ageism. I became interested in “internal ageism” that often manifests as low self-esteem in many older adults.” According to Mary, the project aims to foster conversations about aging, ageism, and stereotypes. Awareness is the first step to changing biases.

All proceeds from her art project will go directly into Mary’s award.

“I feel grateful for the opportunity to make these small contributions. I mean, I’m not rich. But I can choose where to put the resources I have.”

Her award supports the field and study of gerontology because there's so much we don't understand about healthy aging. As our elder population grows, that’s an ever more important gift.

As Mary says, “It's about empowering individuals and making them feel valuable. Providing them with the necessary resources and opportunities to contribute to their communities. All of us have to feel we’re doing something important.”

She adds, “It's amazing growing older. Yes, there's that downside of the physical decline part of it. But the spiritual part of yourself keeps growing.”

Thank you, Mary, for your generous support and your life’s work helping older people in our community.