Meagher's degree has led her to a rewarding and exciting career in physical therapy. (Photo: Craig Soars)
Kimba Meagher didn't originally set out to be a physiotherapist. Originally from Fort McMurray, she grew up instructing youth in swimming, skiing and snowboarding. It wasn't until a rehabilitation professional gave a guest lecture during the first year of her bachelor's degree that everything came together; at that moment, Meagher realized that being a physiotherapist would basically fit all the job criteria she had established.
"From my time as a youth instructor, I knew that I really liked the physical aspects and working with children. But at first, I wasn't quite sure how to put that together into a career."
But after learning about the field of physical therapy, she now had a plan.
"I spent the next three years of my degree focused on getting into the MSc in Physical Therapy program in the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine. I was taking sociology, psychology and anatomy courses to build a well-rounded foundation-I recognized the need for a holistic approach."
Having spent her undergraduate summers as a forest firefighter in Northern Alberta, Meagher was no stranger to the danger of wildfires. But her first clinical placement in her physical therapy program at the Northern Lights Regional Health Centre in Fort McMurray was unexpectedly cut short after one week when the 2016 fire devastated the area.
After helping evacuate the hospital and ensuring her family was safe, she was able to resume her placement at the Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute. Due to the last-minute arrangements, her new supervisor assumed it was actually her last placement, and ended up giving her a great deal of autonomy.
"It was definitely a great learning experience," she laughed. "And it certainly helped boost my confidence."
Meagher was also happy to share that her family home, pets, and her father's beloved Birchwood Forest trail system all survived the fires that made that first clinical placement a very memorable one.
Upon completing her coursework last December, Meagher immediately jumped into an 18-month contract at the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital as a practicing physiotherapist working with children and adolescents. She sees patients in both a one-on-one appointment setting as well as clinical sessions involving multiple practitioners, and supports both the pediatric Specialized Rehabilitation Outpatient Program and the children's Neuromuscular Disease Clinic.
"The therapy we do at the Glenrose is very goal-oriented. We develop plans geared towards achieving a specific outcome-for example, standing unassisted, walking independently, or improving an individual's gait pattern," Meagher explained.
These goals even extend to infants aged 6-18 months, where Meagher and her colleagues work with families to develop strategies to encourage the development of their youngsters' gross motor abilities.
"I think it's very important to empower people to understand what their body is doing, and how the exercises and therapy act on their body to bring them closer to their goal," Meagher explained. "Especially in an outpatient program, the defined structure helps keep children and parents engaged and committed during the time between appointments."
When asked if she's seen a memorable instance of a patient achieving their goals since starting, her eyes lit up.
"There was a young man with cerebral palsy who could only walk with the help of a walker. He had received an adapted bicycle through You Can Ride 2 this year, and was working hard to be able to ride it. After five months of post-operative therapy, and trying over and over again, it just 'clicked' and he started pedaling around! That kind of progress was just so incredible to witness."
Meagher's degree has led her to a rewarding and exciting career, and she hopes to remain in Edmonton for the foreseeable future.
"There are a lot of good opportunities here, especially for working with children," she said.
And with kilometers of river valley to explore, there are still plenty of opportunities for Meagher to remain in touch with the great outdoors.