Living with a family member who has a chronic condition can be challenging, but Mandy Young uses her experience to shape the way health students think and work. Her contribution to student learning at UBC has earned her the 2020 R. Paul Kerston Community Educator Award from UBC Health. 

Mandy’s nine-year-old daughter Sophie lives with autism spectrum disorder and a rare disease called Prader-Willi Syndrome. Sophie advocates for herself whenever possible, but when adults don’t hear her voice, Mandy steps in. That’s why Mandy volunteers as a health mentor with the UBC Interprofessional Health Mentors Program, where she provides students with a unique opportunity to learn through her lived experience. 

To be considered for the Kerston award, nominees are evaluated on the number of students they impact, the length of time with students, how the students are impacted, and the values instilled in students, such as interprofessional practice, patient-centred care, accessibility, lived experience, holistic learning, and community engagement by students.

My hope is that by sharing our family’s story, students can learn to make the system better. I hope my mentoring shapes the way they think and ultimately the way they practice once in their respective fields.

Mandy has mentored seven cohorts of students from eight programs, including Medicine, Nursing, Dentistry, Genetic Counselling, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Pharmacy, and Speech-Language Pathology. Mandy also co-developed and co-facilitates an interprofessional workshop about caregiver experiences as well as workshops about health advocacy, attended by more than 400 students in a range of health disciplines. 

“Managing the complex care of an individual with specialized needs and our journey through the medical system have not always been easy, but I think learning can be fostered through stories,” says Mandy. “My hope is that by sharing our family’s story, students can learn to make the system better. I hope my mentoring shapes the way they think and ultimately the way they practice once in their respective fields.”

One of those students was Ashley Stewart, now an occupational therapist and recent graduate of UBC’s Master of Occupational Therapy program. 

“Mandy was incredible at sharing her story, opening up her life to students for the purpose of educating us to be better healthcare professionals,” says Ashley. “I have gained a deeper appreciation for what my clients may be going through. I understand how important it is to listen to an individual’s story to ensure they feel heard and to advocate for change at all levels to better support those with complex needs. There is no doubt Mandy is passionate about her role as a health educator and mentor, and her hard work deserves to be recognized.”

Mandy was incredible at sharing her story... I have gained a deeper appreciation for what my clients may be going through.

Named after long-time community educator, R. Paul Kerston, the award was established in 2014 to honour outstanding community educators who have made a difference to student learning in health and human service programs at UBC. The Kerston award is one of several awards offered annually by UBC Health to recognize individuals and teams who embody excellence in interprofessional collaboration, health education, and research and have made significant contributions to the advancement of health education and practice. 

Mandy’s passion and work with students have been vital to their growth as members of the health field.

“My greatest achievement was when one of my health mentor students reached out to me a few years after I mentored her and asked me for a reference letter as she wanted to go into pediatrics. She said the stories and experiences I shared helped her decide that was the field she wanted to go into. And I’m proud to say she was accepted.”

Posted February 10, 2021