By: Surabhi Arkalgud and Eleena Sen

Photo: Eleena Sen

Each year, the Healthcare SHSM looks to involve staff and students in supporting a local charity that is working in the health sector. Recently, the Healthcare SHSM donated baby kits to United Way Halton & Hamilton to benefit refugee families new to Canada from Afghanistan.

 Photo: Eleena Sen

The kits were delivered to the UWHH Community Donation Warehouse. In the kits, there were multiple essential supplies that are very beneficial for the refugee families, including diapers, baby wipes, baby blankets and more. The students themselves took the initiative to buy and donate these supplies for the kits. On November 8th, the students packed the supplies they bought and arranged them to be sent to United Way Halton for distribution. 

 Photo: Eleena Sen

“So I heard about the United Way Love Your Local Neighbour campaign, and I saw that there was an opportunity to donate baby kits to new immigrants from Afghanistan; particularly for moms with young babies,” says Jennifer de Jager, Healthcare SHSM teacher at MD. “So I threw out the idea to my students if they would like to participate, and it kind of just blew up! We’ve collected 11 kits in total.”

“I think it’s important to do these kinds of things for the students and for the teachers who donated as well, to just have a positive impact on the community, and raise awareness for students about issues that are happening elsewhere in the world.”

Photo: Eleena Sen

The Healthcare SHSM (Specialist High Skills Major) program at MDHS “offers students the opportunity to explore the world of healthcare and medical technologies while in high school. Through in-class learning and health focused knowledge, students develop skills that will serve as a building block to future careers in the medical field” (Milton District Healthcare SHSM).

The program provides an opportunity for students to pursue their interests in the medical field through focused teaching, co-op placement, reach-ahead experiences, and job shadowing. 

We are very proud to see our very own Mustangs contribute to such a great cause and provide help to refugee families in Canada!