Maya Nathani : From cancer survivor to healthcare innovator
Credit to Author: Lisa Evans| Date: Tue, 17 Dec 2024 02:59:23 +0000
Maya Nathani doesn’t recall ever wanting to do anything else than work in healthcare. Growing up, she admired her uncle who was a doctor. “When I was little, I used to pretend to be a doctor using the stethoscope, taking blood pressure. It always interested me,” she says. When she and her husband immigrated to Canada in 2012, she naturally gravitated towards jobs in healthcare. “I always focused on healthcare jobs, not other jobs like working in pizza delivery,” she says, describing it as her calling. Although she held a Bachelor of Science in Homeopathy, Nathani initially struggled to find a foothold in her field, working various administrative roles within medical practices. One morning at the peak of the pandemic in 2020, Nathani received a life-altering call from her family physician. “I learnt that I had cancer,” she says. With strict “no visitors” policies at the hospital, Nathani drove alone to medical tests and consultations. “I had to sit and hear the reports alone most of the time with no family allowed in person,” she says, adding that she and her husband, along with their eight-year-old daughter, felt isolated as first-generation immigrants with no family support in Canada.
During her chemotherapy sessions, Nathani noticed many seniors also battling cancer around her. Witnessing their struggles with mobility, limited transportation and complex health issues she felt compelled to do something to support them. Only a month after her diagnosis, Nathani enrolled in Durham College’s Registered Practical Nurse (RPN) program. Due to the pandemic, the program had converted to online, allowing Nathani to complete her coursework from her bed. Despite the demanding treatment regimen — chemo every 15 days and the exhaustion that followed — she persevered with encouragement from her professors. “I didn’t give up, I kept going,” she says. She even continued with placements after surgery, undeterred by the visible signs of her battle. “I’d lost all my hair, so everyone knew [I had cancer],” she reflects. Eight months later, Nathani was finally declared cancer-free. With a clean bill of health and a new nursing qualification, Nathani felt empowered to realize her goal of setting up Universal Health Hub — a private healthcare organization dedicated to providing affordable geriatric care to seniors.
But starting a business was unfamiliar territory for her. “I have zero knowledge in business,” she admits. Language barriers were also a factor, but Nathani wouldn’t let that stand in the way. “Being an immigrant, English is not my first language. I learn with each presentation I give, always evaluating what worked, what didn’t and what I can do differently to succeed.” Nathani also had to learn how to market a company with no initial investment. She relied on word-of-mouth marketing, telling others about her business at hospital appointments and encouraging referrals for seniors needing care. Nathani also had to navigate Canada’s healthcare system, which was vastly different from what she knew in India. “In India, it’s completely private — you pay out of pocket and choose your provider,” she explains. Her cancer journey and nursing placements introduced her to the nuances of government-funded healthcare. Today, her organization partners with long-term care homes, rehabilitation centers and hospitals across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), fulfilling a mission Nathani built from her own life’s challenges and her unwavering dedication to healthcare.
Nathani envisions a bright future ahead for her and Universal Health Hub. Her company employs over 20 women and has supported over 2,000 seniors across the GTA. She is now working to integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI) into her company’s offerings to ease the challenges of aging. She recently launched an app that empowers seniors to screen for foot conditions simply by taking photos of their feet, allowing early detection of issues such as fungal infections, corns, calluses and warts. Foot care is often overlooked in senior healthcare, she notes, yet is crucial for mobility and quality of life. “Our company is the leading foot care provider,” she proudly states, sharing that they see over 1,000 seniors each month for that alone.
Beyond her work with AI, Nathani remains committed to education and mentorship, training nurses to better support the aging population. “I hope that the Ministry of Health pays attention to the work my team and I are doing to bring Artificial Intelligence to diagnose specific feet conditions in the aging population,” Nathani says. She envisions a future where the ministry collaborates with her team to expand this technology into retirement and long-term care facilities, where proactive detection can significantly enhance residents’ health outcomes and quality of life. Recently, Nathani was honoured by the Markham Board of Trade as a Healthcare Hero and awarded the Top 40 Under 40 Award
The post Maya Nathani : From cancer survivor to healthcare innovator first appeared on Canadian Immigrant.
http://canadianimmigrant.ca/feed