Med student helps mom with domestic work

When Shania Pascoe's mother, Marjorie Levy, lost her job at a local fast-food chain shortly after the deadly COVID-19 virus hit local shores, the family struggled to survive.

Levy did a little baking and odd jobs to not only put food on their table, but more importantly, to help Pascoe who is now in her third year at medical school at The University of West Indies (UWI), Mona. Seeing her mother's struggles, the Seaview Gardens, St Andrew resident said she sometimes skipped classes to accompany her mom to assist with the domestic work she does and has no issues helping her with the washing and cleaning.

Pascoe, 21, told THE WEEKEND STAR yesterday that she firmly believes that the hardship they are enduring is preparing them for greatness.

"Sometimes when my mom sees that I am helping her, it breaks her spirit and she is really disheartened at times. But she always tells me that we are going through the hardships now so we can go through something better in the end, and this serves as a motivation for me. I know I have to go out there and be the best doctor I can be," she said.

Pascoe graduated from the Immaculate Conception High School in 2019 after copping 11 Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate distinctions and passing eight Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination subjects. She said she knew how valuable it was to perform at a high standard in high school, as she wanted to get scholarships to cover a portion of her tuition, which she did.

"My father is a security guard so his pay is calculated on the hours that he works, so her income was mostly like the substance coming in. When she lost her job, I was on my second year and second semester and we were wondering what we were going to do. I would skip a class or try and leave early to accompany her because she has a problem with her foot, and sometimes they get really swollen to the point where they will hurt or burn whenever she walks. That money helped us to survive a bit and it helped to balance her with medication as well," she said.

Pascoe, who is yet to choose her speciality area, said there were two critical points that led her to pursuing a career in medicine.

"When I was about eight years old, my dad was chopped up as he was coming home from work and my grandfather died a few years later from kidney problems. In both situations, I felt helpless and I didn't like the feeling, so I knew that I wanted to do something in medicine," she said.

Pascoe encouraged other persons who are going through difficult times to lift their spirits, as there is always light at the end of the tunnel.

"There is always a little light peeping out of keyholes. Jut keep your head high and look for other options whenever you feel like. Just think of another option and follow your dreams and stick to your passion. Just persevere and keep your spirits," she said.