Photo caption: Mary Dunn (centre) pictured with Clinical Educators Astra Robinson-Millen (L) and Wendy Fletcher (R), on her final day of block placement at Christchurch Hospital.
Now back in Toronto, Mary applies the specialised skills she developed at Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury (UC) to support children recovering from catastrophic medical events, including vocal fold damage due to intubation. But her journey to this fulfilling career path started years earlier.
A graduate of the University of Toronto, Victoria College, Mary’s interest in speech therapy began while volunteering with an international team of therapists in Nepal. Inspired, she pursued postgraduate study at Durham College in Ontario to become a Communicative Disorders Assistant and spent six years working at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, a paediatric brain injury unit in Toronto.
Encouraged by a mentor to expand her clinical expertise, she set her sights on a Master of Speech and Language Pathology – and UC stood out.
Timing was not on her side however, with global COVID-19 disruptions delaying her plans for over two years.
“From the start, UC’s team made me feel incredibly supported,” Mary recalls. “Associate Professor Catherine Theys was a warm and committed presence throughout the application process, keeping me connected and assuring me the education would be worth the wait. That kind of personal engagement made UC stand out.”
When Mary and her partner finally arrived in Ōtautahi Christchurch in 2023, they were quickly captivated by the city’s natural beauty and welcoming community and she found a strong sense of belonging at UC, both academically and socially.
“There was a really nice cohort of other international students within my year, and I had an amazing balance of friends who were Kiwis studying the course too; people who invited me into their homes, introduced me to their families, and we got to be really quite connected. That was a huge support while I was there.”
Her education was enriched by UC’s hands-on clinical training, particularly under the guidance of Clinical Educators Rosie Lamb, Grace Allen and Tika Ormond, who deepened her understanding of bicultural practice and the role of speech therapy in addressing ableism.
It was during her time at UC that Mary’s interest in voice therapy was sparked. Under Tika Ormond’s mentorship, she gained hands-on experience that now informs her work with young patients in Toronto.
“I had an incredible opportunity to work as a research assistant in the Speech and Hearing department supporting Grace’s research in gender-affirming healthcare. Being involved in this, in addition to working with Tika in the Rainbow voice clinic, really fostered my interest in this area of practice.”
Beyond academia, Mary embraced the Christchurch lifestyle – exploring the Port Hills, beaches, and Arthur’s Pass. “Those things might seem ordinary when you live there, but coming from Canada, it was absolutely spectacular,” she says.
UC’s above-and-beyond approach, down to creating additional content hours to ensure she met Canadian audiology requirements, made a significant difference in Mary’s studies.
“(It was) something they didn’t have to do, but it showed how invested they were in my success.”
Now equipped with a UC master’s with distinction, Mary looks forward to completing final certification to become a fully qualified speech therapist in Canada.
“UC’s programme doesn’t just provide knowledge; it teaches you how to problem-solve and think critically. You are treated as a future colleague, and that makes all the difference.”
