Helping Hands

Meeting a black female chiropractor for the first time was a true inspiration 

- Nekessa Remy, Toronto

I remember the first time I met Dr. Golden. I had just completed university and was not exactly sure what I wanted to do in terms of a profession in health care. I decided to work at a physiotherapy clinic to find out if this was the profession for me. When I walked into the office on my first day, the first person to shake my hand was Dr. Nicole Golden, who practices chiropractic medicine. What made this moment so special was that it was the first time I had ever met a black female doctor before, active in any field or specialization. I immediately wanted to know everything about her.

You see, while growing up in Toronto, I often found myself the only black girl in the classes or activities I attended. Moving to Canada in the late ’70s, my parents came to this country with dreams of a better life for themselves and their children. My mom enrolled me in every after-school program, sport or activity she could afford. She wanted me and my brother, Emerick, to have access to as much as possible. However, whether it was in skating class, piano lessons or school clubs, there were no other kids who looked like me. Sadly, the more I progressed in my education and activities, this pattern stayed the same. Hence my excitement at meeting Dr. Golden —her ability to use her hands and help people not just feel better, but help them run marathons or lift up their babies without pain, had me intrigued.