Falling in love with Occupational Therapy

As a teenager, Line Parent would often babysit, and she loved conversing with parents. She was studying biology at the time, but also dreaded the idea of doing a post doctorate. She decided to volunteer in the Occupational Therapy department of the Royal Victoria Hospital (RVH) and it was a revelation:

“My days were so varied and stimulating,” she remembers. “I really loved the pace of working in a hospital.”

Line went on to complete an internship at the Neuro, working with patients affected by brain tumours, head trauma and strokes. Later, a placement at the Montreal Children’s Hospital (MCH) is where she truly fell in love with Occupational Therapy. She would spend hours in the library, absorbing everything she could.

Thirty years later as a seasoned Occupational Therapist, she still loves working with children.

“I’m very empathetic. I love helping families recognize their child’s strength.”

She remembers a young boy with cerebral palsy who had weakness on one side of his body. His care team worked hard to help him become more independent in his day to day. Years passed, and the boy’s mother eventually expressed how much Line had taught her son the importance of being patient and never giving up.

“When I crossed the boy again, he was older and had completed a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and was starting his master’s,” Line shares.

What does ‘We Are the MUHC’ mean to you?

Line appreciates her daily collaboration with physiotherapists, speech-language pathologists, social workers, psychologists, nurses, and physicians. She speaks highly of her team of amazing occupational therapists at the Children’s.

There are some 60 occupational therapists to thank this month as we celebrate Occupational Therapy Month at the MUHC! 

Please enjoy this video about the profession: