For Teresa, building a life and becoming a nurse in Canada meant years of sacrifice, separation from her family, and starting over. Now, her determination, love, and patience have finally paid off.
Originally from the Philippines, Teresa spent 12 years working as a nurse in Saudi Arabia, where a living wage was much more accessible. Specializing in hemodialysis, leaving home was the best option to be able to provide for her family. Unfortunately, it came at a heartbreaking cost: being separated from her children.
After almost losing her life during a traumatic birth with their son, who was born in Saudi Arabia, Teresa decided to deliver her next two children at home in the Philippines so she could be closer to her family, just in case.
“When my daughters were just two months old, I had to leave them in the Philippines so I could go back to work,” she shares.
For years, Teresa and her husband made this sacrifice to build a better future. They were only able to return home every year or two, and each visit was filled with love, but also heartbreak. “Every time I went home and had to leave again, I cried so much. It was so hard.”
Eventually, Teresa made a decision: she needed to find a place where her family could finally be together. In 2016, she moved to Canada without her husband and children to start building a life for them here. It was difficult as she was alone, didn’t know anyone, was once again separated from her family, and quickly learned that finding work as a nurse wasn’t going to be easy.
Despite her years of nursing experience, Teresa couldn’t immediately work in her field because of differences in nursing qualifications between Saudi Arabia and Canada. Instead, she started working as a live-in caregiver, later transitioning into a Personal Support Worker (PSW) role.
Teresa’s role in providing care for others began very early in life. She had already been supporting her family since the age of 21. With a father who became ill and needed to stop working when she was young, and a large extended family, Teresa stepped into responsibility early.
“When I became a nurse, I felt like I was the eldest child, even though I wasn’t,” she says. “Everyone depended on me. I didn’t save anything; I always sent the money to help.”
In her new life in Canada there were of course moments of stress, and there were moments of pure exhaustion. “Sometimes I wished someone would take care of me,” she admits.
She worked long hours, sometimes up to 60 hours a week, travelling by bus between clients, often in harsh winter conditions, to make ends meet for both her and for her entire family back in the Philippines.
Three years later, in 2019, her husband and children were finally able to join her, and the reunion was unforgettable.
“When I saw them at the airport, I was jumping, I was so happy,” she says, smiling. “They were seven, eight, and ten… and they were so shy.”
It was the first time in nearly a decade that they were together as a family, but being together didn’t mean things were easy.
After years apart, Teresa and her children had to learn how to be a family again. At times, her children didn’t fully understand her role in their lives. “They thought I was like an aunt to them,” she says.
There were difficult conversations, hard questions that could be unintentionally hurtful. “Why did you leave us? Don’t you love us?”
For Teresa, those moments were heartbreaking. “I did it for them,” she says. “But they were so young, it was hard for them to understand.”
Arguments were common in the early years. When communication broke down, Teresa leaned on her sisters-in-law, who had taken care of her children while she was in Saudi Arabia, to help bridge the gap.
“It was a struggle for years,” she says. “At times I thought ‘maybe Canada is not our place. Maybe we need to go back.’”
But Teresa didn’t give up on her dream. Instead, she chose patience. Over time, she rebuilt trust with her children by shifting her parenting approach, learning to listen more, and adapting to a new culture and generation.
Today, she describes her relationship with her children as strong and understanding, something she is deeply grateful for.
With her family here in Canada, Teresa was still the sole provider for their household as well as for her parents and siblings back home. Her children were still young, someone needed to take care of them while she was at work, so her husband postponed finding a job.
“I remember a time when I only had $20. I sat in the library thinking about what I could buy to feed my children,” she says.
But even in those moments, Teresa kept going. “Even during that time, I survived.”
Although she was working as a PSW, Teresa never let go of her dream of returning to nursing. Unfortunately, the cost of going back to school to be nurse in Canada was simply not possible while supporting her family.
“I could not stop working, even for one day,” she says.
Then, during the pandemic, everything changed. Due to urgent healthcare needs, her international credentials and experience were recognized. Instead of returning to school, she was given the opportunity to take the licensing exam.
After years away from formal education, she studied, faced her fears, and passed the licensing exam in 2024.
But even with her credentials in order, she knew that breaking into hospital work can be a long, difficult road. That is, until she found Wesley Employment Services.
Teresa had been visiting the Wesley location near her home, simply to print documents. “I thought it was just a library,” she laughs.
One day, she met Arnel, an Employment Case Manager who immediately offered help. She told him about her dream to once again work in a hospital and together, they rebuilt her resume, tailored her applications, and prepared her for interviews.
“I had been applying everywhere, and no one responded,” she says. “After we fixed my resume, someone from a hospital in Hamilton called in just a few months.”
With interview support from Wesley, she walked in feeling confident and prepared. “I felt ready. I knew I would be hired,” she recalls.
And she was.
Teresa was initially offered a part-time role in nephrology. While it wasn’t her area of expertise, she was willing to take the opportunity to get into the hospital.
Then, she had an unexpected delay. She still had a job, but since some time had passed, it would not be the job she was originally hired for. That position had closed… and a new, full-time role opened in hemodialysis, where she had originally built her career, was offered to her instead. She couldn’t believe how things worked out.
Even then, her decision wasn’t easy. She hesitated to take on a full-time role – not for herself, but for the in-home clients she would be leaving behind. “I didn’t want to leave them right away,” she says, “it can be very difficult to find a caregiver.”
After careful thought and encouragement from those around her, including the families she worked for, Teresa accepted the role and has been happily working in the hospital since.
After everything she’s been through, Teresa finally has what she has been working her whole life to achieve: stability.
“I’m really happy,” she says. “Now I have steady hours, I’m close to work so I can walk, and I can focus on my family.”
Financial stress has eased. She’s able to support her family back home with more confidence. And in her own home, life feels more balanced.
When their children were old enough, Teresa’s husband was also able to work with Arnel at Wesley Employment Services and is now working at McMaster Hospital.
“I’m proud of him.” says Teresa. “Through everything, he has and continues to be very supportive and loving. He is always excited if he can drive me to work, he even washes my uniform by hand.”
In April, they will celebrate their 19th wedding anniversary. “We started as neighbours in the Philippines, a few houses apart. We have known each other for 26 years and have gotten through everything together.”
Now, even Teresa’s children are hoping to find their first jobs and know that they will always find support at Wesley. Arnel, who Teresa describes as being an angel, has become a friendly face and source of support for the whole family.
For Teresa, her goals have not only been about finding a job, but that job is an incredibly important part of a life where she can fully support those she cares about most: her children, her family, and even herself.
“I am so thankful for Wesley, and for Arnel. All the support I have received has changed our lives. And I know I can continue to receive support if I need new equipment like a stethoscope or other resources. I know I can come here and be welcomed every time.”
Today, Teresa is exactly where she once dreamed of being, showing that with perseverance, patience, and having access to the right support, even the hardest journeys can lead to a place of stability and hope.
