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College valedictorian pays tribute to her Campbell River parents

Meghan Hume, a Campbell River native, graduated Feb. 8 with a Bachelor of Therapeutic Recreation Degree from Douglas College and addressed the class as valedictorian
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Meghan Hume was the class valedictorian at Douglas College's Feb. 8 graduation.

Meghan Hume, a Campbell River native, graduated Feb. 8 with a Bachelor of Therapeutic Recreation Degree from Douglas College and addressed the class as valedictorian.

She credits her parents, local residents Brian and Michelle Hume, with being her inspiration.

“My mom and dad are my role models. My mom has been my inspiration for choosing a rewarding career that aims to support and help individuals in times of need,” says Hume. “Dad has a heart of gold and remained dedicated to his passion for 30 years. Together they have taught me balance, reminded me to not sweat the small stuff and to always follow my dreams.”

Hume took her parent’s advice to heart, choosing a career that allows her to have a huge impact on people’s lives. The field of therapeutic recreation allows people like Meghan to develop and lead meaningful recreational therapy programs for people with disabilities or special needs, helping them achieve optimum health and quality of life.

“There are so many rewards for me in this field,” says Hume, who currently works as a Recreation Therapist at Surrey Memorial Hospital. “Whether it’s teaching someone a new skill, adapting equipment so they can continue to do what they love, helping people learn to cope and most importantly, bringing fun and laughter back into someone’s life.”

For Hume’s instructors at Douglas College there is no doubt that she will succeed.

“Meghan approaches life from a ‘cup half full’ perspective,” says program coordinator Tricia Rachfall. “She has this incredible ability to see the good that can come out of a situation even when at the moment it looks like nothing turned out right.”

 “I would say that there is a ‘magic’ about Meghan's interaction with clients,” says Julie Roper, Therapeutic Recreation instructor. “She treated each individual with such respect and genuineness; she seemed to only see strengths and potential. The profession of therapeutic recreation will only be richer by the addition of Meghan Hume.”

Douglas College is one of the largest colleges in British Columbia, providing a variety of bachelor's degrees, university transfer, career and developmental programs for over 20,000 students each year.

The Therapeutic Recreation program trains people to provide services to people with disabilities in community and care settings, promoting health and quality of life through recreation.