Determination and dedication … against all odds

By grade five, Lisa Pashniak was determined: she would attend the University of Alberta.

“I told my mom. Because we were living below the poverty line, she said, ‘Good luck with that Lisa.’”

Lisa graduated with distinction in 1986 with a bachelor of arts with specialization in romance languages, after which she received an inaugural Killam award that enabled her to teach in Grenoble, France.

She has performed many roles with the U of A including administrative duties with the registrar’s office and at Campus Saint-Jean; she has even donned the GUBA mascot disguise (!).

“I tell people that I bleed green and gold.”

In 2010, Lisa returned to the U of A to study eight courses and apply for the speech-language pathology (SLP) graduate program. In 2011, she withdrew from classes to care for her terminally ill mother and returned in 2012. After two years on the waitlist for SLP, she accepted an invitation to the occupational therapy graduate program and completed her studies in 2015.

Despite her efforts to build this new career, five years later, Lisa suffered a brain aneurysm.

She described suddenly feeling a slight “pop” in the back of her head and a change to her hearing. It was March 20, 2020, and she hesitated to call an ambulance because of the recent onset of COVID-19. A friend called 911.

Lisa recalls descending the stairs from her fourth-floor apartment and entering the ambulance. As she laid on the gurney, she remembers screaming and then everything going white. Her next memory was of April 8 or 9.

She spent several weeks at a rehabilitation centre and was diagnosed with aphasia, a speech disorder. Due to the pandemic, however, upon release, it was challenging to find a specialist to help rebuild her communication or life skills.

However, Lisa knew of the U of A’s Institute for Stuttering Treatment and Research (ISTAR); she had supported and volunteered with ISTAR since 2006. She told Holly Lomheim, ISTAR’s director at the time, about the situation and Holly suggested Lisa apply for a scholarship through the ISTAR Client Assistance Program—the very destination of Lisa’s past donations.

Lisa applied for a scholarship through ISTAR, qualified, and began working virtually with a speech pathologist soon afterward.

Today, Lisa has returned to her occupational therapy practice. And she is eternally grateful to the friends and community who helped her face her “new normal”.

She also made the decision to leave a gift in her Will to the ISTAR program.

“Statistically, I should not be alive. I want people to consider how people without my resources could be helped in such a situation. The work that ISTAR will do will be more valuable than anything I could give to friends or family.”

Many people don’t realize what a profound impact they can make on the future by naming the U of A in their Wills. Some think legacy gifts are only for the ultra-wealthy. But the truth is, leaving a gift in a Will is something we can all do.

Lisa’s wish is to call attention to vulnerable people, especially those with invisible disabilities like speech and communication challenges. And she trusts her legacy will give many of them the gift of communication.

Like Lisa, you probably have a special U of A area that is meaningful to you. If her act of kindness inspires you to want to do more, please contact the U of A’s Office of Major Gifts & Planned Giving team. They are here to help and answer any questions you might have on estate planning resources and tax-smart approaches for greater impact.