Shannon Harmer | Fortis College

​Perseverance, dedication to excellence, and persistence perfectly describe Shannon’s path through nursing school. Through her general classes, and starting into her nursing courses at Fortis College, she met several obstacles. In the summer of 2017, a waterskiing accident changed the course of Shannon’s life and nursing career. Despite her devastating injuries, Shannon has persevered, persisted, and proved her dedication to excellence while looking forward, aiming for nothing less than her ultimate goal of becoming a pediatric nurse, and making a difference in her patients’ lives.

Shannon’s extensive injuries included internal pelvic injuries, spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, pneumonia, nerve damage, and a stroke. She went from being a very independent, active, athletic nursing student, to a very dependent, immobile, deteriorating patient, still striving to work through the pain and trauma to continue school. While medical personnel and family were admonishing her to stop, she persisted. This is who Shannon is.

Over the next six weeks, Shannon persevered through extensive and intense inpatient rehabilitation with physical, speech, and occupational therapy. She again proved her dedication to excellence by pushing through therapy. She fought for every swallow and calorie, every step forward and backward, every word and memory, and for every moment leading back to her ability to return to school.

Shannon did return to school for the fall term of 2017, and continues to move forward in school and in therapy, as she faces it all with steadfastness and determination. With her graduation date set for September 2018, she continues to look ahead, focusing on her goal of finishing school, yes, but ultimately, of becoming a pediatric nurse.