A Night to Remember!

I cant believe its been 5 years already since starting my osteopathic journey!

I had the absolute honour of being nominated as the valedictorian for the Canadian College of Osteopathy graduating class 2020.

It was such a wonderful evening being surrounded by my friends and family. Thank you to everyone who has helped me along the way. I would not have been able to be successful without having my support system.

The last step in my academic journey is completing my thesis. The goal is to present my research November 2020.

Next year I hope to be an official graduate, wearing the cap and gown!

I attached the copy of my valedictorian speech below if you care to take a read. I couldn't thank everyone enough for being part of my journey.

Always in Health,

Sonya Romanowski - Osteopathy (thesis writer), RMT, R.Kin (Inactive), CSCS

"Valedictorian Speech

Hello everyone and thank you for coming to the 2019 Founders Day gala and graduation celebration. My name is Sonya and I am representing the graduation class of 2020. When I thought about what I wanted to say and how I could represent our class as best as I could, I wanted to focus on gratitude. Firstly, I would like to begin by thanking Phillipe for following his passion and opening up the school in Toronto. Without his desire to make the world a better place and teach individuals the power and love of osteopathy, we wouldn't be who we are today and who we will become in the future. Thank you for providing the opportunity for everyone here and those not present. We are truly grateful for having you impact our lives in such a positive way.

Thank you to our teachers who have guided us on our journeys and helped us reach this point in our academic career. Thank you Jane for organizing the event, as well as Belinda and Mary, and helping us with our thesis research. Thank you Tema, Tara, Kevin, Rob, and Darryl and the teachers not present, for having the ironclad patience to withstand our class. We were the biggest class, the rowdy bunch, the ones who needed an extra hand because we were so hungry to learn each and every technique. I hope when you saw that you were teaching our class, that you got excited, just as we were very excited to have you as our teacher. We may have pushed your mental buttons but you have stood by us and answered all our questions. Thank you so much for all your help.

Let’s celebrate our official graduates! Congratulations on completing your thesis! You’re done! You’re free! *Pause for laughter – hopefully some people do* I hope you're taking in these moments and acknowledge what you have accomplished. Thank you for being our role models and guides in clinic, answering our questions, being our study partners, and showing us the light at the end of the thesis tunnel. On behalf of our class, we hope to be where you are sitting next year! Congratulations again!

Well, the largest class that CCO has ever had, here we are! Who knew how fast five years would come. You should all be so proud of yourselves and what you have achieved. I know that I wouldn't be the person I am today if it wasn't for meeting each and everyone of you, and I am sure you feel the same way about each other. I know we will cherish our group support, the weekly or monthly meetings via skype or other means, and then daily meetings closer to final exams. Whether over the phone or in person to study and practice, we made sure that no one got left behind. The community we created with our Sunday lunch outings, walks to the mall, laughing sessions, crying sessions, welcoming hugs at the start of each module, and our annual Christmas potluck are, memories I will always cherish. Especially the homemade spinach dip. Individually we brought our strengths, talents and skills, which helped to support one another in achieving the same goal. Many different paths and choices have lead us to be together in this very room, celebrating our love for learning and helping our communities. We have always been there for one another. Through marriages, pregnancies, cancers, deaths, breakups, new relationships and life changing experiences. We are a family.

But let’s not forget our support system outside of CCO crew. We celebrate our success and sometimes forget about the people who have helped us along the way - our families and friends. Although they might not have fully understood why we put ourselves through so many stressful situations and sleepless nights, they were there regardless to make sure we knew we could pass the exams, pass the presentations, and be one step closer each month and each year to graduating. Thank you to those individuals who aren’t here today and those we have lost, we cherish the love you give us. Reach out to your loved ones and tell them that the success in your life wouldn’t have been possible without them. I especially would like to thank my parents. My mother is here today as my date, and she has always made sure that I studied hard and never gave up. Thank you.

Take time to thank one another, through words or actions, as we might not all sit together in the same room for quite some time. I am truly blessed to have each and every one of you in my life. Thank you so much for the opportunity to speak before you today and congratulations.

Cheers!"