Alumna returns home to TMU and honours mother’s memory

In the 20 years since graduating with a bachelor of science from Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU), Dr. Nirojini Sivachandran credits TMU for being the starting point in her academic journey, and her mother for being the strength and foundation that led Sivachandran to become who she is today.

Sivachandran and her two older brothers were born in Sri Lanka during its civil war, and Sivachandran was just a few days old when her father found work in Saudi Arabia and moved there. He was away for years at a time, leaving Sivachandran’s mother, Sothiluchume, to single-handedly raise the children. 

“She did everything, day in, day out, without a day of complaint,” said Sivachandran. “My mom was my hero. She took charge, she kept us safe. We would move throughout the middle of the night from one place to another because the army was coming and she protected us.”

When the family immigrated to Canada, they were able to find a second chance after a long period of chaos and uncertainty. Sivachandran loved science, and as early as grade 10 knew she wanted to be a doctor. She was one of the first in her family to attend post-secondary school — choosing TMU for its experiential, hands-on learning — and later obtained her PhD in molecular biology and medical degree at University of Toronto. 

In 2023, Sivachandran returned home to TMU as an adjunct professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biology. She is also a scientist at the Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Technology (iBEST), a collaboration between TMU and St. Michael’s Hospital for medical research and innovation. Through iBEST, she is setting up a lab to investigate degenerative retinal diseases with a focus on age-related macular degeneration, which causes progressive vision loss.

“My mother was so proud. ‘My daughter is a doctor,’ she would say. She took so much pride in that,” said Sivachandran, recalling how Sothiluchume saw her dreams of a better life for her children realized in their new home, Canada. 

Sothiluchume passed away unexpectedly in 2022, just two weeks after Sivachandran finished her training as a retina surgeon and was starting her community practice. “Being an immigrant child growing up and the challenges we faced, I was so looking forward to finally being able to take care of my parents,” noted Sivachandran, who was stunned by the loss.

When TMU announced its new School of Medicine would open in Brampton, Sivachandran saw the opportunity to thank both the person and the institution so formative to her. She has established the Sothiluchume TMU School of Medicine Entrance Scholarship, with a generous gift of $125,000.

“I really believe TMU gave me that strong foundation that led me to where I am today,” she observed. “So it’s time for me to give back to the community that allowed me to get where I am, and to do it in my mother’s honour.” Sivachandran especially hopes her award will enable medical students — future doctors — to create healthy change in the health-care system and to provide care for underserved communities.

As the daughter of Tamil Canadians, Sivachandran finds TMU’s School of Medicine’s pillar of cultural humility deeply resonates with her. And as a doctor, she knows first-hand how important it is for patients to be seen and heard in their mother tongue. 

“When I walk in, I look at the name immediately. The first thing I say is ‘Do you speak Tamil?’ and they love it. They light up because finally somebody is going to explain what’s happening and we can have a good conversation. Having that connection in itself is healing.”