“This scholarship means a lot. It’s a motivation to do more for my community”

A proud Canadian, Damilola Iduye has made Truro, Nova Scotia home since immigrating from Nigeria over a decade ago. She holds a diploma in nursing from the Oyo State College of Nursing and Midwifery, a bachelor of nursing science from the University of Ibadan, a master’s in nursing from Dalhousie University, and a master’s in public health from the University of Edinburgh.

“This scholarship means a lot,” she says. “It’s a motivation to do more for my community Also, I wouldn’t have been able to afford living in Toronto without it. I’m really thankful to the Irvings for their generosity. Simply put, they’ve afforded me the opportunity to pursue my dream.”

“What really excites me is what we have not done yet,” says Damilola Iduye.

“We do know that Black people have twice the rate of type 2 diabetes compared with white Canadians. We also know that Black people generally are disproportionately affected by social determinants of health. But we often think about Black people as a homogenous group;, we usually don’t consider their cultural diversity and how they may experience health differently.”

For her doctoral research at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, she wants “look at how social and structural determinants of health intersect to shape the experiences of Black people in Canada with type 2 diabetes with consideration for their cultural diversity. I’m really excited to contribute to the body of knowledge on culturally appropriate and structurally competent health care.” Iduye’s doctoral dissertation will provide insights into future research directions and the development and implementation of equity-informed policies and interventions for combating diabetes in this population.