A journey to excellence

Hello there! I’m Kim Andrew, a compassionate and dedicated Registered Practical Nurse with a heart for making a positive impact on people’s lives. My health care journey began at Eastern Ontario’s Loyalist College, where I made the Dean’s List and graduated in 2014 with a solid foundation in nursing.

During the first five years of my nursing career, I had the privilege of working in long-term care, striving to establish meaningful connections with seniors and contribute to their well-being.

This experience opened my eyes to an amazing opportunity. Canada’s aging population, coupled with the sharp rise in the prevalence of diabetes, means demand for professional foot care is surging and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.

My life-transforming decision to focus on professional foot care was also driven by a desire for career independence. Like many nurses, I wanted more flexible hours and working conditions so I could spend more time with my family. I also sought to amplify the tremendous sense of accomplishment all nurses feel when health and well-being flourishes under their care. Specializing in foot care offered the potential to make my career aspirations a reality.

And so, in 2019, I stepped up and opened my own nursing foot care company, Best Foot Forward, in Carleton Place, Ontario, a small city about 30 kms west of Ottawa. This clinic was the first in our community and region to offer a full range of specialized foot care services.

From day one of the clinic’s operation, my goal was to raise the standard of foot care in a diverse range of areas including caring for seniors, children, athletes, addressing foot pain, and helping patients with health conditions such as diabetes.

Over the past five years, I have undertaken extensive training aimed at achieving that objective and hold certifications in range of techniques, such as:

• Advanced and Diabetic Foot Care • Treatment of Ingrown Toenails • Treatment of Onychomycosis • Writing Policies and Procedures • Nail Bracing Certification • Onyfix Nail Correction • Photodynamic Therapy • Compression Therapy • Podiatry Burr and Drill Certification • Swift Microwave Therapy • LCN Nail Reconstruction

The clinic flourished. And, over time, the pathway to “next level” foot care became clear. Foot health is closely connected to other health issues such as joint and back pain, osteoarthritis, gait disorders, and pre- and post-surgical procedures. It became obvious to me that a multidisciplinary approach held the greatest potential for superior patient outcomes in terms of enhancing health and mobility while minimizing pain and discomfort.

I reached out to other local health care providers to explore potentials for collaboration. And, in 2022, I partnered with Dr. Sam Cooper, DC, a wonderfully skilled chiropractor, and opened FIT Healthcare, a collaborative, clinic providing Medical Foot Care, Chiropractic Care, Physiotherapy and Registered Massage under one roof.

Since its founding, our clinic, which is one of a very few health care facilities in Canada offering foot care in combination with an array of other treatment disciplines, has undergone tremendous growth and patients report consistently high levels of satisfaction.

Operating FIT Healthcare is a dream application of nursing skills that reflects my deep-rooted belief in holistic health care and collaboration.

I hope you will join me on the quest for the ultimate standard in foot care – where a warm and friendly approach meets total dedication to making our patients’ lives better.

Together, we can push back the boundaries and build collaborative relationships to advance the health, comfort and happiness of our patients.

A journey to excellence Hello there! I’m Kim Andrew, a compassionate and dedicated Registered P... Read More

Nevinn Becker is a Physiotherapist registered with the College of Physiotherapists of Ontario. He completed his Master of Science in Physiotherapy at Western University in London, Ontario, and has undergone post-graduate training in orthopaedic manual therapy through The Canadian Academy of Manipulative Therapy, as well as acupuncture and dry needling through The Advanced Physical Therapy Education Institute. Prior to his physiotherapy education, Nevinn achieved his Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Human Kinetics at the University of Guelph where he received the Dean’s Scholarship Award for being in the top 30 of 4500 students enrolled in the College of Biological Science.

Nevinn takes a holistic, evidence-informed approach to his care when working with his patients on their individualized treatment plan. Nevinn has experience working with a variety of orthopedic and neurological impairments, and his treatments often include education, exercise, manual therapy, taping, acupuncture, dry-needling, and/or other load management strategies. Nevinn also believes that treatment is most effective when the client is empowered with the knowledge and tools to prevent future injury.

Nevinn grew up on a farm in southwestern Ontario and grew up playing many sports including hockey, soccer, volleyball, and track &field. He understands the importance of maintaining and improving functional capacity to meet the demands of work, recreation and leisure. Nevinn continues to perform his own rehab and training after undergoing an ACL reconstruction in his knee and experiencing a pinched nerve in his shoulder. Nevinn enjoys spending time with his family/friends, going to the gym, hiking, camping, and travelling.

Nevinn Becker is a Physiotherapist registered with the College of Physiotherapists of Ontario. He... Read More

Olivia graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Toronto Metropolitan University, and in 2005, she obtained her RN license to practice in Ontario. Olivia is a member of The College of Nurses of Ontario, and the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario.

Olivia’s career in nursing centered on caring for patients after cardiac surgery in the hospital setting. For over ten years she has worked with diverse patient populations and health conditions which led her to value a holistic and integrated approach to health care. With an interest in promoting health, she became certified as a diabetes nurse educator and obtained a certificate in cognitive behavioural therapy. Looking to specialize in lower limb and foot care, she has obtained her Advanced Foot Care Nurse certification and the JOBST compression fitter certificate. She continues to work on her certification as a metabolic health practitioner, concentrating on functional care delivery. She is eager to learn more about the advanced foot therapies that can provide practical solutions to the concerns of her patients.

Olivia’s philosophy of care is patient centered, holistic and focuses on building a healthy therapeutic relationship. She is looking forward to walking the path towards health and wellness with her patients. She practices a collaborative team approach to ensure better access to services and improved health outcomes. She is passionate about getting to the root cause of the issue and assisting patients in achieving their individual health goals. She aims to identify the most appropriate and effective solutions to help her patients maintain healthy mobility and function.

When Olivia is not working, she likes spending time outdoors walking trails, gardening, crafting, making jewelry and most of all quality time with her family.

Olivia graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Toronto Metropolitan University, and ... Read More

Dr. Sam Cooper was born and raised in Carleton Place. After graduating from Carleton Place High School, he completed 3 years of a Kinesiology (BSc) degree at Dalhousie University before receiving early acceptance to the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College (CMCC) in Toronto. He earned his doctorate from CMCC while making the Dean’s list and receiving clinic honours.

Dr. Cooper has provided care within the greater Ottawa area for over five years and has experience treating a variety of populations ranging from young athletes to elderly individuals for both spinal and extremity-related conditions. Dr. Cooper has taken further education courses in concussion management and strength and conditioning — both of which are frequently utilized as a part of his day-to-day treatments.

Dr. Cooper uses a variety of techniques and tools to provide the most current, evidence-based treatment possible. He takes an individualized approach to care and treats conditions with a combination of soft tissue therapy, gentle mobilizations, various therapeutic devices, and chiropractic adjustments.

He also provides customized rehabilitation programs for every patient, as well as offers chiropractic exercise rehabilitation for patients who wish to combine chiropractic care with strength or rehabilitation training. It is his goal to have patients living their happiest and healthiest life possible.

Dr. Sam Cooper was born and raised in Carleton Place. After graduating from Carleton Place High S... Read More

Renee has been dedicated to improving people’s health and wellness as a Registered Massage Therapist since 2002. She has three very active children, ages 14, 12 and 9 along with her husband Jeff, who works for the Ottawa Fire Department. Renee understands the importance of keeping optimal health levels to create health goals of all kinds! Even if it’s just getting through your average day, or hiking the Laurentian’s! Renee has years of experience working with people of all ages, from newborns to geriatrics with different conditions, discomforts, and stress levels. She is experienced in both pre- and post-natal massage, as well as children’s massage.

Renee customizes your massage treatment based on your health history, initial assessment and present needs. What she loves most are the amazing people that seek health through massage therapy. The benefits are often immediate and positive. There are so many benefits to massage therapy and it is an important and excellent part of any wellness program. Renee is thrilled be working in her family’s hometown of Carleton Place after many years in Perth, ON.

Renee can’t wait to meet you, and help you achieve your own personal health goals!

Renee has been dedicated to improving people’s health and wellness as a Registered Massage Therap... Read More

While studying at Algonquin College Marina developed a passion for working with the geriatric population. After graduating in 2017 Marina continued to pursue her love of working with the elderly focusing on improving quality of life for all her patients. She has experience working in long term care, as well as an acute care hospital. These experiences have made Marina into a nurse who is compassionate and dedicated to providing quality nursing care to ensure optimal patient outcomes.

She is looking forward to this next journey in her nursing career!

While studying at Algonquin College Marina developed a passion for working with the geriatric pop... Read More

Amanda’s nursing career began over 9 years ago. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Ottawa in 2015. She has since completed certifications for Coronary Care at Humber College and Advanced Diabetic Foot Care with Foot Canada.

After graduation, Amanda had the opportunity to work in the Toronto area in the field of Neurosurgery. Spending time in this specialty gave her an appreciation for the care and detail required to effectively treat skin and wounds. Her passion for wound care began after experiencing the satisfaction that came along with seeing patients improve under the compassion and care of a knowledgeable inter-professional team.

Amanda returned home to the Ottawa Valley area in 2016 where she enjoyed working at the Carleton Place Hospital for 7 years. Working as a Registered Nurse in a smaller community, she had the chance to treat and see all different types of diagnoses and patient problems. It became clear to her that many patients being admitted to the hospital could benefit from professional foot care. Amanda could see there was a correlation between hospital admission and improper foot care and became interested in pursuing a career more focused on helping people properly care for their skin and feet.

She is excited to begin her nursing foot care journey and collaborate with the other health care professionals at FIT Healthcare to help people within her own community.

On her days off, Amanda enjoys spending quality time with her family and friends and getting outdoors for gardening or hiking.

Amanda’s nursing career began over 9 years ago. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nursi... Read More