From homelessness to healthcare entrepreneur

TORONTO:

In a powerful testament to unrelenting resilience and entrepreneurial foresight, MedEx Health Services, a prominent black-owned healthcare provider, officially inaugurated its latest branch in Brampton on June 21. This strategic expansion further solidifies MedEx’s presence in Ontario, complementing its existing operations in Pickering (launched earlier this year) and its Toronto headquarters.

The Brampton branch opening marks another significant milestone in the journey of Cheryl Kerr, a Jamaican trailblazer who meticulously built a thriving healthcare empire across Ontario, Canada.

Speaking with journalists at the bustling new Brampton facility, Kerr shared that her journey began with immense hardship, including a period of homelessness in Montreal after being detained for overstaying her visa upon her arrival in Canada in 1984.

“When they let me out, I was homeless at the subway in Montreal, so there’s nothing you could tell me that I haven’t been through,” Kerr recounted. “I had my son very young. When I took my son here from Jamaica, I saw how hard it is for black people to get by, so I decided to build something that my son doesn’t have to work for anybody or answer to anyone. We’re going to do this together.” She emphasised the critical importance of building generational wealth, a vision she shares with her son and business partner, Damion Duhaney.

FOUNDATIONAL EXPERIENCE

Her initial foray into the healthcare sector began in medical insurance, where she gained insights into the industry by coordinating medical assessments for life insurance policies.

While working, she pursued her studies, ultimately becoming a registered nurse. This laid the groundwork for the establishment of MedEx Health Services in 2008 but she says she went hard at it in 2012, after the recession. The company was founded with a clear mission: to bridge critical gaps in healthcare provision and deliver comprehensive, high-quality services to communities throughout Ontario.

Today, MedEx Health Services stands as a respected name within the Canadian healthcare sector, offering a diverse array of essential services, including medical consultation, rehabilitation, physiotherapy, home health care, and corporate wellness programmes.

“We are also accredited for mental health and independent medical assessments,” the CEO and founder shared.

MedEx’s expansion further aligns with significant demographic shifts. Durham Region, home to the Pickering branch, is projected to reach a population of 1.3 million by 2051. Brampton, a key location for the new branch, boasts a substantial population of Jamaican and other immigrant communities, making MedEx’s culturally sensitive approach particularly impactful.

Kerr’s foundational vision was to establish a healthcare company that not only delivers top-tier medical services but also deeply understands and adapts to the unique cultural and linguistic needs of its patients. “We’re carving out our own unique space in the healthcare landscape,” Kerr proudly stated. This commitment translates into practical applications, such as providing a female massage therapist for a Muslim woman or a practitioner fluent in a patient’s native language, including Tagalog, Arabic, or Tamil.

“We try to place people with people who understand them. We try to provide culturally adaptive care because we understand that importance.”

The newly established MedEx locations in Brampton and Pickering will provide a comprehensive suite of services, encompassing physiotherapy, chiropractic care, massage therapy, cupping, acupuncture, shock wave therapy, orthotics, personal training, performance coaching, and mental health counselling. The company proudly employs a team of over 100 dedicated professionals, including 25 interdisciplinary health specialists such as psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and nurses. Employees consist of full-time, part-time, casual workers, and independent contractors.

MedEx also has plans to integrate primary care physicians into its roster soon.

“We do it all, except surgery [because] we’re accredited and operate like a hospital,” Kerr affirmed, emphasising the breadth of service offerings.

Beyond its comprehensive medical services, a core tenet of MedEx’s mission is its profound commitment to community welfare and social responsibility. The company actively recruits internationally trained nurses and refugees with healthcare backgrounds, offering them full-time employment, comprehensive benefits, and even housing assistance. “Some of them were living in shelters, and we help them to do the bridging programme to get back into nursing,” Kerr shared.

She has received numerous accolades, including the 2020 Harry Jerome Female Entrepreneur Business Award, the 2023 Bob Marley Humanitarian Award, and has been distinguished as one of the 100 Accomplished Black Canadian Women.