Meet Tara

Tara has been at the Stollery for five years as a practicing pediatric rheumatologist and is the current medical lead of the Stollery Chronic Pain Clinic.  

In her spare time, Tara enjoys spending free time with her family, including her two young daughters. They enjoy spending time outside biking, scootering, playing at the playground, walking their (very large and furry) dog and cuddling their cat. Her family is looking forward to starting their winter hobbies soon, including skating, skiing and making snow angels. 

Let’s find out more about Tara:

What’s your favourite part about your job?

I love working with resilient, determined and inspiring children and youth in both chronic pain and rheumatology — as well as their families. My team of co-physicians, nurses and allied health members are wonderful humans who are very caring, collaborative and supportive. 

Do you have a personal connection to the Stollery?

In many ways, I was raised to be the physician I am today within this Stolley ‘home’. I completed pediatric training here in medical school, spent my residency sleepless nights within these walls, pursued my pain fellowship here — and I’m honoured to be working here now as a staff physician. Stollery patients, families, staff and physicians have fostered my growth and learning and have shaped me into the physician I am today — for this I’m extremely grateful. 

Have donor funds directly impacted the area you work in?

The Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation funded my Pediatric Pain Fellowship that I completed from 2017-2018. This allowed me to get unique, specialized training that has led me to being a physician-lead for the Stollery Chronic Pain Clinic today. I have recently become the Western Canada hub co-lead (alongside Dr. Samina Ali) for Solutions for Kids in Pain (SKIP).

SKIP is a Canadian knowledge-mobilization network focusing on improving pain management for children and youth. We are grateful that the Foundation is helping support some important local SKIP work that is underway to improve kids’ pain — right here, right now.      

Collaboratively, with crucial support from the Foundation, the Hospital and SKIP team members successfully attained the ChildKind International Certification for the Stollery Children’s Hospital. This makes our hospital one of only 20 hospitals worldwide to hold this certification, which requires adherence to high standards for pain management best practices. 

What is your favourite kids’ book?

The Invisible String by Patrice Karst. My girls love this book — it helps us when we have to spend time apart. 

Do you have a favourite Disney Princess or superhero?

Moana! She doesn’t have superpowers — her strength is her determination to do what’s right even when it’s scary. Her story demonstrates that bravery doesn’t mean not being scared — it means being scared and doing it anyway! She’s a great leader due to her compassion and wit. She demonstrates that sometimes the greatest power is understanding.  And her music soundtrack is epic…’If I go, there’s just no telling how far I’ll go’.