After Davinder’s passing in 2023, Ishika was left to pick up the pieces of their shared dreams. Still new to living in Canada, Ishika describes what happened next as a miracle. A case manager on WCB’s Special Care Services team reached out to help her navigate the support and services available to her through Alberta’s workers’ compensation system. For Ishika, available support included academic retraining and career planning for her future.
We invite you to watch as Ishika shares her re-employment journey and learn how WCB’s walking beside her as she embarks on a new path:
Bringing a shared dream to life
While connecting with her case manager, Ishika shared that she and Davinder had talked about pursuing a formal education in health care. They’d started the research together and Ishika wanted to see it through.
“With experience, our case managers know people need time to grieve the loss of a loved one,” says Robin, who supervises the team that supports families of workers who die as a result of their work. “The case manager reassured Ishika that there was no rush to make any major decisions. WCB would be there to support her when she was ready.”
After taking several months to grieve and reflect, Ishika was ready.
Her case manager teamed up with a re-employment specialist to help Ishika chart a path toward a career in health care. Ishika dove into academic upgrading to meet the enrolment pre-requisites for a practical nurse diploma. In a few short months, she had aced her courses and received full acceptance to begin her program of choice at Bow Valley College in fall 2024.
Living her purpose
Ishika’s workers’ compensation story had a tragic beginning, but she was eager and ready to write her next chapter. “If I can do something for this country while I’m living here, I should,” she says. “I want to go into health services, I want to help people and I want to help the country.”
With a bright future on the horizon, Ishika says Davinder will always be on her mind.
“If he were here, he would feel so proud that I’m doing something for myself and for others because he had that nature of helping others,” says Ishika.
Davinder’s memory continues to inspire Ishika. She knows he will always be there to support her, just like WCB.
Fatality benefits and services for survivors and dependents
Following a work-related fatality, case managers help the lost worker’s surviving dependents navigate services and support available through WCB.
In cases where the worker who passed was their family’s primary source of financial income, WCB works with the surviving spouse or common-law partner to ensure they have the means to provide for themselves and their family. This includes helping them find gainful employment through a range of academic retraining and re-employment services.
Find other stories like this
Read more success storiesResources
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Fatality and survivor benefits
Read how WCB supports spouses, common-law partners and dependents following a work-related tragedy. -
Survivor benefits fact sheet for workers
Learn more about how WCB can help families with the costs related to a work-related fatality, and who is eligible for assistance. -
Training and skills development
Learn how re-employment services can help Albertans embark on a new path in their career.
