Full Circle - 8 years on

MP Andy Fillmore, a long-time supporter of the BRC, visited the offices recently to catch up and chat about upcoming events. What he didn’t expect was a personal Thank you from one of the trainees who was in the lab at the time. Asal Yans, a PhD trainee in Dr Vic Rafuse’s lab tells her story below.

"Eight years ago, my husband and I had just gotten married when he was admitted to a Ph.D. program at Dalhousie University, and he moved to Halifax. Four months later, I applied for a visa to join him in Canada, but my request was rejected. The officer was not convinced that our marriage was genuine because it was so recent. This was a big disappointment, and we were concerned that we’d have to be apart until my husband finished his studies. In preparation for my second visa application, besides providing documentation to prove the reality of our relationship, my husband also approached Mr. Andy Fillmore's office to discuss our situation. Mr. Fillmore kindly issued a support letter for my visa application, asking for our case to be reconsidered. It was a very kind gesture that let me get to know Mr. Fillmore even before arriving in Canada, and we remain grateful for his assistance and support." Asal Yans

Pictured in the labs at the LSRI:

MP Andy Fillmore;
PhD trainee Asal Yans;
BRC COO Diana Nichols Nelson;
and BRC Director Dr Victor Rafuse, who happens to be Asal’s supervisor too.