Exploring Bright Futures with Dr. Anne-Marie Moukala Cadet: Another Career Day at Hope
Written by Colin Kuker
In a powerful initiative spearheaded by Board Member and Zooming with Zambia volunteer, Sue Bernstein, the Grade 11 and 12 learners at Hope Community School are gaining valuable insights to the world of professional possibilities through Career Day sessions.
Each month, students gather over Zoom and welcome a member from the Spark community to share their professional journeys. These sessions offer more than just a glimpse into various career paths -they’re creating connections, sparking passions, and providing students with the opportunity to ask real-world questions and gain firsthand insight.
Recently, students had the opportunity to speak with Dr. Anne-Marie Moukala-Cadet, a U.S.-based Primary Care Physician, Flight Surgeon, Civil Surgeon, Aviation Medical Examiner, philanthropist founder, and mother.
Her visit left a lasting impression on students – several of whom dream of careers in medicine. Dr. Moukala-Cadet’s journey from Cameroon to the U.S. is one of resilience and purpose. After losing her father in a tragic car accident at age 12 – with no ambulance, no medical responders, and no emergency care available – she committed herself to becoming the help that her father never received.
“If you believe in yourself and look to your teachers for help, you can achieve your dreams,” she told students. “Try to do what you love – you are the future of Zambia.”
Her story resonated deeply with Hope learners, many of whom have experienced loss or hardship in their own young lives. Hearing how she transformed her pain into purpose offered a powerful reminder that adversity can spark strength and determination.
Dr. Cadet encouraged students to start taking action now: form a medical club, shadow healthcare professionals, volunteer in clinics, and even accompany family members to medical appointments to learn from real-life situations.
When she asked the room who wanted to become a doctor, several students eagerly raised their hands. Spark Ventures will be working with Hope’s leadership to support these students’ ambitions, including: opportunities to shadow clinicians during Hope’s biannual health clinics, assisting with medical checks for the elderly women in the Women of Worth initiative, and guidance in starting a student-led medical club.
We’re deeply grateful to Dr. Cadet for sharing her story and passion with the learners at Hope. And thank you to Spark Board Member Leon Reed for introducing Dr. Cadet to the Spark community.