Biography
“Growing up… not an easy thing to do. Daring to explore, deciding to leave a job;
a familiar career. Yes… do something exciting, something brand new.”
Currently providing physical therapy services to special needs children at the Futures HealthCore (FHC) facility in Dearborn, Michigan, Chenyere is doing what makes her smile. “I have always loved working and playing with children.” She addresses the needs of those with conditions which include cerebral palsy, brain injury, fetal alcohol syndrome, developmental delay and orthopedic conditions.
Chenyere has refocused her lifelong love for writing into writing and publishing stories about travel adventures. As a trainee of American Writers and Artists, Inc. she is turning her passion for storytelling, travel and concern for the stewardship of nature and preservation of national parks into a career that will keep her revved up for the rest of her life.
Several visits to Hilton Head Island, in South Carolina whetted her appetite to learn more and invite others to come visit this vacationer’s dreamland. Articles on the Gullah (Geechee) people of Hilton Head Island, Jones Keyes National Park in Florida (a national park founded by an African American) and trips to Frankenmuth, Michigan will be featured under “The Traveling Griot” on the International Travel Writers and Photographers Association’s website, under thetravelinggriot@gmail.com by January 2015.
Chenyere defines herself as a student of life. She earned a B.S. in physical therapy from Northwestern University in Chicago, in 1978, and completed an online B.S. in Environmental Management, June of 2013, from Alabama’s Columbia Southern University. Once she has completed her certification for Infant Massage Instructor training in October, she will be prepared to specialize in caring for babies and mother’s with special needs.
This former business owner, of Metropolitan Physical Therapy Agency (MPTA), incorporated her love for children into a special needs school service arm of this former out-patient clinic that operated from 1987 until 2010. She declares that her best contribution to life were the community projects that took 18 children to Georgia and 6 children to Ghana, West Africa (with chaperons) to visit organic gardens in each place. “Educating children through travel is invaluable.” she revealed, “I plan to find new ways to do this in the future with my travel writing activities.”
Caregiving pervades Chenyere’s lifestyle, personally and professionally. Homecare services have been the foundation of her PT career. The primary population for homecare services are senior citizens. Working with dementia clients is the specialty of Optimal Care, Inc., her former employer after closing MPTA. However, when the demands of personal care to her own mother with dementia became too challenging, Chenyere decided to scale back her obligations.
She has written several articles about the adjustments needed to remain compassionate and useful to her mother during this demanding phase of her life. The articles share “eye-opening” revelations about observing herself in the process of inner growth, undoing the ego and supporting personal awareness without giving up her dreams. Her ongoing experiences are giving plenty of writing fuel for the fire burning around the subjects of travel, children, and caring for the elderly. Some tips on elder care and resources for support may be useful to the reader in similar situations.
“Daring to grow up… not an easy thing to do… Growing hungrier by the hour for adventure, love, sensuality, and things with creativity in it. Reaching for stuff… taking risks once more.
Daring to step through that “Possibility door”. Excerpts from original poem “Daring To Grow Up”
“Travel Wisdom” – life is a journey in mind, body or spirit; make it matter. 5/06/14, 5/11/14