Dr. Hilda Tremblett was born in Bonavista, NL. Shortly after finishing Grade 11, she was awarded a full scholarship to a university in a foreign country – Canada. Newfoundland did not join the Dominion of Canada until 1949. Hilda was only 17 years old when she arrived at McGill University in Montreal to commence her undergraduate studies. Sadly, her father didn’t live to see her graduate cum laude. He died suddenly the day she wrote her last exam. Hilda was then accepted into medical school at McGill. With her father gone, she had to finance her studies on her own. Through hard work, sacrifice, multiple jobs, scholarships, and bursaries, she managed to pass all her exams and improve her standing so that she was in the top 20% of her class at graduation. As the adage says: when the going gets tough, the tough get going. Hilda never gave up and has always maintained the belief that you never know what you are capable of until you try. “Never abandon your dreams.” Nor did she ever lose her upbeat attitude and sense of humour during her studies. From 1964 until her retirement in 1991, Hilda was the pathologist at the Northside General Hospital in North Sydney, NS. To assist young students facing financial difficulties, Hilda has established four scholarships: two at her old high school and two at Cape Breton University. She continues to support McGill that took a chance on a young girl and helped her throughout her studies. In 2018, Bonavista’s Wellness Centre was named in honour of Dr. Tremblett. Hilda resides in Big Bras d’Or, NS.

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