Written by Dr. Ivan Koh (BSc ’97) & Dr. Ivy Koh (OD ’06)
As siblings attending elementary school in south Etobicoke, we never entertained the idea that one day we would be opening a joint clinic in our old stomping grounds. Ironically enough, that’s exactly what happened this past April. I graduated from the University of Waterloo with my Bachelor of Science in 1997 and attended Chiropractic School in Dallas, Texas culminating in my Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) degree in 2001. In similar fashion, my sister Ivy, attended UWaterloo for her undergraduate and Optometry degrees. She completed her Doctor of Optometry (O.D.) graduating from the University of Waterloo in 2006.
I can vividly remember a conversation with our parents where they first floated the idea of opening a joint clinic together. I looked at Ivy and we rolled our eyes in unison. Two siblings, both UWaterloo grads opening a business together? Yeah, right! I had a busy chiropractic office in Alderwood and Ivy practiced as an associate at Sherway Gardens. In 2008, she and her husband packed their bags and moved to Vancouver to experience the west coast lifestyle. Our paths could not be more disparate. Yet after 4 years, Ivy and her husband returned to Toronto wanting to be closer to family.
Once again, our parents broached the subject, how about opening a clinic together? The idea, once so far fetched, now seemed like a real possibility. So we began the process of scouting prospective locations, and by chance, we found the perfect location in south Etobicoke, this time in Mimico. It seems we were always destined to return to Etobicoke.
I truly believe that the foundation UWaterloo gave us, was integral in forming who we are today. It provided us with the knowledge and skills to further our professional degrees. We both feel strongly that the challenge of living away from home and pursuing a post secondary education at UWaterloo is part of our makeup.
We are thrilled by how we’ve been embraced by the community in Mimico. Like many local businesses, we are an independent, family owned clinic that is invested in the growth and health of the community. We recently celebrated our Grand Opening event on April 1 that was attended by members of the community, MP James Maloney, Councillor Mark Grimes and Senator Victor Oh. As Mimico’s friendly neighbourhood experts, we invite everyone to visit our clinic for all their eye care and spinal health care needs.
If you would like to find out more information about our clinic, you can visit our website, or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or Google+. We are located at 2398 Lake Shore Blvd. W. #6, Etobicoke, ON (416) 251-4448. Please stop in and say hello if you are in the area, we are always happy to meet fellow UWaterloo Alumni!