Meet Canada’s first black woman pediatric surgeon

Dr. Oluwatomilayo “Tito” Daodu is set to become the first black woman pediatric surgeon in Canada, according to a report from Face2Face Africa.

The Nigerian-born doctor is on a mission to make surgical care accessible to everybody. Dr. Daodu is an award-winning researcher and volunteer – who despite having a rough childhood – wants to smash “barriers to patients in need of surgical care.”

“One of the things that excite me about the future is that I have a story that not many people have,” said Daodu. “I am probably uniquely situated from what I’ve gone through in life to be able to speak not just from an academic point of view, but from real life.”

Dr. Daodu spent her early childhood years in Nigeria, and relocated permanently to Canada at the age of eight, after being deported at first, according to Avenue Calgary. She grew up in a rough neighborhood in Winnipeg but was salvaged from living a rough life by mentors from the West Broadway Youth Outreach, a local drop-in center for children.

The award-winning doctor’s life changed so much at the center that it inspired her to mentor kids that would also pass through the center.

“Kids need to believe that it doesn’t matter where they come from or what they look like,” Daodu said, adding that the world would be a better place if pediatric surgeons are available to people everywhere. “When we help the worst off or those with the least access, we do a service to the entire system.”

During her time in Tanzania as a medical student, Dr. Daodu developed a project that focused on adolescent gender and reproductive health. She spent her summers in her native country, Nigeria researching early childhood pneumonia and later launched a campaign to address surgical needs in Nigeria as well. Dr. Daodu is currently completing her master's of public health at Harvard University, where she is part of a team that revises surgery checklists for high-income countries.

The University of Manitoba was where Daodu received her medical training and moved on to do her residency and fellowship at the University of Calgary. Her research was based on the impact of socioeconomic status on surgical outcome and access to care.

As soon as Dr. Daodu completes her training, she will become Canada’s first black woman practicing pediatric surgeon at the Alberta’s Children Hospital Foundation.

In recognition of Black History Month, Daodu was recognized by the American Pediatric Surgical Association (APSA) for the remarkable work she has been doing in her field. She was also nominated at Avenue Magazine Top 40 Under 40 achievers in 2019. The awards are given to outstanding Calgarians who contribute their quota to affecting society and creating a secured path for the future of others.