Meet Zack Atlin
“I really feel what I’m doing is important and really needed. Every day I see the gratification and the change I can make in someone’s day.”
Who would have thought any good could come from an ingrown toenail?
In finding relief from a treated ingrown toenail, Zack Atlin realized he had found what he wanted to do with his life. “I had never seen anything like the immediate difference a small surgery made in my life.”
After becoming a registered chiropodist, Zack started GTA Mobile Chiropody. He realized he could fill a need in the Toronto community by treating homebound patients who need urgent and routine foot care.
“Almost all medical professionals work at clinics or hospitals. I saw the need to see people who don’t have the ability to go to appointments.”
Zack knew he wanted to have a career in which he could help others, and as a mobile chiropodist, he reaches people who would otherwise not be able to benefit from his services.
His work takes him to people from all over the city and from all walks of life. “It’s certainly not sexy work. I see a lot of people in co-op housing, people coming from low socioeconomic levels, and the work often involves dealing with higher-risk patients who can be more difficult to treat.”
Being a mobile chiropodist comes with its challenges, but Zack finds immense meaning and reward in the work. “I really feel what I’m doing is important and really needed. Every day I see the gratification and the change I can make in someone’s day. That’s quite fulfilling to me.”
Zack also teaches at the Michener Institute, the only English-speaking chiropody school in the country. He finds great gratification in mentoring the students and passing on his skills to the future professionals in the field. “Because there is only one school in all of Ontario for chiropody, there is no better way to put a mark on the profession than shaping the experience of new students.”
Chiropody extends beyond just working with people’s feet. Zack tries to mirror the essence of his work in every aspect of his daily life. “It’s not just that I’m going to see patients, but it’s how I treat them once I’m there: with patience, respect, and giving them the best possible treatment I can so they’re satisfied. That extends into my everyday life of putting all of my effort into anything I take on.”
Zack Atlin is 30 years old and grew up in Thornhill. He studied Kinesiology at Waterloo, and found a way of combining his passions of helping people through hands on work and teaching by becoming a chiropodist. He founded GTA Mobile Chiropody in 2015 and has been serving the needs of the Toronto community since. Zack hopes to expand his business to reach more areas of Toronto in order to serve as many homebound people who need chiropody services as possible.
Put your best foot forward and visit www.gtachiropody.com for more information.
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Jumans of Toronto is a window into the lives and passion of Jewish young adults making their mark in the world. A 50-part series, Jumans is inspired by Humans of New York. If you’d like to recommend someone awesome to be highlighted, please send an email to adina@thehousetoronto.com.
Written by: Adina Samuels