Celebrating multiculturalism and diversity in the community, 14 multicultural champions were selected to be featured and have their stories shared in the Penticton Western News on a monthly basis in partnership with the South Okanagan Similkameen Local Immigration Partnership Council and other partners.
Shamsher Dhaliwal is a hard-working, determined man with big plans
Dhaliwal, 32, who lives in Penticton, can easily be described as tough guy.
He doesn’t let hardship get in the way of him making progress.
Shortly after immigrating from India in 2007, his kidneys failed. Even though he was in a lot of pain and discomfort, he didn’t tell anyone about it.
“I didn’t want to burden anyone with my problem or cause them to worry about me,” he said.
Related: Multicultural community champions celebrated
Dhaliwal eventually did share his health issues with his wife, Raj, who decided that she wanted to do something about her husband’s dilemma. She privately looked into the possibility of donating one of her kidneys and set the process in motion.
“She had offered to donate a kidney to me but I didn’t want it. I was afraid that if something would happen to us in the transplant, who would look after our daughter?”
Nevertheless, Raj had bloodwork done and found she was a perfect match.
“I just didn’t want to see him in pain and sad anymore. I wanted to give him a new life,” she said.
Dhaliwal cried for half an hour after his surgery but this time it was tears of joy.
“I have so much respect for my wife because of what she did for me. She is my life.”
Without his wife’s good deed, Dhaliwal might have waited eight to 10 years for a donor.
The transplant gave Dhaliwal a new zest for life as he took up English lessons again, something he had started and now had a re-energized desire to complete.
While enduring his medical hardship, Dhaliwal was working in the janitorial business, as if dealing with kidney failure wasn’t a big enough challenge. He established Noble Point Janitorial, which serves a large section of the Okanagan, from Vernon to Penticton. The company employs three people. He has big plans for the company and would like to see it expand throughout the province.
“It will be difficult but I believe I can do it,” insists Dhaliwal.
The couple have noticed a positive change in the attitude Canadians have toward immigrants since they first arrived. “They treat us with respect. They even come to our temple. The federal defence minister is a Sikh. They know what a Sikh is. Multiculturalism is growing,” Dhaliwal said with a big smile on his face.
The couple also go out of their way to help newcomers find work — find a place to live and services.
“We went through all of that. We know how difficult and overwhelming it can be,” said Raj.
Read more about the other Multicultural Champions:
Bringing Czech culture to Canada with love
Shifting from an era of fear to love
Escaping a difficult life in El Salvador
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