Prairie Mountain Health Celebrates Physiotherapy Month
May is Physiotherapy Month. Prairie Mountain Health (PMH) has physiotherapists that work across many sites in acute care, long term care, community and in outpatient clinics. Physiotherapists play an important role in our health care system to help clients recover after injury or surgery and support clients to have a good quality of life.
Jill Twordik is a physiotherapist that works in the Brandon Regional Health Centre. She began working as a physiotherapist in 2004 and joined the health region in 2008. In her time working in PMH, Jill has worked in outpatients, in the prehab teaching program and in inpatients. She currently has been working on the inpatient rehabilitation floor helping clients to regain physical skills to be discharged from hospital. Jill has worked hard to mentor new staff and create a positive work culture within her team.
Outside of Jill’s work in the hospital, she leads a physiotherapy team within Operation Walk Manitoba. This Winnipeg-based team launched in 2011 and completed its first mission to Managua, Nicaragua in 2012. The organization includes a volunteer team of surgeons, nurses, physiotherapists and healthcare professionals who provide free joint replacement surgeries in developing countries where access to orthopedic care is limited.
The organization works in close partnership with the Roberto Calderon Hospital in Managua, a public teaching hospital offering joint replacement surgeries to impoverished clients. The team works closely with local surgeons, nurses and students to build skills, enhance care and leave a lasting impact long after each mission ends.
Jill has gone four times on a mission to Nicaragua, with the last mission being in November 2025. She describes a team of over 60 people who attend where each team member plays an important role in making care run smoothly for clients. She said on her last trip 70 joint replacements were done over three days. She described working 12-14 hour days, going back to the hotel and then getting up early the next day to do it all over again.
“Being part of a team that can do surgeries like this gives people back their lives” says Jill. “It fills my cup for the year. I can’t even describe the experience of going to help people that are so grateful for something they otherwise would not receive”. She describes seeing young patients receive joint surgeries following motor bike accidents or seeing patients recover after living with severe osteoarthritis related to a life of performing heavy, physical work. She describes seeing a strong family support culture in Nicaragua. “Families are very involved in caregiving following surgery and assume care often the same day of the surgery from the team. Communities band together to support individuals during their recovery” says Jill.
Each Operation Walk mission brings walkers, crutches and braces to provide to patients who may have to wait for surgery. The organization is 100% volunteer driven with every dollar donated supporting the mission directly. More information can be found at operationwalkmb.ca.
Prairie Mountain Health recognizes the good work Jill is doing both in her paid and volunteer roles. She brings her knowledge and worldly experiences back to clients share cares for in the region every day.
Each physiotherapist in PMH is a valued team member and each have stories to share about how they make a difference in lives of Manitobans every day.