A young family and nursing practice would be enough to keep someone busy. But not Ashley Cumming.
She’s never been one to sit still for long, whether its in her academic, athletic, or professional life. The young mom of three has served the Rainy River District as a Registered Nurse since 2010, as a Nurse Practitioner since 2016, and she recently expanded her offerings to include non-surgical medical aesthetic and therapeutic treatments through an independent private clinic.
NuvoRx opened in August, in an office located inside Rainy Lake Family Dental, but Cumming will soon be welcoming patients in her new clinic above Alterna in Early February.
“We’re busy getting it ready,” she said. “It’s going to be amazing.”
Her medical aesthetic clinic offers a full range of treatments and consultations for a range of dermatological conditions, including Therapeutic treatments include injectable treatments for chronic migraines, excessive sweating and teeth grinding issues. Aesthetic treatments include injectable treatments for wrinkles and facial sculpting such as neuromodulators and dermal fillers, injectables treatments to reduce submental fat (aka double chins), PRP (platelet rich plasma) injections for hair restoration and skin rejuvenation, plasma IQ for skin resurfacing, and medical grade facials, including chemical peels. She’s also in the process of getting a medical grade laser to offer additional skin rejuvenation and resurfacing treatments.The clinic was the logical next step for Cumming’s nursing career.
“I enjoy helping people feel good in their own skin and empower confidence,” she said.She’s been a Registered Nurse since 2010, earning her degree from Laurentian University.“
I’ve always been very interested in the medical field,” she said.She’s been updating her credentials regularly since graduation. Her first position was in the emergency room of the Rainy River Health Centre. She then moved into LaVerendrye General Hospital, where she worked on the medical floor, specializing in obstetrics. She upgraded with a certificate in perinatal nursing in 2014, then shifted her career to public health, in the Northwestern Health Unit’s Healthy Babies Healthy Children Program, in the Breastfeeding Initiative.
She set her sights on earning a medical degree to further her career. Most doctors apply year after year to gain entrance into medical school, and after two unsuccessful attempts, Cumming turned her focus instead to becoming a Nurse Practitioner, returning to the Rainy River Health Centre to continue her career after graduation. Her role gives her the work life balance and flexibility she needs to juggle work, family and coaching.“
I love what I do,” she said. “I’m happy where I am.”Although she plans to continue as an NP, she’s enjoying the challenge of building her new business. But Cumming is no stranger to entrepreneurship. In 2018, she took her lifelong love of figure skating and created the Northern Lights School of Skating.
Cumming had been a competitive figure skater since the age of nine. When she moved to the Rainy River region in 2010, she became a professional coach. She offers programming across the District, and a full range of classes, from a learn to skate program called CanSkate, to hockey skills and a pre-figure skating program, along with a competitive division. It means her day often starts at 6 a.m. at the rink, but it has been a labour of love.
As a coach, nurse and entrepreneur with two businesses, it’s hard to imagine Cumming has free time, but she feels her strength comes from the support around her.
“I find the busier I am the more productive I am!” she said. “I’m really lucky to have very supportive family and friends.”
She and her husband have three kids, aged 10, 8 and 3. They enjoy spending time together being active and outdoors.
“We’re always outdoors, fishing, snowshoeing, out on the lake or on ATVs,” she said. “We love being outside. You have to make time for everything. Make that time for family. You just make it work.”
Anyone interested in seeing what NuvoRx has to offer can visit her on Facebook, or at NuvoRx.ca. The Northern Lights School of Skating can be found at nlskating.com.
