Dr. Marcela Torres Leavy Dentist Posted on February 25, 2023 by planirl
A native of Guatemala in Central America, Marcela moved to Ireland in 2007 with her husband Aidan, Plan Ireland’s Business Development Coordinator, who lived in Central America for eight years. Marcela qualified as a dental surgeon in the University of San Carlos of Guatemala in 2006 and after many long nights her qualifications were recognized by the Irish Dental Council in 2008.
Before starting her own dental practice, Kinnegad Dental, in June 2012, Marcela practiced in Tullamore and Mullingar. Before coming to Ireland she worked with indigenous Mayan women in the highlands of Guatemala near the Mexican border and in a children’s hospital in Puerto Barrios, a port town on the Caribbean coast of Guatemala.
She recently completed a postgraduate diploma in Clinical Dentistry in Trinity College Dublin and when not working loves to dance, cook tasty Guatemala dishes, meet up with friends and dream of being an artist someday.
I am a Girl I ask…why in the 21st century do women still have to defend their right to be equal. I ask why women still have to feel pressurised to have children and that if you don’t it almost as if you’re a lesser being.
Because I am a Girl I believe…that I can do anything and that I have the ability to shape my own destiny, but only if I am focused and determined and am supported by those around me to do what I want.
Because I am a Girl I hope…that other girls with scarce resources get the support I did from my mother, even if it is against all the odds that surround mothers. I hope that this support will ultimately help change girls destinies and help them to keep dreaming of a better future.
Because I am a Girl I wonder…when my beloved Guatemala will be peaceful again and the torrent of violence against women will finally cease.
Because I am a Girl I dream…of dancing non-stop and of being an artist – both at the same time of course!
Because I am a Girl I remember…the aroma of my mother’s and grandmother’s kitchen, the wealth of knowledge and passion they put into making every plate of food not just important, but special.
Because I am a Girl I like…being respectful of my elders given all the support they provided me over the years. I also like tiramisu!
Because I am a Girl I dislike…that girls don’t or simply can’t stand up for themselves in a world too easily dominated by a ridiculous macho culture that should have ceased to exist centuries ago.
Because I am a Girl I feel… waves of gratitude because I am alive. I can breathe fresh air, enjoy all my senses and continue to learn more every single day.
Because I am a Girl I celebrate… being alive, having my health, all my senses, a great family and very close friends.
