If you’ve ever stepped through the doors of the Patodia Eye Institute in Sarnia, chances are you’ve been greeted by a kind, calm presence in scrubs—someone who genuinely loves what she does. That someone might just be Layla Vanderslagt, a Registered Practical Nurse who radiates both compassion and purpose.
Born and raised right here in Sarnia, Layla is a graduate of Great Lakes Secondary School and a proud member of Lambton College’s Practical Nursing Class of 2024. Just a few months into her career, she’s already made an impression. “I really enjoy working at Patodia's,” she says. “I get to help people every day, and I love the interactions with patients. It just feels like the right place for me right now.”
But what makes Layla stand out isn’t just her reassuring manner—it’s the path she’s walked, one that’s taken her far from the clean, orderly hallways of a medical clinic in Sarnia to the rugged, sun-soaked terrain of East Africa.
“I’ve always had the travel bug,” she says, smiling. “Even as a kid, I had this itch to go out and do something big.” That drive eventually led her to Youth With A Mission—or YWAM for short—a global Christian mission organization known for its outreach work and emphasis on faith-based service.
After training with YWAM, Layla was assigned to Tanzania, Africa, where she and her team were sent to live among the Maasai people, a semi-nomadic tribe known for their rich cultural traditions and vibrant clothing. It wasn’t a vacation. There were no hotels or restaurants. Instead, there were tents pitched under vast skies, no hot showers, and a rhythm of life that was as humbling as it was transformational.
“One of the most powerful moments for me,” she recalls, “was when we visited a remote village and set up a makeshift pharmacy.” And when she says makeshift, she means it. “It was literally a building without a roof. We tested people for syphilis, malaria, and did urine analyses. That day alone, we treated over 500 people.”
The stories she brought home are the kind that stay with you. Some villagers walked over 12 miles—on foot—just to be seen by the visiting team. “They were on their hands and knees crying and thanking us for Tylenol,” Layla says, her voice catching just slightly. “Something that costs us a few dollars here meant the world to them. It’s hard not to be changed after witnessing that.”
Coming back to Sarnia wasn’t easy. “How do you go from sleeping in tents in Tanzania to having running water and a warm bed again?” she asks. “It really opened my mind. I see the world so differently now.”
That expanded worldview has influenced not just her nursing but another one of her passions—art. “I’ve always been a doodler,” Layla laughs. “Art was something I loved in school. When I’m painting, everything around me goes quiet. It’s like my own little dwelling place.”
That dwelling place became even more important when Layla had to raise money for her mission trip. She turned to her brushes and paints to fund her journey. With help from her grandfather Joe, a carpenter who lives next door, she began painting on rustic barnboard that he cut especially for her. What started as a creative outlet quickly turned into something more.
One particular piece—a simple but stirring painting of a sailboat—caught people’s attention. “I called it The Sailboat, and people just loved it,” she says. “I had people coming up to me asking for prints. It was overwhelming in the best way.”
Layla began taking commissions, often hearing the stories behind each request. “I love knowing why someone wants a painting. I kind of do a little bit of everything with my art—whatever people connect with.”
And like her mission work, her art is deeply personal and full of purpose. “I hope it encourages people to follow what makes their heart burn,” she says thoughtfully. “We all have a unique calling and a unique purpose. I want my work to help people see that in themselves.”
Faith is at the core of it all for Layla. It’s what carried her to Tanzania, and what guides her day-to-day choices, whether she’s charting patient notes or painting late into the night.
For now, Layla continues to juggle her work at Patodia Eye Institute with her blossoming art practice. “If you’re interested in Layla’s artwork—or want to see what this young Sarnian visionary creates next—she’s happy to connect. You can reach out to her at: https://www.instagram.com/thedwellingroom/
Whether she’s holding a paintbrush or a stethoscope, one thing’s clear: Layla’s just getting started. And whatever she chooses to take on next, she’ll do it with heart.
"Humans of Sarnia" founder Art Connolly is a man fuelled by curiosity and a passion for connecting with people in Sarnia. Inspired by the renowned “Humans of New York” series, with a camera in hand, he captures the very essence of the individuals he encounters, preserving their stories through his lens. Follow his series on Instagram and Facebook.