Meet the
Authors
Two students. A project coordinator. Four years of interviews, editing, and persistence — resulting in a book that gives healthcare professionals the voice they deserve.
The person who kept it all moving
Behind every interview scheduled, every deadline met, and every volunteer coordinated was one person ensuring the project never lost momentum.
Alina Azmat
University of Waterloo · Naturopathic Doctor, CCNM
Alina graduated from the University of Waterloo with a Bachelor of Science in Health Science, then went on to become a Naturopathic Doctor at the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine. She brought both her clinical grounding and her organizational precision to every stage of this project.
As the acknowledged backbone of Heroes Behind the Mask, Alina communicated with professionals, coordinated volunteers, managed timelines, and kept the project anchored across four years of development. She wore many hats — project manager, publicist, liaison, and steady hand — so the authors could focus on writing.
Four years of interviews, editing, and community
This book didn't happen overnight. It was built through sustained effort by a volunteer community that believed the stories were worth the work.
Interviews Begin
Ramsha and Mirza reached out to healthcare professionals who had shadowed with PHS, asking them to share what the pandemic was really like.
Writing & Editing
Over 100 interviews were compiled, shaped into narratives, and refined by volunteer editors across three years of development.
Final Manuscript
Six thematic parts. 30 professionals. One through-line: what healthcare really asks of the people inside it.
Chicago Launch
Launched in Chicago with on-site media from Loyola Chicago. Hundreds of copies sold. Phase 2 — taking it national — now underway.
Read the book they built
Available in paperback and Kindle. Or explore the professionals who told their stories.