BC Seniors Week Profile: Muhammad, 90

In our fourth and final post of our first-ever Seniors of B.C. series, focusing on older adults who live, work and play in B.C., meet Muhammad, who is 90 years old and from Vancouver.

Originally from a small village in the Punjab province in Pakistan, Muhammad moved to Canada in 1959 to pursue graduate studies at McGill University in Montreal. After earning a PhD in engineering and, he subsequently moved to Vancouver in 1965 to start a new job at UBC’s Faculty of Engineering as a professor.

After retiring from UBC about 25 years ago, Muhammad joined the Golden Age Hiking Club and has not looked back since. In fact, he has conquered one of the most challenging hikes known in the province, the Grouse Grind many times! He even caught the attention of local news in 2010 – climbing the Grouse Grinds 20 consecutive times to raise funds to help with relief efforts for the Pakistan floods, which was deemed a humanitarian disaster that year.

His commitment and compassion for community didn’t stop there. Along with his wife, he started a non-profit organization in 1999 called the Maria-Helena Foundation. The foundation’s goal is to reduce poverty by supporting education skills training of women, and health care of children in South Asia, primarily in Pakistan.

Muhammad’s last journey up the Grouse Grind was in October, 2020 but he continues to hike daily in local trails close to home. He also enjoys skiing and swimming as part of his exercise regime, and spending time with his family which includes his wife, daughter and two grandchildren.

When asked for any advice on healthy aging, Muhammad stated simply “stay active by doing cardio activities daily and strength training if possible”.

To learn more about United Way Healthy Aging, including the various programs that help older adults in B.C. be Active, Connected and Engaged, please visit https://www.uwlm.ca/your-impact/healthyaging/