The evolution of Comfort Orthotics & Podiatry Clinic over the generations.

Fergella Shebib was a shoemaker in Lebanon in the late 1800’s. He moved to Cape Breton to make a better life for his family in the early 1900’s. He passed his trade on to his son Joe. Joe Shebib also set up a shoe making/ shoe repair business in Cape Breton. Joe passed the trade on to his son Francis who started to train his son Tom when he was only 15 years old.

Dedication to his profession, quality workmanship and a genuine desire to help people walk comfortably and in style is the foundation upon which Comfort Orthotics & Podiatry Clinic is based. Tom Shebib (former Co-owner of Comfort Orthotics & Podiatry Clinic) was the 4th Generation in his family possessing this unique craftsmanship ability. Over the years the footwear industry changed. Tom responded to this change and expanded his knowledge in the field of Orthotics. Educated in Pedorthic Management of the Foot at Ball State University (USA) and The Robert Palmer Institute of Biomechanics, Tom became a Certified Pedorthist and started crafting quality orthotics in 1997.

To meet the needs of our growing client base, Tom invited Emily Conroy to join the team in 2012 as Certified Pedorthist. Then, in 2013 podiatry services were added to our clinic. We now have 2 Podiatrists – Philip Sneyd and Anthony Fable. Their kind, caring nature is evident to all of our clients who visit them for podiatry care. This enables the clinic to provide an extended range of services for our patients. With a total staff of 11 (1 certified pedorthist, 2 Podiatrists, and 8 support staff), Comfort Orthotics is one of the largest orthotic/footwear/podiatry/bracing clinics in Nova Scotia.

In 2024, Tom and Lisa sold the company to their daughter, Natasha Pieroway, making this a 5th generation business. Natasha spent some time working in the shoe repair/clinic over the years, and was always excited to take part in business conversations around the supper table. She is pictured on the right helping her dad fix shoes at age 2. Natasha has a Bachelor of Commerce Degree from McGill University and spent 10 years managing and operating businesses. She looks forward to keeping the clinic up to date with the latest technologies and ensuring that quality customer service remains the #1 priority.

Physicians and health care providers have been pleased with the quality products, services and care provided by this team. We are so proud to have over 37,000 patients in the community that are now walking comfortably.