It is my mission to help eliminate barriers to accessing medical care. To do that, I volunteer my skills to provide medical services and medical education to under-served communities at the local, national and international level. Below are some of the amazing organizations I’ve been fortunate enough to work with!
Locally, I serve the Dallas- Fort Worth, Texas area by volunteering as a nurse at Watermark Urgent Care clinic. The clinic provides free health care services to the under-served residents of the area. Our “staff” is comprised of volunteer doctors, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and nurses that volunteer their time so that we can provide truly exceptional medical care to those that need it. We see a large volume of un- or underinsured patients, as well as many international and refugee populations. It has been such a blessing to hear so many stories from residents of all over the world. To be part of a group of people that believe so deeply in the mission of helping others get quality access to healthcare that we work there free of charge is incredible. We are so honored to serve our community better and I am so grateful for my team. Learn more at: https://www.watermarkurgentcare.com/
Nationally, I volunteer as part of the on-site medical staff at Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times. The camp provides cost-free, medically supervised residential camp experience to childhood cancer patients and survivors. We provide a safe place for every child to just be free to just be a kid. To see these children light up and grow in confidence throughout their time there is a gift that cannot be understated. Being able to use my skills as a nurse to make camp a reality for these children is humbling. So many campers need many medications, port accesses, chemotherapies, and other accommodations that a regular camp just would not be possible for them. Here, not only are they cared for medically, but they are surrounded by other children who know exactly what they have been facing. Scars become an area of bragging instead of something to hide. I could not love what this camp stands for and the home it creates more than I do right now. It is a magical place and I am blessed to be part of its story. Learn more at: https://rmhcsc.org/camp
I am also a monthly supporter of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The work they do for children who may not be able to pay for cancer treatment is truly life-giving. I have been supporting St. Jude’s for honestly as long as I can remember, giving my allowance as a child to fundraisers they were having. I am so grateful for such an amazing organization that truly has wellness at the heart of its mission. Learn more at: www.stjude.org
Internationally:
Working in rural Uganda as a volunteer medical mission nurse is one of my greatest life experiences. Blessed to work with such an incredible organization such as Foundation for International Medical Relief of Children (FIMRC), I was able to witness firsthand how important equal and sustainable access to quality medical is. While there, I was able to health care services and health education. Walking miles up hills to conduct well-baby checks and medical outreach, setting up vaccination clinics, and hosting the girls from the Orphan and Vulnerable Children group to learn how to sew reusable sanitary pads were among the highlights. I loved volunteering at the clinic, where we diagnosed and treated patients with malaria, HIV, and other ailments, as well as delivering babies and providing pre and post natal checkups. However, my favorite experience was being able to let people see well enough to read for the first time in years by testing vision and providing reading glasses. It was incredible to work with such an amazing organization and it was truly live changing to see patients that sometimes walked for days just to receive care. It energized me even more to make sure everyone has equal access to the healthcare they need. For more information about FIMRC, go to: www.fimrc.org . If you would like to read a more detailed write-up of my Uganda mission, please click here.
My final, but certainly not least, organization I work with is CURE International. CURE is a fantastic non-profit organization that “operates charitable hospitals and programs in 14 countries worldwide where patients experience the life-changing message of God’s love for them, receiving surgical treatment regardless of gender, religion, or ethnicity”. Unfortunately due to COVID, I was unable to go on my mission trip to Malawi this year, but I eagerly look forward to the day where it is safe to do so again. In the meantime, I have been supporting CURE through being a CUREHero where I am partnered with a patient in the hospital every month. Being able to send letters of support and hope to children in the hospital has been so encouraging. I am looking forward to seeing what more I can do when I am there in person! Learn more at: www.cure.org
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