“There’s a huge stigma associated with HIV and there is some fear. People are hesitant to seek treatment, particularly here at a children’s hospital. We do what we can to make them feel comfortable and reassure them that if they come here, they will receive excellent care. We have two nurses that have been with our program since it opened 27 years ago. They saw from the very beginning when HIV/AIDS came to the United States and how people were not surviving very long and there weren’t many treatments. It’s interesting to hear their stories about how things have changed. Now, there are new therapies and people can live a long, happy life. Both have told me that they will not retire until there’s a cure.”

“Unfortunately, after a terrible accident, it took months for my cousin to receive mental health services that would assist him with his new day-to-day struggles. Watching a loved one go through such a difficult time made me realize that I wanted to help those who were experiencing similar situations. My cousins’ story provides me with the motivation to mentally meet patients and families where they are currently at and give them the best care that would be most beneficial at that time.”

“Employers can advocate for the differently abled community by being open to employees needs. Open communication is important so employees can ask for what they need, like a physical modification in their workspace, a modification in their hours, or a modification in training or resources. A little empathy goes a long way, as does feeling valued as a contributing member of a team.”