Anna Campbell

In a nutshell, I am the mother of a healthy, energetic 7-year-old boy, I am a wife, I have the most wonderful extended family anyone could ever hope for…and now I am (once again) a college student. I have returned to school to earn my nursing degree, and I feel so fortunate to have such an amazing opportunity – made possible largely by the generous scholarship awarded to me by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation! I graduated with Honors and received my Bachelor of Arts degree in May 2001. Shortly thereafter I got married and had my son Canaan, and I knew that staying home with him while he was young was very important. The crossroads I faced at that particular time in my journey forced me to make some major decisions that have shaped my life in considerable ways. It was at this time that I was offered the opportunity to help care for my great-grandmother. She lived alone in her home at the age of 100, and it was obvious that she needed some assistance. At the beginning of my time with her, Granny needed only moderate help. Cooking, cleaning, helping her bathe and dress, ensuring that she took her medication, and other tasks became part of my daily routine – along with providing similar care for my 2-year-old son. I also began attending classes to complete the pre-requisite courses for the nursing program. My plate was full, but I was confident that I was doing exactly what I was supposed to be. As time passed, Granny became more and more dependent on me. She battled pneumonia on multiple occasions, was on continuous oxygen, relied heavily on daily breathing treatments, and eventually received major IV antibiotics for the infection she acquired in her pacemaker region. She passed away last August at the age of 104, and I feel so privileged to have had so much special time with her! Needless to say, it was during this time of caring for Granny that I rediscovered my desire to provide health care for others. As a nurse, I will be able to offer care to others when they need it, offer physical, mental, and emotional support to both patients and their families, and will have the opportunity to minister to others in some of life’s most challenging times. I believe that being called to serve others is an honor, and I take this responsibility very seriously. Another of my favorite aspects of the nursing profession is the ability to spend a significant amount of time with my young son. I take the responsibility I have been given to help shape his heart and guide his young life during these crucial, formative years very seriously, and I believe that motherhood is the greatest calling on my life. I feel I have chosen a career path that will allow me to fulfill this most important obligation while simultaneously providing for our needs – and the prospect of the combination of the two is amazing!