Isharon Reynolds

As a child, my father was diagnosed with lung cancer. After witnessing his battle, I developed a desire to help the sick. It was not until January 2007, when my mother was diagnosed with liver cancer that I developed a true passion for nursing. In the following four months, I witnessed nurses staying not only at her side, but also my family’s side as her cancer progressed rapidly resulting in renal failure. The nurses went above their required duties and cared for my mother and family not just physically but emotionally and mentally. When my mother passed away in April, the nurses grieved with us and acted as a strong support system for me and my family. After witnessing the care my mother received as a patient at Henry Ford Hospice, I cultivated a whole new outlook on the role the nursing profession plays in the health care field. I was able to see firsthand the difference a good nurse can make in a patient s life and this experience has shown me that nursing is my personal calling.

Becoming a nurse allows me to devote my life to the care of the sick, the injured and the disabled among us while carrying on the legacy of my parents. Two summers ago, I volunteered as an in-home care assistant for Henry Ford Hospice. As a volunteer, I provided respite care for primary caregivers of patients. My duties included light house work, administering medications, running errands and offering comfort and support to the patients. I have also served as a patient advocate for Sand Castles Grief Support Program, helping to mentor children about the process of death for children ages 5-12.

After receiving my bachelor’s of nursing degree, I fully intend to pursue a master’s degree. In the future, I look forward to becoming a public health nurse practitioner and working for the Department of Health and Human Services. I want to provide health education, care management and primary care to individuals who are members of vulnerable and high risk groups such as African Americans and Hispanics- not only in the United States but in other countries that are not as privileged as the United States.

Receiving the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation scholarship has been one of the greatest rewards for my motivation and persistence for success. I swear to uphold and exceed all that is expected of a future nurse while promoting the progress of medicine and humanity.