I’m a registered nurse and healthcare navigator with over 3 decades of experience in nursing and case management, dedicated to helping individuals and families navigate complex medical diagnoses with confidence and clarity.
I was unwittingly thrust into the world of self advocacy awareness as a child, as I watched my parents return home from a neurology appointment, upset with how uncaringly the doctor spoke to them. My mom was newly diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis; this was a scary time for them. They chose to change practitioners and I never saw them present that way again. Fast forward 12 or so years, and I ended up working side by side with both those same doctors on a Neurology Unit as a young nurse. I never saw that one coming! Both those experiences shaped my understanding of how meaningful communication and advocacy can be in healthcare.
Later, navigating pancreatic and mouth cancer alongside my husband, further deepened my appreciation for how overwhelming and fragmented the healthcare system can feel, particularly when information is complex, medical opinions differ and treatments can be debilitating. I remember thinking to myself, how does someone without a background in health care do this alone.
Through Vital Voice Healthcare Navigation, I partner with individuals and families as part of their support team, helping them prepare for medical appointments, understand their options, and confidently use their voice so their care aligns with their values and goals. My role is to bring clarity, steadiness, and confidence to moments that often feel uncertain and overwhelming.