It takes a special type of strength to hold onto one’s good heart in this relentless world. Especially in a role as demanding as a nurse, a mother, or a full-time working student.

Patrice Vazquez is all of the above– and she has that heart, and the strength to keep it.

Healthcare in this country is a brutal machine. Too many of us have experienced ourselves and our loved ones being dismissed, neglected, harmed, and ultimately taken advantage of by a system which capitalizes on our sickness. Overworked, underpaid, or indoctrinated healthcare professionals become calloused, and our needs are overlooked.

When we are fortunate enough to land in the care of a truly compassionate, knowledgeable, and non-judgmental human being, it is our dignity restored. It is, quite literally, the difference between life and death. It is the relief of finally being heard and advocated for. For some, it is a hand to hold when we may have otherwise died alone.

Encountering people who care means caring for them in return, so they can keep going.

When I met Patrice through my best friend, her twin brother, I quickly came to the understanding that I had just encountered one of the strongest people I will ever meet.

No matter what crosses her path, her commitment to her dream of becoming a Registered Nurse and building a beautiful life for herself and her daughter only deepens. Born to parents struggling with addiction and navigating life largely on her own has shaped her compassion and commitment to advocate for the unheard and undervalued.

In her own words,

"Pain only strengthened my desire to be part of the healing process for others. I spent twenty four years watching my parents slowly deteriorate, yet I never lost sight of my vision to pursue a career in nursing. On September 2, 2022, my life changed forever when my mother lost her battle with addiction.

At the time, I was twenty one weeks pregnant.

Her passing became the defining moment that pushed me to fully commit to my dreams; not only for myself, but for the future I was building for my child.

That perseverance carried me through the Practical Nursing program during one of the most difficult periods of my life.

Instead of allowing grief to derail me, I used it as motivation.

I graduated from the LPN program with the highest GPA in my class, passed the PN NCLEX, and became a licensed nurse. Today, I am a mother working full time as a nurse and preparing to begin the LPN to RN Bridge Program next month.

Balancing parenthood, employment, and rigorous coursework has been overwhelming at times, but I have remained committed to my goals."

Unfortunately, the final coursework that Patrice must complete to become an RN had a last-minute schedule change. It is now mandatory that she attend school 5 days a week from 8am-5pm, which is incompatible with her own schedule as a working mother.

Previously, there was an option for her to attend classes for 3 days a week and work the rest of the time, which would enable her to afford bills, groceries, childcare, and school supplies.

With the new schedule, she will not be able to work enough hours to support the everyday needs of her family, and, through no fault of her own, would be forced to drop out.

She has exhausted every avenue to find accommodations within the school or outside support. The prospect of having to give up so close to the finish line, for such an arbitrary reason, after overcoming so much, is absolutely devastating. It is a scary prospect for herself, her daughter, and everyone who loves them.

This is where you come in!

If community can cover her household bills for at least the 3 months that this 5-day schedule is guaranteed to be in effect, Patrice will not have to drop out.

Housing, groceries, phone bill, car insurance, electric bills, and childcare average $2,270 per month total.

Plus, medical instruments for school and new scrubs will run her $600 out the gate.

If we can raise at least $7,410, Patrice will be able to keep going! And return all her blessings to the world tenfold by being the best nurse ever!

It would also send a message to this brilliant woman that she, too, is deserving of all the care that she pours into everyone else without fail.

Let us honor the years of determination, sacrifice, and unwavering commitment that have brought her to this point, and cover what she needs to get through this last stretch of her education.