Carolina Ganan has been a dedicated volunteer at Grace since 2019. Carolina first learned about Grace as a Junior at the University of Central Florida when she attended Outreach Conference hosted by the UCF College of Medicine. Dr. Marvin Hardy was a guest speaker at the conference and gave a heartwarming presentation that sparked an interest in Carolina. His passion and enthusiasm made her determined to get involved with Grace. “I knew that Grace was missing in my journey to become a physician,” Carolina said.
She first started volunteering at the front desk, and soon after, she learned about the Gap Year Internship program. As a pre-medical student, she knew that she wanted to grow with an organization professionally and spiritually.
“Grace taught me the importance flexibility, communication, and most importantly, that it takes a whole team to care for one person,” said Carolina. She learned from Michelle Cash, Grace’s APRN, just how much a provider can do for their patients. She continues to explain, “It is not just about medicine. It is the relationships that you form with your patients. You have to be willing to step in and advocate for your patient; medically and with any social barriers.” Carolina expressed how demanding her job can be because of the tribulations her patients face, but this inspires her to continue her journey in the medical profession. “I want to be known as a patient’s advocate,” she said.
One of her favorite aspects of Grace is the teamwork formed among the pediatric care team. “This is something that I have never experienced before,” she said. It became Carolina’s escape from the competitive nature of pre-medical students. It taught her the importance of whole patient care, caring for patients’ physical, social services, mental, and spiritual needs. Grace even provided her with spiritual guidance through several Bible studies and self-discovery.
Carolina shared that Grace has given her so many unforgettable memories. But the one that stands out the most is when she and another staff member decided to throw a small birthday party for twin patients, one of whom was recently diagnosed with a serious medical illness. They wanted to cheer them up on their special day. This party made her reminisce about her own experience at Shriners Hospital as a child. She remembers how valued she was as a patient, which inspired her to become a doctor when she grew up.
Carolina recently transitioned from being a Gap Year Intern to serving as an AmeriCorps member in Care Coordination. Carolina’s passion is to become either a pediatrician or a family medicine doctor because of her love for children.
