Rediscovering Health and Faith at Grace

Shirley arrived at Grace homeless, without insurance, and experiencing acute abdominal pain.  The physical pain she endured was so severe, “comparable to childbirth or kidney stones,” said Shirley, that she felt as if she was on death’s door. She was diagnosed with diverticulitis, an infection found in the intestines, and Grace provided the necessary antibiotics to treat the infection. Her health also improved as she drastically changed her diet to eliminate sugar, salt, and rice.

Her mental, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing were also marred by past years of domestic violence, which drew her away from God. “I was empty…I had no church,” Shirley shared. Grace helped her process the past trauma, renew her faith and connection to God, and enabled her to further transform her life.

Empowered by her healthier lifestyle and renewed faith, Shirley and her three sons are living healthier, happier lives. They even welcomed Geraldo, Shirley’s husband, to the family.

Volunteer Spotlight: Carolina Ganan

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.

A smile goes a long way

Six-year-old Christian came to Grace Medical Home’s Dental Center for an exam and treatment for tooth decay. The decay on his front teeth appeared so bad that his mother requested we pull them out. Our Dental Center Director, Michelle Lawton, explained to his mom that we try to save every tooth possible because the baby teeth roots guide in the permanent teeth and without them, it is harder to eat. After further explanation and education, his mother agreed to allow us to try and save the teeth.

 When it came time for treatment, Christian was very nervous, but Michelle promised him if he sat still and was brave that once the area was numbed, it wouldn’t hurt at all. Michelle also noticed the Spiderman shoes he was wearing, so she promised him a special surprise for trusting her. He sat like a champ while his front teeth were repaired. 

When they gave him the mirror to see his new smile, he exclaimed that Michelle was his new best friend and he was just so happy not to have black teeth anymore. Michelle presented him with a special electric toothbrush of his own because he said he did not own one. When he opened the bag and saw it was Spiderman, his smile lit up the room.  

As he went to his other appointments at Grace that day, he proudly displayed his new smile for all to see. A smile goes along way.

Volunteer Spotlight: Chris Wasman, Spiritual Care Ambassador

Volunteers play an incredibly vital role in delivering care to our patients. One unique volunteer role is that of Spiritual Care Ambassadors who share the Word of God, pray with patients, and model the love of Christ.

Chris Wasman has been volunteering as a Spiritual Care Ambassador since May 2020. Chris first learned about Grace when his daughter toured as part of the Elevation Scholars program. Then, at the program’s award celebration, Chris met Pastor Mike Aitcheson, a Grace Board member, and learned more.

“I was in the master’s program at Liberty and I was finding it difficult to find a faith-based/counseling opportunity,” said Chris. I had researched chaplain programs and my daughter reminded me about Grace, so I submitted my resume for an internship in Spiritual Care. That same day, Pastor Omar said a prayer that God send him the right people.” They connected quickly and Chris began interning.

“I went home after the first night of serving here and cried at the dinner table when I was telling my family about Grace,” Chris remembered. Some of his memorable patient encounters include “one patient who came here for care on the physical side, until we met and talked about her faith. Her outlook and her heart started to change – she lit up and the pressure came off of her challenge. I have called people on the phone to pray for them. The father of a child with a terminal illness gave me hope even in the midst of his trial.”

“I loved it so much that when my internship finished, I kept showing up to volunteer,” Chris said. “I can’t stop showing up. Nothing about this place is ‘normal.’ I experience a God moment every time I’m here. God ordains and orchestrates these moments that are incredibly powerful for the people who come through here.”

Chris concluded by saying, “I am overwhelmed by this place every day I have been here. People’s lives are being changed here. They are showing up broken and leave changed; they leave with hope. I am humbled that God would pick us to do this gig.”

Reading is Fundamental

When Michelle Cash, Grace’s Pediatric APRN, learned one of her pediatric patients, Melani, needed help with her reading, she knew just who to call. As a retired educator with more than 29 years of experience and a love for early education, Gayle Bosscher was the perfect person.  Michelle approached Gayle to see if she would be willing to help. Gayle has been tutoring Melani in reading ever since.

Melani’s family moved to Orange County from Guatemala. “It is really a ‘language thing’ not a ‘reading thing,’ explained Gayle. “Melani is an excellent Spanish reader, but she struggles to read in English. A dual language class is great for some children, but not for someone who needs in-depth English.” 

Gayle continued, “Experiential English isn’t something you can teach. Reading isn’t just the sounds, but also understanding the meaning of the words. Melani is not a little girl who needs to fail; she is just a little girl who hasn’t been taught the basics. She is a bright, happy little girl. I enjoy being with her. She is so sweet to work with.” 

Gayle even rearranged her schedule to stay after her scheduled volunteer shift to tutor Melani weekly. “This is an easy need to fulfill, said Gayle. “I can’t pay their utility bills, but I can speak and read English with a heart and willingness to do it!”

Melani’s mother, Mayli, is committed to providing a solid education for her daughter. She is willing to do what she can to help her succeed including making the weekly drive to Grace from Apopka for the hour-long tutoring session. Mayli shared that Melani gets really happy knowing she is going to Grace to see Ms. Gayle. Emphatically announcing weekly, “Today I have my tutoring. Yes!”

When asked if she likes the time spent with Ms. Gayle, Melani shyly replied, “It’s fun. I like learning.”

“We have seen a big, big improvement (in Melani’s reading skills,)” said Mayli. “She is happier and it gives her confidence to speak the language.”

Her mother encourages her to be brave, to be proud of being in this country and of speaking two languages. “There are so many opportunities,” Mayli shared. “We are blessed to have Grace.”