Kommah My Story
People often ask me how I became involved in healthcare.
The truth is, I didn't choose this path.
This path chose me.
At twenty-eight years old, I began experiencing symptoms that no one could explain. Over the course of seven months, I returned to my physician every couple of weeks as new symptoms developed. Each visit ended with the same reassurance:
"You're too young to have breast cancer."
Eventually, I sought a second opinion.
That decision changed everything.
Meeting my new healthcare team changed more than my diagnosis.
It changed my understanding of what healthcare could be.
The nurse practitioner welcomed me with a hug.
She listened.
She acknowledged my family.
She made sure we understood what was happening.
For the first time in months, I felt seen.
That experience has stayed with me ever since.
Not because of the hug.
Because it demonstrated something I've never forgotten:
Exceptional healthcare is never just about treating a disease. It's about caring for a person.
Cancer gave me a second chance at life.
It also gave me a profound sense of responsibility.
I knew I couldn't keep that second chance to myself.
Over the next two decades, that responsibility grew into advocacy.
Advocacy grew into leadership.
Leadership grew into research.
Research opened doors to collaboration.
Today, I have the privilege of working alongside healthcare organizations, physicians, researchers, innovators, executives, and fellow advocates who are committed to improving the patient experience.
Not just for one patient.
For every patient.
The greatest privilege of my work isn't standing on a stage.
It isn't serving on a committee.
It isn't contributing to research.
It's helping people see one another differently.
I've learned that when perspectives change...
relationships change.
Leadership changes.
Healthcare changes.
And lives change.
That's why I continue saying yes to opportunities that bring people together.
Because I believe meaningful change begins with a conversation.
When I'm not working, you'll usually find me spending time with my husband, Charles, our son, Christian, our family, or serving in my church community.
Those relationships keep me grounded and remind me why this work matters.
Healthcare isn't ultimately about systems.
It's about people.
Every person matters.
Every story matters.
Every conversation matters.
Diagnosis
Second Chance
Patient Voice
Collaboration
Healthcare Impact
Conversations That Move People to Action
Why I Continue Saying Yes
People sometimes ask why I continue serving on committees, participating in research, speaking at conferences, mentoring advocates, and investing so much time in improving healthcare.
The answer is simple.
I believe every person deserves to be seen.
Every family deserves hope.
Every healthcare professional deserves partners who want to make the system stronger.
And every patient deserves the opportunity to experience healthcare at its very best.
That belief continues to shape every conversation I'm invited into.
And every opportunity I say yes to.
Your Story Isn't Over
My path chose me. Yours may be choosing you right now.
Whether you're facing a diagnosis, advocating for someone you love, or working to make healthcare better from the inside, I would be honored to hear your story and see what we can build from it together.
Share Your Story