By Rossella A. and Erin G.
Jill overcame obstacles and found a new path in life, all while committed to helping others. In December 2021, Jill’s life took a big turn when she lost her mom to lung cancer.
She used to run a home staging company but had to shut it down to take care of her mom full-time. She saw a lot of what goes on in hospitals while caring for her mom. One thing that stood out was seeing people alone at appointments, waiting for transportation, with no one to support them.
Her mom suggested she think about working in healthcare since she was always interested in it. She decided to try it and started her training. Seeing her mom receive blood transfusions pushed her to take the leap and enter the phlebotomy program. As her mom’s health got worse, she learned more from the nurses who visited their home, even picking up skills like fixing IVs. This made her feel fulfilled.
With support from programs like Careerlink and JEVS EduConnect, she overcame financial obstacles and started her journey towards becoming a nurse. Despite challenges, she stayed focused and then passed the state exam, earning the highest score in her class.
Her hard work paid off when she was offered positions at Penn and Jefferson Einstein, which are top hospitals in Philadelphia. She accepted a job at Jefferson in the emergency department and plans to pursue additional certifications. She is proud that her daughters have seen what she has achieved. Now, Jill volunteers with JEVS to help other students, and Jill’s oldest daughter is in the EduConnect program, too!
Click here to learn more about EduConnect.