My name is Harley Danes, and I am pursuing a nursing degree at Sinclair Community College in Dayton, Ohio. I come from a large family, and as the oldest sibling, it is incredibly important to me to be a good role model for my siblings. For this reason, I chose to be the first person in my family to go to college and obtain a degree. Although this is a monumental step, it has come with a fair share of challenges. For instance, becoming a single mother, leaving a toxic relationship, working full time, enrolling in classes full time and financial struggles. However, I use these and many more factors to motivate me and show not only my siblings but my son as well that anything is possible if you work hard enough. Additionally, I want them to know that the battle does not define them, but how they overcome it. For instance, I am a firm believer in the fact that a simple act of compassion can change a life, and nursing allows me to do that every day. From a young age, I discovered this with the birth of my little brother Jameson. Jameson was born with Down Syndrome, thus leaving my family full of concerns and fears as to what life would look like. Thankfully, the nurse who took care of him was incredibly kind, patient, and compassionate. She always took the time to answer questions, assisted with the special care he needed, and even connected us with great resources. This one nurse had pointed my family and me in the direction of the Miami Valley Down Syndrome Association (MVDSA). Here we have found a home where we can empower, encourage, and assist those with Down syndrome. Finally, today, my family and I are more than just members within the MVDSA. Instead, we volunteer with each event planned and even work to increase the impact the organization has within our community. Additionally, mental health has become an increasingly important topic with which I have been striving to assist. Due to past trauma, my sister Teighlor has struggled with PTSD, anxiety, depression and much more. This has been an incredibly challenging situation for my family and me. When working to get help for my sister, we have discovered that mental health has become a crisis locally, if not on a national level. The local children's hospital has a floor in which is dedicated to providing mental health care. However, this was not enough to meet the demands of the youth, and they would often overflow into neighboring units. Months later, a new building was opened specifically for mental health, and despite the efforts, the resources are still not meeting the full needs of local children. In an attempt to do my part in regards to the crisis, I have taken courses offered by the local hospital. Here, I have become mental health first aid certified, which allows me to effectively manage and care for those who may be experiencing a mental health crisis. Although the previous examples are specific examples of what I strive to do within the field of nursing. I believe that every patient I encounter deserves a nurse who will look at them as a person. Consequently, I will strive to care for each patient not only physically, but mentally. Next, I hope that once I obtain my nursing degree and license, I can continue to educate myself on rising issues both locally and nationally to make an impact through volunteer work, advocating, education and endless compassion.

The strength of a single mother is often a quiet journey; however, it is forged in many struggles where giving up is simply not an option. This has been the case for my educational journey as I have pursued my dream to become a pediatric nurse. In March of 2020, I began taking prerequisites to be placed on a waitlist for the nursing program. However, in April of 2020, I found out that I was pregnant with my son. This joyous milestone soon turned sour when my son's father became abusive. However, I continued to push through and pursue my nursing journey to the best of my ability. Although I was able to escape my relationship relatively unharmed, I unfortunately was not able to continue classes at this college and had to transfer out. Thankfully, I did not give up and was quickly admitted to a new college where I could begin nursing classes right away. The time I spent there quickly passed as I struggled to manage caring for my son on my own, hours at school, clinicals, and working full-time. I found myself in my last semester of the nursing program. However, this last semester came with a fresh set of challenges for me, including illness for both my son and me, as well as death within the family. Unfortunately, despite trying to persevere, I came within 0.7% of passing and was consequently dropped from the nursing program. Thankfully, I knew this was far from the end of my nursing journey. Although I was incredibly upset about being so close to my degree and being told there was nothing more I could do, I refused to give up. The same day I discovered I was dropped from the nursing program, I began researching and applying to other schools. This task quickly became discouraging as I learned there were no local schools that would accept my nursing classes, and I would have to repeat all the classes and clinical hours I had already completed. Despite this, I quickly found the light at the end of the tunnel and saw things in a different light. Instead of being discouraged, I viewed this as a chance to become an even better nurse, as I would go through nursing school twice. Thus, I would receive twice the instruction, knowledge, practice, and support. This simple change in thinking encouraged me to believe that this would ensure I would be an even better nurse, knowing I would have a unique opportunity to revisit topics with which I struggled. Today, I am preparing to start my first semester of nursing school 2.0, as I like to put it. I have taken the time in between to continue reviewing my textbooks and notes from the first time around. This journey may be far from easy and has reshaped my beliefs about strength. Instead of seeming unshakable, strength has become about persistence and enduring even on my hardest days. Once I begin my career in nursing, I will be able to apply this same resilience of a mother fighting for not only her future but also for my son's. This strength will translate into steady determination during long shifts, tirelessly advocating for my patients, and extending exceptional care with unmatched compassion for each and every one of my patients. Nursing, to me, is more than a profession; it is about skill and heart. I believe I have proven to myself and others throughout my challenges that I possess both.