My name is Lauren Brooks, and I am currently enrolled in the nursing program at LabouréCollege of Health Care. I am 31 years old, and a single mother to three amazing little boys (2,3 & 6). I am not only in Nursing school to pursue my dreams of being a nurse, and better myself; but to show my kids how to overcome life's adversities. And; although life is seldom clear or easy, choice is what defines and validates it, not the uncontrollable factors. That same choice, is what I dream to give kids, who's lives have been defined by uncontrollable factors, and depend on the care of nurses and doctors. There have been many times in my life that I wanted to be a nurse. First, when my best friend lost his 9 year battle to cancer at just 15 years old. To this day, he is one of the most inspirational people I have ever met. He never complained about his illness, or painful treatments, instead would rave about “how awesome” his Dana Farber, and Childrens Hospital "family" were. Pat taught me a very important lesson, life is less about your final destination, and more about your journey. I was reminded of this by several losses over the course of the next couple years. My grandfather was in a severe car accident, where I sat by his side at Tufts Medical Center for almost 7 months straight. He was transferred in and out of the ICU, with complication after complication. The long duration of time spent in there gave me much insight into the nursing field. More recently, my brother was in a severe, near-fatal, motorcycle accident. The result of this tragic accident led to head trauma, a broken back, neck and the loss of his best friend. I will never forget the feeling of running out of my car to my brother who had just been thrown from his motorcycle, while simultaneously being struck by his friends bike forcing him head first into tree. Or his dear friend Celso who had just been hit, head on, with such force it broke open his skull, by a vehicle that drove onto the wrong side of the road. However was humbling to see the reaction, skill, teamwork, and effort every nurse and doctor in that hospital put into a life that was in need of a miracle. “One of our greatest freedoms is how we react to things” (Mackesy, C. (2019)) The RN’s that immediately react to critical, life-threatening problems, that make the family and friends on the other end feel as if they do truly care, and would do everything they could to save a loved one; is somebody who I have always aspired, and plan to be.

My name is Lauren Brooks, and I am currently enrolled in the nursing program at LabouréCollege of Health Care. I am 31 years old, and a single mother to three amazing little boys (2,3 & 6). I am not only in Nursing school to pursue my dreams of being a nurse, and better myself; but to show my kids how to overcome life's adversities. And; although life is seldom clear or easy, choice is what defines and validates it, not the uncontrollable factors. That same choice, is what I dream to give kids, who's lives have been defined by uncontrollable factors, and depend on the care of nurses and doctors. There have been many times in my life that I wanted to be a nurse. First, when my best friend lost his 9 year battle to cancer at just 15 years old. To this day, he is one of the most inspirational people I have ever met. He never complained about his illness, or painful treatments, instead would rave about “how awesome” his Dana Farber, and Childrens Hospital "family" were. Pat taught me a very important lesson, life is less about your final destination, and more about your journey. I was reminded of this by several losses over the course of the next couple years. My grandfather was in a severe car accident, where I sat by his side at Tufts Medical Center for almost 7 months straight. He was transferred in and out of the ICU, with complication after complication. The long duration of time spent in there gave me much insight into the nursing field. More recently, my brother was in a severe, near-fatal, motorcycle accident. The result of this tragic accident led to head trauma, a broken back, neck and the loss of his best friend. I will never forget the feeling of running out of my car to my brother who had just been thrown from his motorcycle, while simultaneously being struck by his friends bike forcing him head first into tree. Or his dear friend Celso who had just been hit, head on, with such force it broke open his skull, by a vehicle that drove onto the wrong side of the road. However was humbling to see the reaction, skill, teamwork, and effort every nurse and doctor in that hospital put into a life that was in need of a miracle. “One of our greatest freedoms is how we react to things” (Mackesy, C. (2019)) The RN’s that immediately react to critical, life-threatening problems, that make the family and friends on the other end feel as if they do truly care, and would do everything they could to save a loved one; is somebody who I have always aspired, and plan to be.

My name is Lauren Brooks, and I am currently enrolled in the nursing program at LabouréCollege of Health Care. I am 31 years old, and a single mother to three amazing little boys (2,3 & 6). After leaving an abusive husband a year and a half ago, my 3 children and I are living with my parents, who I am fortunate enough to have to help me through my journey of becoming a nurse. I am not only in Nursing school to pursue my dreams of being a nurse, and bettering myself, but to show my kids how to overcome life's adversities. And; although life is seldom clear or easy, choice is what defines and validates it, not the uncontrollable factors. That same choice, is what I dream to give kids, who's lives have been defined by uncontrollable factors, and depend on the care of nurses and doctors. There have been many times in my life that I wanted to be a nurse. First, when my best friend lost his 9 year battle to cancer at just 15 years old. To this day, he is one of the most inspirational people I have ever met. He never complained about his illness, or painful treatments, instead would rave about “how awesome” his Dana Farber, and Childrens Hospital "family" were. Pat taught me a very important lesson, life is less about your final destination, and more about your journey. I was reminded of this by several losses over the course of the next couple years. My grandfather was in a severe car accident, where I sat by his side at Tufts Medical Center for almost 7 months straight. He was transferred in and out of the ICU, with complication after complication. The long duration of time spent in there gave me much insight into the nursing field. More recently, my brother was in a severe, near-fatal, motorcycle accident. The result of this tragic accident led to head trauma, a broken back, neck and the loss of his best friend. I will never forget the feeling of running out of my car to my brother who had just been thrown from his motorcycle, while simultaneously being struck by his friends bike forcing him head first into tree. Or his dear friend Celso who had just been hit, head on, with such force it broke open his skull, by a vehicle that drove onto the wrong side of the road. However was humbling to see the reaction, skill, teamwork, and effort every nurse and doctor in that hospital put into a life that was in need of a miracle. “One of our greatest freedoms is how we react to things” (Mackesy, C. (2019)) The RN’s that immediately react to critical, life-threatening problems, that make the family and friends on the other end feel as if they do truly care, and would do everything they could to save a loved one; is somebody who I have always aspired, and plan to be.

My name is Lauren Brooks, and I am currently enrolled in the nursing program at LabouréCollege of Health Care. I am 31 years old, and a single mother to three amazing little boys (2,3 & 6). After leaving an abusive husband a year and a half ago, my 3 children and I are living with my parents, who I am fortunate enough to have to help me through my journey of becoming a nurse. I am not only in Nursing school to pursue my dreams of being a nurse, and bettering myself, but to show my kids how to overcome life's adversities. And; although life is seldom clear or easy, choice is what defines and validates it, not the uncontrollable factors. That same choice, is what I dream to give kids, who's lives have been defined by uncontrollable factors, and depend on the care of nurses and doctors. There have been many times in my life that I wanted to be a nurse. First, when my best friend lost his 9 year battle to cancer at just 15 years old. To this day, he is one of the most inspirational people I have ever met. He never complained about his illness, or painful treatments, instead would rave about “how awesome” his Dana Farber, and Childrens Hospital "family" were. Pat taught me a very important lesson, life is less about your final destination, and more about your journey. I was reminded of this by several losses over the course of the next couple years. My grandfather was in a severe car accident, where I sat by his side at Tufts Medical Center for almost 7 months straight. He was transferred in and out of the ICU, with complication after complication. The long duration of time spent in there gave me much insight into the nursing field. More recently, my brother was in a severe, near-fatal, motorcycle accident. The result of this tragic accident led to head trauma, a broken back, neck and the loss of his best friend. I will never forget the feeling of running out of my car to my brother who had just been thrown from his motorcycle, while simultaneously being struck by his friends bike forcing him head first into tree. Or his dear friend Celso who had just been hit, head on, with such force it broke open his skull, by a vehicle that drove onto the wrong side of the road. However was humbling to see the reaction, skill, teamwork, and effort every nurse and doctor in that hospital put into a life that was in need of a miracle. “One of our greatest freedoms is how we react to things” (Mackesy, C. (2019)) The RN’s that immediately react to critical, life-threatening problems, that make the family and friends on the other end feel as if they do truly care, and would do everything they could to save a loved one; is somebody who I have always aspired, and plan to be. References Hollis, J. (1993). The middle passage: From misery to meaning in midlife. Inner City Books Mackesy, C. (2019). The boy, the Mole, the Fox and the horse. HarperOne.

My name is Lauren Brooks, and I am currently enrolled in the nursing program at LabouréCollege of Health Care. I am 31 years old, and a single mother to three amazing little boys (2,3 & 6). I am not only in Nursing school to pursue my dreams of being a nurse, and better myself; but to show my kids how to overcome life's adversities. And; although life is seldom clear or easy, choice is what defines and validates it, not the uncontrollable factors. That same choice, is what I dream to give kids, who's lives have been defined by uncontrollable factors, and depend on the care of nurses and doctors. There have been many times in my life that I wanted to be a nurse. First, when my best friend lost his 9 year battle to cancer at just 15 years old. To this day, he is one of the most inspirational people I have ever met. He never complained about his illness, or painful treatments, instead would rave about “how awesome” his Dana Farber, and Childrens Hospital "family" were. Pat taught me a very important lesson, life is less about your final destination, and more about your journey. I was reminded of this by several losses over the course of the next couple years. My grandfather was in a severe car accident, where I sat by his side at Tufts Medical Center for almost 7 months straight. He was transferred in and out of the ICU, with complication after complication. The long duration of time spent in there gave me much insight into the nursing field. More recently, my brother was in a severe, near-fatal, motorcycle accident. The result of this tragic accident led to head trauma, a broken back, neck and the loss of his best friend. I will never forget the feeling of running out of my car to my brother who had just been thrown from his motorcycle, while simultaneously being struck by his friends bike forcing him head first into tree. Or his dear friend Celso who had just been hit, head on, with such force it broke open his skull, by a vehicle that drove onto the wrong side of the road. However was humbling to see the reaction, skill, teamwork, and effort every nurse and doctor in that hospital put into a life that was in need of a miracle. “One of our greatest freedoms is how we react to things” (Mackesy, C. (2019)) The RN’s that immediately react to critical, life-threatening problems, that make the family and friends on the other end feel as if they do truly care, and would do everything they could to save a loved one; is somebody who I have always aspired, and plan to be. References Hollis, J. (1993). The middle passage: From misery to meaning in midlife. Inner City Books Mackesy, C. (2019). The boy, the Mole, the Fox and the horse. HarperOne.

My name is Lauren Brooks, and I am currently enrolled in the nursing program at LabouréCollege of Health Care. I am 31 years old, and a single mother to three amazing little boys (2,3 & 6). I am not only in Nursing school to pursue my dreams of being a nurse, and better myself; but to show my kids how to overcome life's adversities. And; although life is seldom clear or easy, choice is what defines and validates it, not the uncontrollable factors. That same choice, is what I dream to give kids, who's lives have been defined by uncontrollable factors, and depend on the care of nurses and doctors. There have been many times in my life that I wanted to be a nurse. First, when my best friend lost his 9 year battle to cancer at just 15 years old. To this day, he is one of the most inspirational people I have ever met. He never complained about his illness, or painful treatments, instead would rave about “how awesome” his Dana Farber, and Childrens Hospital "family" were. Pat taught me a very important lesson, life is less about your final destination, and more about your journey. I was reminded of this by several losses over the course of the next couple years. My grandfather was in a severe car accident, where I sat by his side at Tufts Medical Center for almost 7 months straight. He was transferred in and out of the ICU, with complication after complication. The long duration of time spent in there gave me much insight into the nursing field. More recently, my brother was in a severe, near-fatal, motorcycle accident. The result of this tragic accident led to head trauma, a broken back, neck and the loss of his best friend. I will never forget the feeling of running out of my car to my brother who had just been thrown from his motorcycle, while simultaneously being struck by his friends bike forcing him head first into tree. Or his dear friend Celso who had just been hit, head on, with such force it broke open his skull, by a vehicle that drove onto the wrong side of the road. However was humbling to see the reaction, skill, teamwork, and effort every nurse and doctor in that hospital put into a life that was in need of a miracle. “One of our greatest freedoms is how we react to things” (Mackesy, C. (2019)) The RN’s that immediately react to critical, life-threatening problems, that make the family and friends on the other end feel as if they do truly care, and would do everything they could to save a loved one; is somebody who I have always aspired, and plan to be. References Hollis, J. (1993). The middle passage: From misery to meaning in midlife. Inner City Books Mackesy, C. (2019). The boy, the Mole, the Fox and the horse. HarperOne.