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NURSING IS A CALLING BECAUSE IT EXTENDS BEYOND YOUR CAREER...

YOU'RE THE NURSE IN THE COMMUNITY AND TO THOSE CONNECTED TO YOU...

YOU'RE A BLACK SUPERWOMAN NURSE!

A

Registered Nurse

and

National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach

I was born and raised in Macon, GA and I now reside in Atlanta, GA

Answering the Call to Nursing

When I was around nine years old, one of my cousins passed away when she was in her twenties due to complications of obesity. You can only imagine at my

young age what I felt like witnessing my mother receive the news of her niece’s passing, the sadness was all over her face. From that moment forward, I had

an awakening to the health challenges of family members everything from strokes, dialysis, complications of diabetes that included amputations and

blindness. I remember saying to myself “I have to do something about this” and it was then that I knew that I called to be a nurse. You may not know this

but when becoming a nurse, we take a Nightingale pledge. There is one part of the pledge that states “…devoting myself dedicated to the wellbeing of

those assigned to my care…” Listen that statement really resonated with me and I take it to heart to this day. This was my first step not only to help my

family but the community around me.

From the Bedside to the Tableside

After working in nursing for a few years, I was starting to feel deflated after observing patient after patient being admitted to the hospital over and over again

as a result of complications of their chronic diseases. One patient in particular was a young man in his twenties who was struggling living with morbid obesity.

During his long hospital stay; I had the chance to really bond with him. The day came when he was finally discharged home and sadly, he returned to his old

way of eating and unhealthy lifestyle that resulted in his premature death. I was so heartbroken and I knew that I had to do something more to help

patients live and sustain a healthy lifestyle. When I became a nurse and took the Nightingale pledge, I really meant it even to this day; it will forever be

with me. After five years of working in a hospital setting, I decided to take my nursing care from the bedside to the tableside.

Starting with the Woman in the Mirror

Before I made this major change, I had to take a hard look at the woman in the mirror and ask her/me to change her/my ways because I too was overweight.

So, I embarked on a new path because I felt that it was not only important to talk the talk but I had to be a living example and I had to walk the walk. Over

the timespan of twenty years, I immersed myself in being coached and investing in healthy lifestyle education followed by applying all that I had learned. I can

proudly share that I'm NOW at my goal weight of 165 lbs. from 235 lbs.

CERTIFICATIONS / LICENSES

The Path Full Circle

Along my journey I was deeply inspired to create a business in 2013, Full Circle Health Coaching LLC, a health and wellness solution that offered evident based and culturally relevant services that guided black women to discover their healthy selves through coaching, nutrition and cooking. It was my mission to equip the women with lifestyle interventions that would improve their heart health. It was as full circle journey since my call to nursing began from the experience of my cousin having a heart attack due to complications of obesity.

I knew that I had the solution to help overcome to the disturbing heart data about black women identified by the American Heart Association:

Cardiovascular diseases kill nearly 50,000 black women annually.
More than 50% of black women over the age of 20 have high blood pressure
Of black women ages 20 and older, 49 percent have heart diseases.
Only 1 in 5 black women believes she is personally at risk.
Only 52 percent of black women are aware of the signs and symptoms of a heart attack.
Only 36 percent of black women know that heart disease is their greatest health risk.

An Awakening & A Pivot

After nine years of coaching and receiving the testimonies of my clients, I had an awakening that my passion to guide black women to live at their

optimal health is greater than one person. I knew that I needed the help of other black superwomen nurses to change how black women are

disproportionately affected by heart disease and create a new narrative for them to live at their optimal heart health.

The second awakening came as a result of reading the American Nurses Association's survey which revealed that nurses are less healthy than the

average American; this is when I knew that it was important for me to pivot and now empower my fellow sister nurses to prioritize their care; so that,

they can show up as the best versions of themselves and impact the well-being of those connected to them.

I can share from personal experience of transforming my health and life and I know that once my sisters put themselves first; then they will in

turn serve from their heart at the highest level and impact the lives of other black women. It is our motto in nursing to Learn It - Live It - then Teach It.

Because as a Black Superwoman Nurse we are the full circle and within us is the power to create, nurture and transform.

This is the path to reclaim the Heart Health of Black Women.

Nurse Self-Care is the Pathway to Heart Healthy Communities

IN MY FREE TIME

5 FUN FACTS ABOUT ME:

1. In my quiet time, I love to curl up and read a good self-help book.

2. I enjoy cooking so much that I even have a signature nutrition and cooking program, Back to the Root. Some affectionately call me the Southern

S.O.U.L. Food Veganizer.

3. I am a Certified Professional Plant-Based Chef.

4. I love music so much, I can make a song fit into every situation.

5. Turn on any line dance song at a party and I will hit the dance floor. I love dancing so much that I became a Certified Soul Line Dance Instructor.