2020 has been filled with its fair share of challenges, but it’s also been full of people coming together and rising up to those challenges. As a result, we’ve seen some real heroes come to the forefront. Our big heroes this year are all of the healthcare professionals out there, especially those who work at NeoPath Health clinics. 

Last month we introduced our NeoPath Healthcare Heroes. It’s a way for us to recognize our healthcare professionals and say thank you to the heroes that sometimes go unthanked- the ones who ensure patients get the care and attention they need and deserve. 2020 wouldn’t have been the same without them! 

We’re thrilled to announce that this month’s honoree is Stephanie Larson. Stephanie is the Lead Nurse at NeoPath’s Douglas Health clinic. She has worked in nursing for over 20 years. She’s been making a difference for decades. We had a chance to sit down with Stephanie and learn a little about why she first went into healthcare, her favorite part of her job, and if she had any real-life heroes of her own. 

Related Reading: NeoPath’s June Healthcare Hero: Charlene 

Stephanie’s “Why” 

The “why” behind our jobs is what fuels us and gets us out of bed in the mornings. It’s what keeps us going during the good times and especially during the challenging times. For Stephanie, she said she chose nursing because she loves people and has always wanted to find a way to help them. Nursing is a way to combine those two loves and do so in a meaningful way. 

“Her commitment to Douglas Health and the patients she serves is evident with every patient interaction. Stephanie makes an effort to get to know each patient as an individual and tailors her care to meet their needs,” said Katie Halsne, RN, Director of Clinical Operations at NeoPath Health. “In her two years at Douglas Health she has grown as a nurse and as a leader, and we are honored to work alongside her!”

The Best Part of Stephanie’s Job 

Given how much Stephanie loves working with and helping people, her answer to this question wasn’t surprising at all. She said, “The best part of my job is getting to know each individual patient on a personal level and to help see them succeed in their health journey.” 

Stephanie’s Real-Life Hero

Narrowing down just one real-life hero wasn’t possible for Stephanie because she has many. In fact, she said, “My real-life hero… hmmm... I don’t have a specific ‘real-life hero.’ I’d have to say that all the healthcare workers that I’ve worked with have all, in some way or another, been a hero to me.” 

It’s probably safe to say that those same healthcare workers that Stephanie has worked beside and admires, would say the same thing about her. While Stephanie is our healthcare hero, we have no doubt she is a hero to many, especially to her patients that she provides such wonderful care to and as she said, helps them succeed in their health journey. 

Congratulations, Stephanie! We can’t thank you enough for all that you do for your patients, your team, and healthcare as a whole. Thanks for being our real-life hero!