Big Hearts at Work

Former Patient Ambassadors Inspired to Become Nurses

Former patients inspired to become nurses show that breakthroughs in pediatric health don’t end when a patient leaves the hospital. They ripple forward, shaping childhoods, restoring possibility and, in some cases, inspiring the next generation of caregivers. For several former Patient Ambassadors, the compassionate care they received at Children’s Colorado was made possible by the very commitment and generosity described in these pages. Supported by dedicated care teams, generous donors and a community that believed in both their recovery and their potential, these young leaders in the making found purpose in health care careers and a determination to give back.

Their journeys reflect the heart of this issue: when big hearts invest in children, they spark brilliant minds, many of whom return to help power the future of pediatric medicine.

Anissa

Anissa’s journey from Patient Ambassador (2016) to future pediatric oncology nurse is a story of resilience fueled by community. Born with a cleft lip, Anissa underwent numerous surgeries at the Children’s Colorado Cleft Lip and Palate Clinic, experiences that shaped her connection to the hospital and her desire to serve others.

Since participating in the Ambassador Program, Anissa earned her Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) license at just 17, worked through the pandemic and found her calling at the bedside. Today, she is thriving in nursing school with a 4.0 GPA and working at Children’s Colorado in the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders — the place she always dreamed of serving.

Margaret

Margaret began experiencing debilitating headaches at age 7. After years of unanswered questions, multiple diagnoses and treatments that didn’t work, she found specialized care at Children’s Colorado with a pediatric migraine expert. That care didn’t just restore her health; it helped her reclaim her childhood and discover her purpose.

With the support she received, Margaret was able to thrive academically and personally, graduating from high school and going on to study nursing at the University of Pennsylvania. Her experience as a Patient Ambassador (2019) sparked a passion for advocacy and service, leading her to continue volunteering at Children’s Colorado whenever she’s home. Margaret hopes to one day return as a nurse, ready to support children walking the same path she once traveled.

Sofia

Once a patient searching for answers, Patient Ambassador Sofia (2024–2025) found her future in the very halls where she healed. After years of pain, a diagnosis of gastroparesis and avoidant restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) brought her to Children’s Colorado — and into the care of nurses who saw her as more than her diagnosis. From sharing favorite books to bonding over Taylor Swift, her nurses created moments of connection and normalcy that gave Sofia the strength to keep going.

Those relationships left a lasting impact. Today, Sofia is studying to become a pediatric nurse practitioner at the Loretto Heights School of Nursing. Her dream: to guide children through chronic pain with the same empathy she received.