It's More Than 10.5 Months

This post is written by Salma Ahmedin.

Salma is a Health Educator at Heartland Health Center - Uplift/Wilson.

One of the required books for my undergraduate studies was the'Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks". A tissue taken from Henrietta, without her knowledge, changed the course of research and science forever. The HeLa cells were the first immortal human cells ever grown in culture and have been used for various scientific research including cloning, gene mapping, and development of vaccines. The frustrating part of Henrietta's story to me is, however, the fact that she was never recognized for her contribution to medicine—and her family still owes an unbearable amount of medical bills. In the field of Public Health, vulnerable populations, like the Lacks family, need extra attention because their rights as humans can easily be taken away due to their socioeconomic status. Although this book was an introduction to my undergraduate studies, it plays a major role in reminding me why I am passionate about Public Health and choose to serve.

On September 12th, 2014, I pledged to'Get Things Done" as an AmeriCorps member. Since my pledge, Chicago Health Corps (CHC) has and continues to enable me to apply the Public Health concepts and theories that I have acquired from college. Not only has CHC opened the door for me to make a smooth transition from college to the real world, it has permitted me to tackle some critical health issues— access to health care, health literacy, and preventative care—at the community level.

At one of my sites, Heartland Health Center-Uplift, I had the opportunity to provide sexual health education to 9th graders. As an AmeriCorps member, I had to be strategic in the way that I deliver these sensitive health topics. I had to learn how to establish an environment where my students can share their ideas and thoughts without being judged or laughed at. This experience has given me the getaway to create an avenue of trust and openness for my students, which, as a result, allows them to feel comfortable coming to the clinic and getting their medical needs met.

One of the projects assigned at my second site, Heartland Health Center-Wilson, is giving nutrition education to patient with chronic conditions. HHC-Wilson is a unique health center because patients come from different parts of the world. The most rewarding part of my time at this site has been utilizing my multilingual skills to deliver nutrition education to patients from Ethiopia and Eritrea. My diverse background has also allowed patients from different faiths and races to feel more welcome.

In a nutshell, Chicago Health Corps has given me the opportunity to impact Public Health, build partner capacity, and develop as a service-oriented professional. At both of my sites, I promote health and wellness through my direct service activities. I have made connections with organizations through partner capacity to provide health services that address the needs of my community. In addition to these two, I have broadened my perspective on Public Health and developed professional and life skills through In-Service and Member Meeting activities. I dedicate a few months of my life to AmeriCorps--the return, however, is tremendously greater than just 10.5 months of service!