From the time Natalie was little, she knew she wanted to work in healthcare. And from the first time she learned about HIV care, she knew this was her calling.
鈥淚 saw that people living with HIV didn鈥檛 always get the best care, or that they were stigmatized. And I just thought, 鈥業 can do better than that. I can make their lives better.鈥� 鈥�
At 缅北禁地, that鈥檚 what she does every day. As a Nurse Practitioner, her main goal is to help her patients achieve their goals.
鈥淚 want to meet people where they鈥檙e at,鈥� she says. 鈥淲e might have a textbook version of what we tell patients. But I want to know what鈥檚 important to you, because that鈥檚 what important to me. And then we鈥檒l find a way to help you reach your goals, in your life and in your health.
Providing medical care is only of part of her job, Natalie says. Some days, the most important thing she can do is be a shoulder to cry on. And at all times, she鈥檚 a relentless advocate for her patients.
鈥淪o many of my patients have told me, 鈥楴obody has ever cared about me as much as you do,鈥� 鈥� she says. 鈥淚t means so much to know I鈥檓 somebody they can trust.鈥�
Natalie is also passionate about supporting pregnant and chestfeeding moms.
鈥淢oms can be stigmatized for their decision to want to chestfeed their baby with an HIV-positive diagnosis,鈥� she says. 鈥淔or me, it鈥檚 a privilege to work with them and their other medical providers, to advocate for them, and to help them achieve their goals in how they want to feed their infant.鈥�
Natalie has a Bachelor鈥檚 in Nursing from University of Missouri, a Master鈥檚 in Nursing from Maryville University, and a Doctorate in nursing from Saint Louis University. She works with all patients living with HIV with a specialty in pregnancy and chestfeeding with HIV.