Debbie was working with a diabetic patient, teaching diet and nutrition and the patient said, "Debbie, this is a rich persons' diet. I can't afford to eat like that." Debbie realized that even with all of her teaching if patients don't have access to fresh, wholesome, affordable foods, it would do no good. Debbie wrote a grant to the Good Sam Foundation to support the presence of the MyStreet Grocer outside of the clinic. The MyStreet grocer provides fresh produce and meal kits to the homeless, very poor, and those patients who can't get to a grocery store. Physicians at the clinic can refer patients for vouchers and Debbie and her team worked through the administrative red tape and barriers to make this work for our patients. Debbie is passionate about transforming patient care and finding creative solutions to complex issues.
Here is a poem about Debbie by a patient:
The natural beauty of my nurse,
Her butterfly heart and the sun she carries in her soul.
She treats my backache.
She is a fixer of things,
She is a rainbow in the dark.
She is the maker of the moonlight.
And my own Nurse Nightingale