Some people choose their profession for money, but when you are certain of your calling and choose to be a nurse, that is extraordinarily special. Nursing is not for the weak. You carry many hats: advocate, communicator, critical thinker, problem solver, quick responder, leader, pacifier, and more.

Cecily Cruz, or “Cece,” as we lovingly call her, has everything listed above and more. She is our modern-day Clara Barton. The Walton Family Institute has its own angel on the battlefield of health-related social injustice.

I could tell countless stories about her, but this is the one I want to share most:

"In 2019, I lived in frigid upstate New York. I spent more than a full week without electricity, heat, or hot water. NYSEG refused to negotiate with me, and I needed help fast. I thought about the Walton Family Institute and was connected to Cece. I explained my desperate situation. She asked me a few important questions, and with her assistance, it didn’t take long before my services were finally restored."

Nurses can perform miracles beyond their line of duty. Cece embodies the qualities and expectations of her profession and goes far beyond them for the wellness of her patients.