You have said caregiving felt like a calling from the time you were a little girl. Looking back now, what were the moments in your childhood that first made you realize caring for others was part of who you are?

Looking back, I think caregiving was always in me. Even as a little girl, I was naturally drawn to helping people. Whether it was checking on family members, helping someone who was sick, or making sure others felt cared for, it came naturally. I didn’t see it as work — I saw it as love. Those early experiences planted the seeds for what would later become my life’s purpose.

You started your healthcare journey at Johns Hopkins Hospital, delivering patient trays. Many people might see that as a small role, but you describe it as sacred work. What did those early experiences teach you about dignity, compassion, and human connection?

Delivering trays taught me that no role in healthcare is small. Sometimes I was the first smile a patient saw all day. I learned that dignity comes from treating every person as if they matter, regardless of their diagnosis or circumstances. I learned that a few moments of kindness can have a lasting impact. Those lessons stayed with me throughout my entire healthcare career.

You spent years working in high-pressure healthcare environments, including the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center. How did those experiences shape the way you now lead caregivers inside Excellent Heart Home Care?

Working in high-pressure healthcare environments taught me the importance of staying calm, paying attention to details, and treating every patient with urgency and compassion. Today, I teach my caregivers that clinical skills are important, but compassion is just as important. We are entering someone’s home during some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives, and we have a responsibility to serve with excellence and heart.

Losing your mother to cancer changed the direction of your life. Can you share what that journey was like emotionally, and how her experience became the foundation for the mission behind your agency?

Losing my mother to cancer was one of the most painful experiences of my life. Watching someone you love go through that journey changes you forever. It opened my eyes to the challenges families face when trying to care for a loved one while managing their own emotions, responsibilities, and fears. Her experience became the foundation of my mission because I wanted families to have the support, compassion, and quality care that every person deserves.

Oncology caregiving carries a unique emotional weight. Families are often scared, exhausted, and overwhelmed. What do you believe cancer patients and their families need most from a caregiver during those difficult moments?

They need consistency, compassion, and reassurance. Families need to know they are not carrying the burden alone. Cancer affects everyone in the household, not just the person receiving treatment. A caregiver should provide practical support, but also emotional support, dignity, patience, and a calming presence during a very difficult time.

You often say your team does not just “show up,” they show up with purpose. When you interview and train caregivers, what qualities are you looking for that cannot be taught in a textbook?

I look for empathy, integrity, patience, dependability, and a genuine desire to serve others. Skills can be taught. Compassion cannot. I want caregivers who understand that every client is someone’s mother, father, grandparent, child, or spouse. People remember how you made them feel long after they forget what tasks you completed.

You are not only a healthcare professional and agency owner, but also a mother of seven. Four of your daughters followed you into healthcare, including one who became a registered nurse. What does it mean to you to see caregiving become part of your family’s legacy?

It means everything to me. Knowing that my children watched me serve others and chose to continue that legacy is one of my greatest accomplishments. Seeing my daughters become CNAs and one become a registered nurse reminds me that service, compassion, and hard work can influence generations. It is bigger than a career — it’s a family legacy of helping people.

Many family caregivers silently carry guilt, burnout, fear, and emotional exhaustion while caring for a loved one with cancer. What would you say to the daughter, son, spouse, or family member who feels like they are trying to hold everything together alone?

I would tell them that they do not have to carry everything by themselves. Asking for help is not weakness; it’s wisdom. You cannot pour from an empty cup. Taking care of yourself allows you to better care for your loved one. Give yourself grace. You are doing the best you can in an incredibly difficult situation.

Through your own journey, what has caregiving taught you about strength, faith, and the importance of human compassion during life’s hardest seasons?

Caregiving has taught me that true strength is found in serving others even when life is difficult. It has deepened my faith and reminded me that compassion can be healing. Sometimes people don’t remember every word you said, but they remember how you showed up for them when they needed someone the most. Compassion has the power to change lives.

At EnhDme, we work hard to give family caregivers the tools they need to keep loved ones safe and supported at home. With your extensive experience in oncology and home care, what products, equipment, or home safety items do you believe make the biggest difference for families caring for someone during cancer treatment or recovery?

The products that make the biggest difference are those that improve safety, comfort, and independence. Hospital beds, shower chairs, grab bars, bedside commodes, transfer aids, medication management tools, blood pressure monitors, mobility equipment, and fall-prevention devices can dramatically improve quality of life. I also believe caregiver education is one of the most important tools families can receive, because knowledge empowers people to provide safer and more confident care.