From battling cancer to healing others: Local nurse’s inspirational journey
WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — This week is National Nurses’ week, and we wanted to highlight one local nurse that goes above and beyond.
Ana White works as a nurse at Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center. White began as a RN seven years ago after her own health journey battling breast cancer.
She said while she was recovering, she found comfort in the doctors and nurses who cared for her, and wanted to give back in the same way they did.
White added that being a nurse isn’t a profession, but rather, “a way of life.”
She said sometimes all a patient needs is a smile, and a hand to hold.
“I know the feeling of being alone and scared,” she said. “So, I’m always smiling. And they are like ‘oh so I’m not so sick because you are smiling,’ and I’m like ‘we are together. We’ll go through.'”
White noted that many nurses are so passionate about what they do, they often forget to take care of themselves. She said to take care of the nurses in your life—not just this week—but all year round.
“You are a nurse 24/7. It’s not like I take my scrubs and stop being a nurse. Your neighbors, your family, your community; I go to church, they know I’m a nurse. There’s always ‘can I ask you a question?’ and of course. You live the nurse life,” she said.
