Choeurchie was immediately drawn towards the Women’s Breast & Heart Initiative (WBHI) after participating in the Virtual Advocate Program as a curriculum assignment at Barry University. WBHI’s mission particularly resonated given her family’s history of breast cancer and her experiences with the challenges women face in receiving proper healthcare.

“Anything with prevention piques my interest,” Choeurchie explains. “If I can be a part of something that improves women’s health and communities as a whole, I want to join!” Since the Virtual Advocate Program, Choeurchie has become an invaluable volunteer at WBHI’s Workplace Wellness Program screening events. As a Licensed Practical Nurse, she brought her vast experience to the heart-screening station, delivering blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol screenings and helping to navigate patients through different stations of the event.

Choeurchie believes that community health outreach like the Workplace Wellness Program has an unparalleled impact. “It’s one thing to hand someone a pamphlet… it’s a whole other level to talk to them, follow up with them, see the difference you’re making in person with their reaction and how it’s bringing together community.”  She thrives on both making a meaningful difference in participants’ lives and the opportunity to interact with community members while delivering their screenings. “It’s the best of both worlds: learning, teaching, and getting into the culture of the community,” Choeurchie affirms.

As she applies for medical school, volunteering with WBHI has strengthened Choeurchie’s belief in the vital importance of initiatives like the Workplace Wellness Program. Participating in these events impressed upon her that, often, people don’t have the means to access something as simple as biometric tests. The workplace events are frequently the only time they can receive these screenings. Choeurchie says that while “it seems simple, when you look at the big picture, you realize how important it is. These screenings give people comfort or let them know what they need to do. I love educating and giving people an idea of what’s going on in their body.”

Choeurchie says that volunteering with WBHI has been a “really great experience,” and we are so glad that she has brought her time and talent to support our work!