“I gained strength and the ability to adapt and overcome barriers that seem too large to bear. I am capable of making a difference and changing the status quo, no matter how big or deep rooted it
appears.”
2022 Fellows Ray Cheever and Callan Loflin
Sustaining a traumatic brain injury (TBI) is life altering. Upon returning home, many TBI patients and their caregivers commonly lack knowledge about TBI diagnosis, personalized support, and appropriate expectations about recovery. The Fellows created BrainSTORM (Brain Injury Support To Optimize Recovering Minds) to provide the education and social support to vital during this critical time in learning to manage their health condition.
2022 Fellow Anna Dodson
A great chasm exists in North Carolina between food supply and food access. Over 40% of NC-grown produce is left unharvested or unsold, yet NC faces the 10th highest rate of food insecurity in the nation. Learn how Anna adapted an existing meal donation system (Equiti Foods’ Pay-it-Forward Program) to meet the food-related needs of Chatham County residents.
2022 Fellow Uma Gaddamanugu and Shantell McLaggan
Did you know Black and Native American patients are more than three times more likely to die during childbirth than their white counterparts? To address this, the Fellows launched a volunteer birth doula program for high risk patients based in the Labor and Delivery department at ECU Health Medical Center.
2022 Fellows Skylar McGaughey and Angelia Rivera-Concepcion
The Fellows addressed the need for culturally appropriate oral health education and disease prevention in the Hispanic community by creating a Spanish language intervention program that aims to empower elementary age students to take action toward better health outcomes.
2022 Fellow Caroline Minnick
Caroline led free, bilingual infant safety training to young, low-income mothers and families in Winston-Salem. As a result, all 35 "Safe at Home" participants demonstrated improved confidence in the hard skills and knowledge related to CPR, choking rescue, and home, sleep, and car seat safety.
2022 Fellow LydiaPaige Moffett
LydiaPaige led an enrichment program for 7th and 8th grade African American and Hispanic girls who are being raised by single mothers. Learn how see improved their social and emotional skills in nurturing self-esteem, making healthy choices, and developing professional communication skills.
2022 Fellows Gabby Parpia and Dani Nicholson
The Fellows restored the smiles, confidence, and dignity to people without teeth by providing high quality complete and partial dentures to vulnerable community members, primarily Black, at no cost. They transformed the lives of 8 patients at the CAARE Clinic by providing $17,000 worth of dental prosthese and an additional 4 people re undergoing treatment.
2022 Fellows Abby Sepulveda and Lindsay Greenwood
Individuals with Parkinson’s Disease (PD) frequently experience weakness in the muscles that support voicing, communication, and swallowing. Abby and Lindsay created ParkinSongbirds, a free singing-based group therapy program to address that. Learn how they helped participants improve their overall loudness in conversation, experience less pitch breaks throughout the day, experience less instances of running out of breath, and have less difficulty swallowing.
2022 Fellow Meg Smith
As individuals who have a high number of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are more likely to suffer poorer physical and behavioral health conditions throughout their lifespan, education regarding toxic stress experienced during childhood can help clients from underserved communities learn resiliency. Meg addressed childhood trauma, and its impact on overall wellness throughout the lifespan, by leading parenting classes in rural Robeson County.
2022 Fellows Maddy Thurman and Siena Hapig Ward
The Fellows launched a free vision care and eyewear clinic for people experiencing homelessness. After obtaining both donated and purchased ophthalmology equipment worth $24,500 and setting up a clinic space, they held their first clinic in March 2023.
2022 Fellows Karen Zhao and Mylan Young
Regular preventative dental care is essential for good health, yet many lack insurance, financial means, and transportation to get the care they need. The address this overwhelming need, the Fellows launched the first student run mobile dental clinic at UNC School of Dentistry.