Alice Bomboma has been a part of the CLC community for nine years, working as a CNA and QMAP (Qualified Medication Administration Person) in Holly Creek’s Assisted Living neighborhood. She was drawn to caregiving because she knows how difficult it is when a loved one is sick – in Africa, she was a caregiver for her mother. From the time she became a CNA, she knew she wanted to go to nursing school, but life got in the way. After the birth of her son she decided it was the right time, but when she looked into program options she was told she wouldn’t be able to afford it without taking out student loans.
Thanks to the kindness and generosity of CLC supporters like you, Alice received scholarship funding which allowed her to attend PIMA Medical Institute to study to become a Licensed Practical Nurse. “I’m so very happy and grateful to receive that scholarship” she said. “They need to know their money is going a long way. When I get my license, I’ll be at CLC helping people. I am doing this with my heart.”
As part of her course, Alice was required to complete 60 hours of on-site clinical training. This portion of training is typically done at nursing communities unfamiliar to the students. Alice worried about what the people training her would be like, if she would fit in, and if they would welcome her asking questions.
Fortunately, she was able to arrange to have her training in the most supportive environment possible: right at Holly Creek. Alice was incredibly happy to be doing her training in her own community: “I was so excited to go to Holly Creek because it is like a second home to me. I knew they have amazing nurses there. It helped me learn a lot – I didn’t feel bad if I asked questions.”
Rachel Huntsman, Holly Creek’s Director of Nursing, said, “We have had the opportunity to provide a training environment to many students throughout the years, but this collaboration with Alice was special. Nursing school and ‘clinicals’ can be very overwhelming and even intimidating! But by providing Alice with an environment that was familiar to her she was able to experience the full value of clinical training, surrounded by people that were invested in her as a nurse and as a coworker.”
Alice is grateful for all the ways that the CLC community has supported her growth – from scholarship funding for nursing school to her encouraging experience in clinical training. “I got lots of experience at CLC,” she says. “It made me the person I am today – so comfortable taking care of people.”
She is currently studying to take her nurse licensure exam at the end of the month. In the future she hopes to continue receiving more education around people living with dementia, a group she finds a lot of meaning in working with. She is grateful for the opportunity to continue supporting the community which has invested so much in her: “These people made it happen. You are changing people’s lives!”
About the Author
Stormie Foust Maley, Annual Giving Manager, is a born Midwesterner and Certified Eden Alternative Educator who believes passionately that individuals can make a difference in the lives of others. She worked for nine and a half years at Dayspring Villa Assisted Living, a neighborhood of Christian Living Communities, prior to her role as Annual Giving Manager. There she learned firsthand the joy of building a purposeful and resilient community through a person-directed care mindset.
