By Kelly Cacciolfi | Observer Contributor
“I get it” is what Kim Cook stated as she explained why she is in her first semester of the Nursing program at MWCC and taking part in several groups on campus.
Growing up very ill as a young adult with Crohn’s Disease, having back surgeries, gallbladder removal, and lymph node issues. Cook stated, “I always had it in the back of my head that I needed to help change the system and be an advocate from the inside.” Cook said, “I didn’t have a childhood and now this is my playground.”
Cook lost a sister at the age of 14, lost a child of her own (Kelsey who would have celebrated her 16th birthday this September) to Jaundice, and her father struggles with heart disease and alopecia. Cook said,“she knows the importance of being an advocate and treating a patient like a person and not a number!”
Cook, 36 is a stay at home mom from Gardner where she resides with her husband Joshua of 14 years (together for 19), daughter Nevaeh 12, sons Owynn 11, and Ryder 6. She started at MWCC with a General Allied Health with Liberal Arts double major and soon knew she needed to enter the Nursing program. Lisa Diamond, Cook’s advisor knew that Cook needed help with daycare and pointed her in the right direction to CCAMPIS. CCAMPIS, Child Care Access Means Parents in School took Cook about six months to be accepted into the program. “It’s wonderful,” Cook said. CCAMPIS helps her with 60% of her daycare costs. Cook also volunteers at the daycare as one of the requirements for CCAMPIS. Some great benefits that are also a plus are: she doesn’t’ have to worry where her son Ryder is after school, he has social interaction, Cook has study time, more family and friend time.
Cook also is a part of the Parent Support Group (PSG), which she said, “she became involved with the group 100% because there is not enough nontraditional groups here at MWCC.” She feels as though this group is the “Moms and Dads of MWCC, it’s for the community, and looks out for other groups.”
Cook takes part in several groups, to name a few: CCAMPIS, PSG, PTK, Student Nursing Association, RX program, Student Government (Cook was elected Sophomore Rep last summer), and the Student Leadership Program. As Cook looks at her future she said “I hope the legacy I live here is that I gave 100% in any area I could give.”
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