Sandra

Here is a report on a patient at CitySquare's Community Health Services medical clinic:  

Sandra was referred to CitySquare several years ago from the ER at Baylor.  She was treated here and has great health now.  

She volunteered as a translator for our cooking classes and everyone loved her.  The cooking class coordinator wanted to steal her from us.  

Sandra  is one of those young people brought by her parents to the US for a better life.  She attended school and really did well.  She went to school to be a medical assistant and her dream is to be a registered nurse.  She however did not have permission to work in the US and was not eligible for scholarships or loans for college.  She was stuck and unable to progress or work legally.

In the last year there have been changes to the rules affecting people in her situation.  She quickly applied for the Dream Act and completed all the necessary paperwork to get a work permit in the US.  We wrote letters of recommendation for her as we knew her as patient and as a volunteer.  

About a month ago she returned to the clinic to show me her Permission to work ID.  She said the next day she was going to get a driver’s license.  As she sat in my office, she began to cry.  I asked what the matter was and she said I just can’t believe all my dreams are coming true. I have waited so long with no hope,  now everything is changing so fast and it is all good.

She applied for a job at Baylor at our encouragement and she was hired for a full time position.  She will, after a period of time, be able to continue her education with the support of the tuition reimbursement program Baylor has for employees.  We are so proud of what she has accomplished.