When she came to the United States, Natalie Sommerville-Brooks MSN, RSN, FNP-BC knew she wanted to help others. Starting her professional life in America as a firefighter and EMT, she soon enough found herself gravitating towards the medical field.

In the ambulance, people would mistakenly refer to her as a nurse and so her dream of becoming a practitioner was born. Growing up in the Caribbean, she didn’t know anyone who had pursued this course, but knew it would be worthwhile to take the initiative herself.

She also knew that representation mattered, and there weren’t enough medical providers that looked like herself. Today, as a practitioner, she says, “I’ve had patients Google my name to see my picture and then request me because we can identify with each other.”

Natalie has been with Brookdale University Hospital since 2009. Working in tandem with their social work team, Natalie has been referring children to Make-A-Wish for over 10 years. But what does her impact truly look like?

Ninety-five percent of Natalie’s patients battle sickle cell - an illness that primarily affects the African American community. “When you give the diagnosis, parents cry and you can’t help but feel it too, because you know what’s ahead,” she said.

In this subspecialty, the only known cure is a bone barrow transplant. But always remembering where she came from, Natalie acknowledges, “The luxury that we have here in the United States is not available to everyone in the Caribbean, so I know how privileged we are here to be giving these treatments.”

However, success rates depend on the donor and often there’s not an available match. “You empathize with the families, and you wish there was more you can do,” she said. Managing the disease is incredibly important, but those fighting it need support. That’s why Natalie takes her work outside the walls of hospitals and into schools in the community.

“Education is a huge portion of what we do,” says Natalie. She not only helps the adults in schools learn how to care for and make special accommodations for these children, but also helps the students understand their classmates’ needs. Prepared with the right information, they tend to be more empathetic, Natalie says.

With empathy driving her every move, Natalie makes sure that the patients she does see in the hospital are as comfortable as possible. “We’re like a home away from home,” she said. “The good thing about our program is that I am one of the adult providers too, so I can see them across their lifespan. They always have a familiar face.”

The truth is many of these children go on to live full and happy lives. By the time they get to 10 or 12, they know a lot. “Knowledge is power,” says Natalie “If you know your triggers and know what your disease is all about, you know how to control it too.”

And when their symptoms are in check, they can look to the future.

“There’s so much strain in every aspect of their lives, even the social aspect, that they sometimes become depressed.” While Natalie makes sure that each patient has access to therapy to learn proper coping skills, she also has the power to kickstart the wish process – to be the individual that sets it all in motion.

“I can’t tell you how much we [providers] appreciate Make-A-Wish,” says Natalie. “It’s a little bit of light for them in the middle of everything that’s going on. We don’t put any limitations on them, so it gives the kids something to look forward to.”

 “They’re coming every day for appointments specialty hospitalization, so when they just get out for the hospital for a few days or even a week, it puts a little spark in their eye,” she says.

“The kids that we’ve referred, they’re treated like royalty. This organization makes their dreams come true and it goes a long way”, says Natalie. “I get to see them as kids -- just watching them laugh and having fun. It’s a very rewarding experience.”