Last year, after a diagnosis of breast cancer, what began with a double mastectomy quickly turned into months of chemotherapy and radiation for DeLong.
During an infusion treatment at UC Health, she found herself in the care of two medical assistants who knew her better than she expected: Ronesia Stone and Jada Calhoun, students in Butler Tech’s Medical Assisting (MA) to Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Bridge Program in collaboration with UC Health.
“It just blew my mind,” said DeLong. “The very students I’ve been pouring into were now helping me live.”
According to Butler Tech officials, the three recently reunited at the Butler Tech’s adult education LeSourdsville Campus in Monroe and marveled at the education and care loop they shared.
Calhoun, a first-year medical assistant in infusion, recalled their connection during DeLong’s treatment was immediate.
“I saw her name and thought, there’s no way,” Calhoun said. “When she walked in, I kept it professional on the outside, but inside I was freaking out—thinking, I’m really doing vitals on my (Butler Tech) dean right now. But she never made me feel nervous. She was amazing.”
Stone, a five-year UC Health medical assistant, also appreciated the rarity of a student now helping an educator who oversaw her adult career training.
“I saw her for a few weeks and didn’t say anything,” said Stone. “We were just talking, taking vitals, and then I mentioned Butler Tech. She said, ‘Oh, really?’ and we made the connection.”
Both students said the experience deepened their sense of professionalism.
“You never know who’s going to come in,” said Calhoun.
And the two also demonstrated their budding professionalism through their treatment of DeLong.
Even as classmates asked how the dean was doing, the two never shared that they saw her weekly. DeLong said their discretion reflected “the ultimate level of HIPAA and professionalism.”
“These students cared for me for months without ever mentioning Butler Tech or the program,” she said. “They took care of me as a patient, not their dean.”
Calhoun and Stone are both part of the MA-to-LPN Bridge Program, a customized pathway for UC Health staff that DeLong helped establish.
DeLong said “it is humbling and overwhelming to see the students I am serving in this role are the same caretakers working to help me stay alive. These medical assistants-turning-nurses worked in perfect harmony along with the doctors, surgeons, nurses, and schedulers to save my life. I am forever grateful.”
“It’s just a full circle.”
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