First Publication

I am finally getting something published. It is a little, tiny article, but nonetheless it is getting published. I wrote an article for the NASW state quarterly newsletter. I am really excited.

Chelsea's Story
By: Sharrie Cranford
Chelsea Groves, a double lung, heart transplant recipient, was a red headed, blue eyed, full of fire, 16 year old girl. She was one of a kind and someone any person would have been honored to know. I met Chelsea a year earlier when I took over the USA Transplant Support Group. She came up to me with all the boldness of a top executive at a Fortune 500 company and said, “What are you going to do with the Youth Support Group?” Well, obviously I was taken back by this little spry girl demanding my attention. I stopped what I was doing and asked her, “What would you like me to do?” She proceeded to list all the things the youth in our area needed. Although the youth support group had always been every person before me and was last on my new list of projects, I realized this was not going to work for this girl. She asked that I set something up for the following week. Of course, telling this little girl no was obviously out of the question, so I gladly agreed. The following week I scheduled a dinner with staff and a dozen Youth Support Group teenagers. Unfortunately, only one person showed up….Chelsea. She was quick to point out, “teenagers do not want to sit and eat dinner with a bunch of adults because you will make them talk and teenagers don’t want to talk to adults.” She suggested we have a bowling night and do something to get the teenagers involved. During the next few weeks, two of the nurses, Lucretia Warren and Brenda Smith, told me that I needed to do something with our youth. The staff was discouraged and the children were failing on compliance and in jeopardy of losing their transplanted organs. A meeting was arranged with a local child therapist who suggested an incentive program. Lucretia, Brenda and I embarked on a bold new incentive program to keep our children compliant with their medications. With each three month period of medication and appointment compliance they would win a prize, movie passes, dinner, electronics and for one full year a cruise for themselves and a family member. Of course we had no way of paying for this but it started with such success that two patients who were in jeopardy of losing their kidneys were in compliance and back on track.
January 30, 2007 5:15 p.m., I was at a local hospital checking on my patient, Chelsea. I was told that she was dying and would possibly not make it through the night. Of course, being a Social Worker, we are extremely sensitive people and this is one of our most grave situations. I went into the room knowing that I had to be strong but again, this little girl brought me to my knees. I was told that she had been slightly sedated and had not opened her eyes all day except for one person. It took a while for me to make it to her bedside as the room was packed. When I finally made it to her bed I could barely speak; however, I leaned over and whispered into her ear, “I started an incentive program for the youth support group and compliance has really increased.” I went on to say that we had set up a bowling meeting the following month and were expecting a big turn out. While I was speaking she opened her eyes twice and I could barely speak. This support group was extremely important to this little girl. She knew the impact it would make and how it could help the children in our area work harder for the success of their organs.
Chelsea died early the next morning; however, her legacy to me was that one voice can be very loud and can accomplish a lot. It was Chelsea’s persistence that helped our support group and its success which helped several children get back on track with taking care of their organs.