16 minute read
A Passion For Wellness
I N T E R V I E W S B Y BRIDGET MCGIVERN
Bridget McGivern is in her first year serving Emma Willard School as director of the Practicum program. She holds a BA in English Literature and Writing from Empire State College and an MBA from University at Albany. Bridget has worked with the GirlSummer program and previously partnered with Emma Willard School through her connections with the Tech Valley Center for Gravity, a makerspace in Troy. Emma Willard School nurtures a curiosity about the human experience that drives students’ passion for making the world a better place. What follows are life journeys dedicated to the health and wellness of others. While we focus on these individuals, we’d like to extend a broad and greatly appreciative salute to all those who have been in the health field during the COVID-19 pandemic.
MARY LAKE POLAN ’61 EXPANDING YOUR REACH
Mary Lake Polan, MD, PhD, MPH ’61 emanates a palpable energy. Her passion for improving healthcare for women is the common thread running through an uncommon life, which has included significant contributions to research, medical practice, and philanthropy.
The seeds of that passion were planted as Mary Lake first arrived on Mount Ida to a clash of cultures. “Having come from West Virginia with an accent, I had no idea what a McMullen collared shirt was, or about skiing, or anything!” Rather than giving in to the culture shock of feeling like an exchange student in her own country, Mary Lake approached the unfamiliar with a sense of curiosity and adventure. She recalls, “I came away [from Emma Willard School] with a feeling that there was nothing I couldn’t do.”
Mary Lake’s innate curiosity led her on a lifelong journey of learning. She studied chemistry at Connecticut College, biochemistry, biophysics, and medicine at Yale University School of Medicine, and
MARY LAKE POLAN, MD, PhD, MPH ’61
public health at the University of California, Berkeley. At Yale, she was the first woman to complete the residency in obstetrics and gynecology. Her expansive career has touched on everything from research to surgery, medical education to program development, fundraising to investing. “Most people live long enough that they have several careers. It dawns on you... by seeing patients, you can take care of 40 people per day. But if you can develop a new medical test or device, you can help thousands and thousands of people. You expand your reach.”
For Mary Lake, the drive to expand her reach led her across the globe to Eritrea on the horn
Mary Lake’s inspiration in becoming a physician was to improve care for women.
of Africa, bordering the Red Sea. While on a sabbatical as part of her MPH in international public health, Mary Lake was researching treatment of birth trauma and obstetrical injuries. She found that fistulas, a common complication of childbirth in rural areas, were causing substantial quality of life challenges for Eritrean women. The local capacity for surgical intervention, the gold standard that would allow new mothers to resume their routines, was greatly lacking. In response, Mary Lake developed the Eritrean Women’s Project. She and her team began mentoring local surgeons, expanding their ability to change lives long after the American team returned home.
As a professor and department chair at Stanford, Mary Lake continued to discover new and different opportunities. From serving on boards and committees to advising government councils, Mary Lake found innovative ways to impact women’s health.
More recently, she has begun investing financially in the work that drives her. “Angel investing is a more hands-on, up-close, and personal thing. It keeps you up-to-date on research and technology, seeing new companies, looking ahead to have a feel for where things are going.” Although this foray into venture capital may seem to be a departure from her medical work in countries like Eritrea, Mary Lake says, “I don’t see my work in the developing world as separate from angel investing—one is the outgrowth of the other.”
Another outgrowth of her time in Africa is a book reflecting on her experiences there. Published in 2016, A Doctors’s Journey: What I Learned about Women, Healing, and Myself in Eritrea invites readers to join Mary Lake on the journey of a lifetime.
Now a clinical professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Reproductive Medicine at Yale, Mary Lake looks back on her life’s accomplishments (so far!) with a sense of humor and adventure. “There is always something new, different and fun to enjoy, whether you are in Iran, China, Africa, or Oxford! Smell and taste the food, talk to people, wear the clothes, go swimming where the locals swim. The ability to adapt is important, both for living in another country and throughout your life like, for example, managing through the current COVID-19 pandemic.”
Mary Lake suggests, “Conceive of life as a series of sine curves that meander around, where you change direction. If you conceive of your life as a straight line function—in the first place, it doesn’t work that way—you’ll be disappointed. Take risks, jump, try things that are new, not all of which work out.”
All around the world, women in need of medical care are reaping the fruit of Mary Lake’s passionate, adventurous spirit!
HANNAH SHULMAN ’20 LEAP OF FAITH
Like Mary Lake Polan, Hannah Shulman ’20 has developed a passion for impacting the lives of girls on the other side of the world.
As a ninth grader, Hannah just knew she had to attend an Emma Willard School service learning trip to work with children at the Kakamega Care Centre (KCC) in Kenya. She recalls, “Something in my gut told me I needed to go on that trip.” It was a leap of faith for both Hannah and her mom, because Hannah had never been out of the country before. “Fortunately,” Hannah laughs, “she’s that leap-offaith kind of mom.”
The trip was life-changing. “I fell in love with everyone—all the kids and the staff—seeing how passionate everyone was about their work together,” Hannah says. She found the KCC to be unlike any other place she’d been before. “I wanted to find a way to remain part of this care center.”
That summer, Hannah returned as an independent volunteer. Hannah shares, “It was also a leap of faith for Leah, a Kakagema Board Member, to welcome back such a young independent volunteer, joining an established group of older volunteers (17+) for the KCC Annual Trip.” On this second trip, Hannah met with high school girls (her peers) and naturally developed friendships. “We were able to become really close, and those relationships were what allowed my friends to share personal stories about the issues that come with menstruating in Kenya. Everyone knew a girl—a friend, a cousin, a sister—who had dropped out of school.” Lack of access to education about reproductive health and menstrual supplies had proven to be a substantial barrier to girls’ education in Kenya.
“I knew I wanted to do something, but I really didn’t know what it was. I went home at the end of my trip, and I sat with that feeling for months.” Hannah learned that menstrual cups could provide a safe, cost-effective, reusable alternative. “I started using a menstrual cup myself, and—lightbulb—I texted Leah and said, ‘I have this idea. Do you think it can work for the girls at the centre?’”
Over the next year, Hannah grew this seed of an idea into her Signature project, called “Changing the Cycle.” Her purpose became educating girls about their menstrual cycle, providing menstrual cups and the support to use them effectively.
Although Leah was helpful and enthusiastic, Hannah’s project still had major development milestones ahead. Hannah’s most challenging conversation was with Ida, the “big
See more about Hannah’s Signature Project online at changing-the-cycle. weebly.com
“I fell in love with everyone—all the kids and the staff—seeing how passionate everyone was about their work together. I wanted to find a way to remain part of this care center.
HANNAH SHULMAN ’20
Hannah with Matron Lydia, who serves as a houseparent for the girls at the Care Centre. Lydia has taken on this motherly role with Hannah as well, patiently teaching her skills that are essential to Kenyan life… like scrubbing clothes between your wrists when you wash them by hand or how to properly roll greens into a bundle so you can slice them just so.
man” of the Care Centre, who has a great sense of humor but “can be a bit intimidating.” Hannah says, “Menstrual care is a taboo subject, and menstrual cups are not something people usually talk about, and definitely not as a girl to an adult man.” Hannah persevered, converting Ida from uncomfortable skeptic to an enthusiastic ally.
One aspect of Hannah’s project that might not be readily apparent is how much collaboration is key to its success. She is particularly grateful to the two social workers— already with full loads and never enough time in their day—who quickly agreed to support Changing the Cycle. Hannah benefitted from their feedback and communication about everything from cultural issues to practical applications, and their willingness to use menstrual cups so they could provide firsthand support.
Hannah reflects that the structure of that first Emma Willardsponsored AWAY trip, with ample time for reflection and discussion, was important. Hannah’s aunt also helped frame her thinking around her intentions—what she expected to give and what she expected to get from the experience. That intentionality helped Hannah develop an enduring project and relationships, as well as provided subject matter for her college admission essays around the uncomfortable topic of “white saviorhood.”
“There are so many things that I am grateful to Emma for, but going on the AWAY trip and then having an outlet like the Signature program to actually do something with the experience—I think that’s taught me the most.”
Hannah’s Signature project has helped her channel academic passion, but she has also made friends. It is perhaps those connections that drive the project more than any other motivation. Hannah says, “I would hand a tampon under the stall walls to any woman who needed one. This project is that sentiment, writ large.”
CLARE GASKINS ’95 NAVIGATING ANXIETY
While Hannah’s project works to fill a physical need that blocks girls from living up to their potential, Clare Gaskins ’95 has worked to alleviate the anxieties that afflict teenagers.
Clare Gaskins, PhD ’95 knew early on that commitment to mental health and social service would be a major part of her career path. Her parents instilled in her a deep value of community engagement. Empowered by Emma Willard School’s Practicum program, Clare spent many Friday evenings during her senior year at Joseph’s House, a homeless shelter in Downtown Troy. “I was able to play cards and drink coffee with residents, getting to know them, which set me on a path of discovery. I could see that socio-economic status was interwoven with trauma and mental health, yielding a tremendous impact on people’s lives. These systemic factors are what led to homelessness.”
Clare remembers fondly a casual early experience with aromatherapy at Emma, which contributed to her understanding of wellbeing as a broader topic. Clare, acknowledging that there are many tools for self-care and discovery, realized that some people find alternate approaches helpful. She shares that having “the space to explore or the opportunity to dive deeply into an area of greater passion was really valuable—fundamental to building a rich and purposeful life.”
Equipped with that foundational purpose, Clare left Emma Willard School and went on to study sociology at Wesleyan University. Her time as a grant writer for Phoenix House—a large organization serving individuals with drug addiction—helped bring into sharper focus Clare’s desire for a more hands-on role.
Clare completed her PhD in clinical psychology, and now works with children and adolescents, particularly members of the LatinX community in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan. In her private practice, as well as in her clinic
CLARE GASKINS, PhD ’95
that serves individuals with fewer financial resources, Clare provides evidence-based care for anxiety, tics, tourettes, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and other anxiety-based disorders with an emphasis on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT).
Anxieties for her adolescent clients abound. “The pressure for adolescents, both real and perceived, around the college admission process is intense. There are layers of expec-
Clare’s community engagement activities at Emma Willard School spurred her on to a life-long commitment to mental health for all.
tation—from your family, from society, and even self-imposed,” she shares. “Social media has a role to play in this, and it is a double-edged sword; on one hand, it can be a source of support. On the other hand, it’s hard to turn off and a big challenge to use this powerful tool well.”
In a world full of stresses, Clare supports her clients in navigating these waters. “A small amount of anxiety helps you study for an important test. It can be channeled in constructive ways, and managing it is a skill,” she explains. “However, a large amount of anxiety not channeled can lead to difficulties including problems focusing, loss of sleep, and avoidance.”
Clare exudes a thoughtful warmth, born out of her passion to see and support others. She approaches her patients’ experience from a place of acceptance and commitment. “My clients identify their core values, and together we explore whether their actions match these values. We are not just checking boxes or doing things the client feels they should.” Instead, Clare removes the “ought to” from the equation and allows clients the space to reflect on whether they are making decisions based on anxiety or their values. With her guidance, patients “practice and learn that they can do hard things that make them feel anxious in service of their long term goals.”
A N N A L D E R S H O F HELMUS ’79 EMPOWERING WOMEN SERVING KIDS
Although external factors contribute to the anxiety of some, neurological issues are at the root of issues for others. Ann Aldershof Helmus ’79 found her path for helping others in the world of neuropsychology.
On her summers off from Emma Willard School, Ann Aldershof Helmus, PhD ’79 spent her time becoming a certified water safety instructor, teaching swimming lessons, and lifeguarding. After accepting a position as a swim instructor at a local camp, Ann began to work with individuals who seemed different from the other kids she’d encountered.
“In 1977,” Ann shares, “very little was known about autism. The prevailing theory was that autistic children had so-called ‘refrigerator mothers’ who didn’t bond emotionally. These were the days way before inclusion. Most people hadn’t seen anyone with autism, so the children were separated from general education students or routinely institutionalized in residential centers.” Because of that separation, this was Ann’s first experience working with and observing children with autism and their families. Their mothers didn’t strike Ann as cold or distant, as the ‘refrigerator mother’ theory suggested. “I didn’t think that was a very good theory, so my curiosity was piqued.”
Ann felt compelled—both by family and personal expectations—to pursue medicine, so she headed to Brown University to study pre-medicine. She wasn’t sure she wanted to be a doctor, so her “heart wasn’t in it.” At the end of her undergraduate work, Ann halfheartedly applied to medical school and was not accepted. Although it was devastating at the time, Ann says that it was good news in hindsight, as a different path was revealed to her.
At the time, Ann was working as a research assistant for a pediatric neurologist at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. “Neuropsychology had begun in Canada, so I had never even heard of it,” Ann recalls. “This guy came from Montreal, and I, as the lowly research assistant, was assigned to work with him.” As she began the work, she discovered, “Whoa, this is really interesting!” From her perspective, neurologists just wrote
prescriptions all day, while neuropsychologists worked with an array of different issues. “Each child had a different issue, so it was a matter of figuring out how their brain worked functionally, what their strengths and weaknesses were, what was neurological and what was psychological.” Building upon her earlier curiosity about autism, Ann found the work compelling and quickly decided to become a neuropsychologist.
When Ann began her journey, there were few programs offering a track in her specialty. She found a mentor in Jane Holmes Bernstein at Children’s Hospital in Boston and dove into doctoral work at Boston University.
Over 18 years, Ann grew her private practice into a multidisciplinary diagnostic and treatment center for kids, now called NESCA (Neuropsychology & Educational Services for Children and Adolescents). Through NESCA, Ann has impacted the lives of children from the United States, China, and the Philippines, raising awareness and reducing stigma for mental health needs.
Ann’s center differs from other practices in its mission to provide the absolute best possible services for kids and their parents, while at the same time creating a workplace that empowers women. This passion for empowering women harkens back to Ann’s Emma Willard days. “Emma Willard was the place where I solidified this idea that women really can do anything. As women we need to support and empower each other. What seemed to me a natural thing—to create a business that empowers women—is an anomaly in the world, surprisingly enough. Emma was clearly the place that worldview was implanted in me in the ’70s, and it never left.”
Ninety percent of NESCA’s employees are female, and while the focus is on the important work of serving clients, not being solely bot
ANN ALDERSHOF HELMUS ’79
In addition to her work empowering women and children, Ann serves on the Emma Willard School Alumnae Association Council.
tom-line-driven gives NESCA’s clinicians the opportunity to delve into their career with a scheduling and financial flexibility that allows them to “be good moms, and achieve a work/family balance.”
Sometimes that means making difficult decisions—letting go of people who can’t work with senior staff, or declining opportunities that would be lucrative but don’t fit with NESCA’s values. But the trade-off is one that Ann is willing to make. “I can walk down the hall and have confidence that what’s happening behind those closed doors is the best possible service. Parents will be happy and kids will be well-served.”
