NEWBERRY AMY

Describe your role and work you do in the health care field.

“As the owner/founder and a pelvic floor physical therapist, I educate and empower women in our community in pelvic health, a poorly represented and understood area in not only society but also our health care system. I create safe spaces for women to learn about historically taboo topics like pain with sex and how to overcome it and debunk myths surrounding pregnancy and postpartum by providing body confidence to the women in our community.”

What are some of the impacts you’ve made locally?

“I hold an active role in the community hosting workshops for women on pelvic floor health and how to regain confidence by resolving embarrassing urinary incontinence, frustrating pelvic pain, and fear surrounding birth/postpartum. I successfully co-hosted the first Women’s Health Summit to connect women in the community with local women’s health and wellness providers. These events bring awareness to women about their pelvic health and encourage them to be their own health care advocates.”

Kelsey Sanders

Paramedic, Novant Brunswick ED & Pender EMS and Fire

Describe your role and work you do in the health care field.

“On the ambulance, I provide emergency patient care for 24-hour shifts. I am a member of the State Medical Assistance Team that can deploy for large-scale disasters in the state. I’ve worked through hurricanes to provide disaster relief, medical care, and extrication of trapped individuals … At the hospital, I function alongside the nurses providing emergency care.” What’s a future goal?

“A short-term goal I would like to work on consists of a program that helps bridge the gap with civilians. There are many misconceptions on what paramedics can do in the ambulance that create a divide on patients truly needing 911 from calling. Educating the public on cardiac and stroke care that ambulance crews initiate can make a difference in a patient returning to normal or having lifelong side effects. Long-term, I plan to apply to physician assistant school in the next two years to become a physician in our local emergency rooms.”

For more about the finalists, go to WILMAmag.com