Looking for the Helpers: San Luis Obispo woman trades dancing career for the NICU
As our area is faced with ongoing changes due to a growing pandemic, we are bringing stories of people doing good in the community during a time of uncertainty.
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Trading in Sequins for Scrubs
San Luis Obispo native Cee Cee Curry made a drastic career change about a decade ago.
Curry is a trained dancer and spent 20 years performing in Las Vegas shows, doing what she loved.
But one of the worst moments in her life set her on a path to pursue a bigger purpose.
When her mother was 52 years old, she was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. The shocking news and countless hours in the hospital that followed are what Curry describes as "horrifying."
“We were just hit so hard. And there is no way we could have made it through without the nurses. They held our hand every step of the way. And they made such a difference in such a horrible experience being able to come out OK,” said Curry.
Observing the important role the nurses played in her own experience pushed her to reevaluate.
“After my mom passed, I drove to the school one day adn I signed up, adn I went home and said, Im going to school. I’m going to be a nurse.”
Curry now works in the NICU at Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center, guiding families through - what can be - a very dark time.
“It’s so scary for parents who are behind locked doors. Sometimes you can’t see anything. It’s hour by hour, and sometimes minute by minute. It’s not how these parents pictured their experience would be, they’ve been robbed already.”
Being accepted into an intimate time in people's lives isn't something she takes lightly. “It is my purpose. I can’t imagine doing anything else. I want to do it forever,” said Curry.
Many would say Curry is a part of their families, for at least a period of time, sharing in both the grief and the joys they experience.
“They breastfed for the first time. It is huge. I go home elated thinking about that. Sometimes I even see them on the street, and they don’t see me. That's my reward.”
September is NICU Awareness Month and Sierra Vista is holding a special reunion event this weekend. Families will be able to drive through and reconnect with the healthcare workers, while sharing the progress each child has made.
