By far the most meaning experience
of her career, Amber says, was in July
2019 when she took 15 patients ages
9 to 18 to the Breckenridge Outdoor
Education Program for southern
Colorado’s first cleft camp. Over the
course of four days, she was able
to witness the power of kids with a
shared medical condition coming
together to form a community that
allowed them to talk openly while also
having fun in the beautiful Colorado
mountains. They hiked. They canoed.
They ziplined. They completed ropes
courses. They got to be themselves.
And by the end, campers reported
that they felt less alone and that they
were more confident in their ability to
handle stressful situations. It’s a camp
experience Amber hopes she can soon
offer twice a year.
In addition to the cleft camp, Amber
partnered with her team to develop
a community provider outreach
presentation that they’ve now
shared numerous times with various
community partners around the
region. It offers vital education on how
kids and families can access the most
up-to-date information and treatment
options available, regardless of where
they live.
She’s become a friendly face around
Children’s Hospital Colorado, Colorado
Springs, and out in the community.
She was featured in several local news
segments, including a series about
inspiring women who’ve had a positive
impact on the community (#girlcrush).
She was also involved in the hospital’s
inaugural marketing campaign,
which included being featured in the
newspaper, at bus stops, in marketing
materials — and even on her own
billboard.
She continues to find creative and
meaningful ways to contribute to
Children’s Colorado beyond just
through her work, and as a Caritas
Coach, REST facilitator and Resiliency
Committee member, she helps inspire
others to do the same. She gave a
Spark Talk in October 2019, sharing
some of the resiliency skills she’s
cultivated that help her at work and at
home on a small hobby farm with her
two kids, Tyler (15) and Hannah (13).
Above all, Amber wants others to know
this: The work we do here at Children’s
Colorado is sacred and our collective
dedication, passion and hard work can
impact patients and families in a deeply
meaningful way.
Throughout her career, she’s been
nominated for multiple nursing
excellence awards, the most
meaningful of which is her nomination
for the Nightingale Award for the Pikes
Peak Region. In the fall of 2019, Amber
was among the first nurses in southern
Colorado to be promoted to a clinical
level IV.
2019 Nursing Year in Review