3rd Place Essay 2020

I clearly remember the day I became truly cognizant of the permeating effects that poverty can have on an individual’s life. Of course it was common sense to know that a lack of money meant that people go without many necessities. However, I hadn’t realized that poverty could present a barrier even to the resources within reach. Back then I was a freshly admitted nursing student on Maui, full of optimism and with the belief that I could make an impact in the lives of countless others. One of our first collective class activities was a health fair for the homeless population. We were split into various groups and offered services ranging from blood pressure screenings to vaccinations to diet education. I was assigned to the wound care booth.

I loved wound care because it was an easy problem to address. All you had to do was clean the wound, place a clean, proper fitting bandage over it, and your job was done. It was instant gratification and I was helping people. Believing that I could provide even more, I would give each patient extra supplies and take the time to instruct them on how often they needed to change their dressings. But it was one woman who declined these extra supplies that taught me an invaluable lesson. She was polite when she refused them, so I assumed that she was just being humble. I responded by telling her that we had plenty of supplies and that she could take as much as she needed.

“No, no thank you,” she said, “I really don’t have room in the bag I carry and I have to move around the island a lot.”

The realization struck me— when you are forced to carry all your belongings with you everywhere, you have to be selective of what you take with you. She explained that it would be easier for her to find a solution for her wounds in a few days when it was absolutely necessary, rather than take the supplies with her that day. I came to understand that I would never be able to truly understand her reality, because I had not lived it. I had never been put in a position where I had to make the same types of decisions, needing to prioritize carrying food on my back for hours a day rather than a box of large bandaids. In spite of these difficulties in her life, it was still apparent that this woman was grateful for what we could provide her on just that one day and in that moment.

I gained another glimpse into the lives of the impoverished that same day when I was instructing a man on how to wash out his wound and I told him that high pressure water can be the best way to clean them. He asked me if he had to do so in a shower and when I responded that it would work well, he began to speak of how difficult this was for him when the only water available to him were the showers at the beach parks. He said that he hated using these public showers because they are intended for beachgoers having carefree fun and not meant for those who are trying to meet their basic needs. He expressed that he felt shame when he would be showering and small children would be washing off their beach toys next to him. Again, I was struck with the realization that I could never truly know the life that a homeless individual experiences, but I could certainly listen and try to help in any way that I could.

From these early experiences I came to realize that even with the best intentions, our services and charity are not always going to help everyone we hope to. One gift we can give to everyone we meet is our respect and it is always appreciated. Especially in our homeless

population, who suffer from the terrible stigma within our community, sincerity goes a long way. I have found that they are often satisfied with just the opportunity to share their struggles, their triumphs, and stories from their lives. Sometimes the best medicine we can provide is just to be genuine.