This June, the Ross Medical Education Center Grand Rapids North, Michigan campus welcomed new students for their Medical Assistant program. This group of eight new students immediately began to get to know the students that had already been in the program, and from the very first day they got to learning to work as a team and enjoy learning together.
Unexpectedly, one of the morning students from the group of new students approached Campus Director Amira Curic and let her know that she would need to take leave from school. Her husband had been diagnosed with a terminal illness that had caused his heart to just stop working. “As a medical educational center we were aware of how serious this condition is,” said Campus Director Amira Curic. Her husband was admitted in hospital and has now been placed on the list for a heart transplant. Because he has been the one who takes care of bills and works a full-time job, this student had to set aside her schooling to start working and taking care of the house.
Even though this student is no longer an active student with the campus, students, staff, and faculty decided to come together to do some fundraising to help with hospital and household expenses. The campus collected cans and bottles, which the students volunteer to return to various stores and collect bottle vouchers. They invited the student and her husband, who is now out of the hospital but on a machine that keeps his heart working until the transplant, to the campus.
The staff, faculty, and students then delivered the bottle vouchers worth $203. She was very appreciative and, after many tears and hugs, she told the campus staff, faculty, and students that as soon as her husband is allowed to be by himself, she is coming back to finish her education at Ross. Most of the reason is because now more than ever she feels that Ross is now part of her family. “Here at Ross we consider each student a family,” said Amira Curic. “Having students like this who go out of their way to help others is something that we hold dear to our hearts. Being part of Ross family is rewarding and, most importantly, humbling.”