(upbeat music) - Hi everyone, I'm Steve Adubato.

We're pleased to be joined by Molly Pratt, cancer survivor and a graduate nurse who will be an official pediatric nurse, 'cause we're taping in the middle of February, 2023.

You are going to be an official pediatric nurse when?

- As soon as I pass my boards which is in a few weeks from now, so.

- That's gonna happen.

Your journey to becoming a pediatric nurse, very influenced by the challenges you have faced, correct?

- Yes, absolutely.

- Talk about that please, Molly.

- So I was diagnosed with cancer in 2014 and I was so inspired by all the nurses that cared for me throughout my process that I decided to be a nurse and go to a nursing school and I've loved every minute of it.

Yeah, the nurses are just so truly inspiring to me.

- Molly, be more specific.

What did the nurses, I've always said this the times I've been in the hospital, the times family members have, yeah, I'm just absolutely amazed, inspired, moved by the work of nurses.

Much closer to patients, no disrespect to physicians.

They spend more time with patients.

They're closer to patients.

They hold their hand at critical times.

And there was one nurse who really had an impact on you.

Was it Karen?

- Yes.

- And Karen was a nurse?

- Karen was my nurse practitioner.

- What does that mean?

- So she is higher up than a nurse, but she's below a doctor.

So she just has more education than a nurse.

But she was a nurse at one point.

- Why did she inspire you?

- It's so hard to put it into words why she inspired me.

It's just all the actions that she did.

And just all the care for me.

She was so loving, friendly, she treated me like, she didn't treat me like a patient.

She treated me like one of her own.

I felt like I was one of her children at times.

She just, I can't even put it into words.

She just cared for me so well and she wouldn't hold back on what she's thinking.

She would always make sure to speak her mind to me and make sure I understood everything that was going on and understood the full picture.

And I was just like, "wow, what she does is amazing."

Like, I would not have any clue on what is going on in my life if she wouldn't be able to explain it to me and everything that she does.

It was amazing.

- Shout out to Karen and all the great nurses, regardless of the level they're at.

Go back for a second, Molly.

When you were diagnosed, how old were you when diagnosed?

- I had just turned 16.

- Unless I have this wrong, you've told our producers that cancer was one of the best things that has happened to her because it helped you find your calling.

That's accurate?

- Yes, absolutely.

- You have to talk about that.

- (laughs) I just had a patient the other day and I was telling them about it.

I was like, "I wouldn't go back and change having cancer in a heartbeat.

Like it sculpted me and it showed me and it guided me."

And I was like, "wow."

I wanted to be an agricultural engineer before I went into nursing.

And I am so glad I didn't go in that path.

And I went in the nursing route because I love people, I love being around people.

I love seeing people, being able to help them get back to their normals and better themselves.

And so I would not have been where I am today without that cancer diagnosis and for that exact reason, I'm very grateful that I ended up having cancer and meeting all these amazing people and helping them show me where I was supposed to be in life.

And it's just, I don't know, they're just a different breed.

Nurses are a different breed.

- You know, speaking of different breeds, I'm gonna tell you this.

I don't think you have any idea how many people you've just inspired right now just being with us for a few minutes.

Who are dealing with a difficult diagnosis and they don't really know what their future is going to be.

We hope and pray for the best for them, for you.

And we're also, I'm also confident in one thing, that when you do become a registered nurse, a pediatric nurse, you are gonna make a huge difference in the lives of many.

We wish you all the best, Molly and thank you so much for joining us.

- Thank you for having me.

I'm very appreciative.

- That is Molly Pratt, she's gonna be a pediatric nurse.

Stay with us, we'll be right back.

- [Narrator] One-On-One with Steve Adubato has been a production of the Caucus Educational Corporation.

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