Sheron Farinha-Spence

I grew first up in a family of five children. My parents migrated from Guyana, South America when I was a teenager. I completed my secondary schooling here in the United States at the Tilden High School in Brooklyn, NY. When I graduated I worked at various jobs mainly in banking. My childhood dream was to become a doctor but always thought that my parents would never be able to financially support me in fulfilling my dreams since I was the eldest of five children and my parents had to support my younger siblings working for minimum wages at several jobs. I was faced with the responsibility of single parenting which took me off track from fulfilling my dreams. I made a decision to return to school in 1992, and to become a nurse. The probing thought that changed my life forever was that if I wanted a better life for my children then I had to make sacrifices and return to school.

I enrolled in the Borough of Manhattan Community College in 1992 with the support from my parents and family. Delighted over that accomplishment of achieving an associate degree in nursing, I proceeded to State University of New York at Brooklyn where I graduated with honors in 1997, obtaining my Bachelors of Science degree in nursing.

Over the years as a nurse I have worked on various units, for instance, medical surgical, orthopedic, telemetry, and home health. I find my calling in community work, a place where I dream of returning some day as a business owner. My dream is to start a not-for-profit organization to advocate for people with health and other social issues. As I now peruse a dual masters degree in nursing and business (MSN/MBA/HC) at the University of Phoenix, I am driven by Dr. Jean Watson's theory of caring. Her philosophy has molded my beliefs that the art of nursing is a loving, caring and spiritual connection between nurse and patient. My passion for working with patients has been a rewarding experience and equally fulfilling is that I know that my care provides a vital part in their recovery.