Cystic Fibrosis is a genetic disease affecting the lungs, pancreas, liver, and other organs in the body. Nutrition therapy is key in the treatment regimen for CF patients due to the pancreas’ limited ability to secrete enzymes; nutrient absorption is limited and can result in malnutrition. May is CF Awareness Month and annually, I participate in Great Strides for Cystic Fibrosis to raise funds for CF research and awareness. Through observation, I have noticed that not many of my peers have specific causes they support. I am honored to have such a strong support system of individuals who support my cause, as I have Cystic Fibrosis. More importantly, I am lucky that this support system participates in spreading awareness each year. I have developed leadership skills through being the team leader of Team Robyn at the Great Strides event in various cities. I have learned that I have the ability to engage my friends and peers, and am able to motivate through the power of awareness and social media. I believe that in addition to the funds I have raised, that I have educated many about Cystic Fibrosis without being able to measure the effectiveness of my posts or gather feedback.
May also marked the official start of my dietetic internship program. I began in my community rotation working with the Staff and Faculty Health and Well-Being Program at the University of California, Davis. The very first project as a dietetic intern that I have the opportunity to work on is creating a staff engagement challenge to provide an outlet to build community in the workplace while promoting wellness. While fundamental, I have learned engagement is a challenging task through organizing my team for the Great Strides walk. As a new Sodexo Distance Dietetic Intern, I am hoping to utilize my leadership experience to motivate and engage staff to participate in improving their wellness, mindful eating habits, and hydration status while at work. Additionally, I am working on a way to measure the effectiveness of our staff engagement programs and a method to provide feedback on the program and what staff would enjoy participating in for future challenges.
Similar to my experience with Great Strides, I am hoping to start applying what I am learning within the first few weeks of my internship to my life outside of work, and be able to benefit my peers around me by being able to measure the effectiveness of material I produce to educate others about Cystic Fibrosis. I am hoping that I will be able to spread my enthusiasm and ability to engage others throughout my entire internship. In turn, I hope others are motivated to engage their circles in causes they find beneficial, enriching, and worthy of continuous support.
Last, I will challenge you to consider what causes you support and how you can actively support them! You may be surprised how many people may want to join you once you invite them to. #WhyIWalk #WhyIStride4CF #CFF #dosomethingeveryday
May also marked the official start of my dietetic internship program. I began in my community rotation working with the Staff and Faculty Health and Well-Being Program at the University of California, Davis. The very first project as a dietetic intern that I have the opportunity to work on is creating a staff engagement challenge to provide an outlet to build community in the workplace while promoting wellness. While fundamental, I have learned engagement is a challenging task through organizing my team for the Great Strides walk. As a new Sodexo Distance Dietetic Intern, I am hoping to utilize my leadership experience to motivate and engage staff to participate in improving their wellness, mindful eating habits, and hydration status while at work. Additionally, I am working on a way to measure the effectiveness of our staff engagement programs and a method to provide feedback on the program and what staff would enjoy participating in for future challenges.
Similar to my experience with Great Strides, I am hoping to start applying what I am learning within the first few weeks of my internship to my life outside of work, and be able to benefit my peers around me by being able to measure the effectiveness of material I produce to educate others about Cystic Fibrosis. I am hoping that I will be able to spread my enthusiasm and ability to engage others throughout my entire internship. In turn, I hope others are motivated to engage their circles in causes they find beneficial, enriching, and worthy of continuous support.
Last, I will challenge you to consider what causes you support and how you can actively support them! You may be surprised how many people may want to join you once you invite them to. #WhyIWalk #WhyIStride4CF #CFF #dosomethingeveryday
