A Child is Waiting: Caring Mary Wants to Become a Nurse

by Honey Murray for Digital First Media

Helps people

Thoughtful and generous; truthful and insightful; helpful, intuitive, family-oriented: these are words used by adoption workers and care providers to describe 15-year-old Mary.

“She likes to help people be happy,” says her worker. “It brings her joy to bring happiness to others.”

“Mary likes to paint,” her worker says. “She’s gifted many people with her paintings, and they hang on walls throughout our building.”

Active, with a heart for nursing

Mary’s favorite classes are art and gym. “I like swimming, bowling, biking, playing badminton,” says, the ninth-grader, “and I’d like to be a nurse. My sister is a nurse. I’d like to take care of babies and help people.”

“Mary has the heart to see a person’s needs,” says her worker. “She senses the healing that a person needs and truly sees the emotions of others.”

Her worker adds, “Unlike many teens and young people – and though she is not overly talkative -- Mary can have in-depth conversations, and she really responds throughout with honesty and thoughtfulness.”

A forever family

Mary’s worker believes that the ideal adoptive family for Mary would consist of two parents or a single Mom with a strong support system.

“Mary is very family-oriented,” her worker said. “She believes in family and its importance. Mary has stated a preference for having a mom, dad and sister, but she would do best if she was the only – or youngest – child in the home.”

“Her family would also need to support Mary as she continues to receive the behavioral and educational services she needs to reach her full potential and to help her maintain the ongoing growth that Mary’s achieving in the areas that Mary, herself, recognizes she needs help with.”

Her worker believes that Mary would also benefit from a mentor, someone who’d call and see Mary regularly and share special activities with her.

Pets, road trips and “Justice”

“The best thing about me,” Mary says, “is that I’m silly, I’m caring, and I can draw. I like good jokes and watching movies, and I like shopping: for clothes, shoes and journals. My favorite stores are Target and Justice.”

“With a forever family,” she adds, “I think it would be really fun and exciting to go to Disneyland. I’d like to play board games and go camping and on road trips. And having pets would be great!”

“A family would be caring. Belonging to a family would mean being included and being loved.”

For more information about adoption or mentoring, contact Orchards Children’s Services of Southfield at 855-694-7301 or visit www.orchards.org.