Cephas Namubiru Mugerwa was born in Africa – Kampala, Ug而且a to be exact. That is where her sense of community 而且 being of service to her neighbor started. Her father was a local community leader in their village, 而且 her parents would often host strangers who needed refuge from violence at home, 他们没有住处, or those who were grieving 而且 just needed a safe place 而且 someone to show them kindness. 虽然她的家庭并不富裕, 他们毫不犹豫地和别人分享他们的家, 他们的食物, 他们的热情好客. 当矶法开始了她自己的旅程, she carried that example with her 而且 has dedicated her life to addressing inequities 而且 disparities. In 2019, she earned her Masters in Public Health from Touro University 而且 began a career in the field.
我们和矶法谈了谈她的旅程, 她的激情, 而且 the example she hopes to set for her own two children.
告诉我你来这个国家的经历.
我和我丈夫搬来这个国家. 他妹妹出生在美国, 而且 she began the process of sponsoring her family to relocate many years before I met him. Shortly after we were married 而且 had our first child, he had been approved for his green card. 离开我的家庭对我来说非常艰难. I am the youngest of eight children, 而且 my family is very close. 我不想离开乌干达，但我们离开了. 我们搬到了伊利诺斯州，住得离我丈夫的妹妹近一些.
在我们移民到美国几个月后.S.我怀了第二个孩子. 芝加哥的秋天和冬天对我来说很难熬. When I was in my first trimester, I got the flu 而且 had to be hospitalized. 当我恢复的时候, 我仍然觉得很虚弱, 而且 I decided to go back to Ug而且a where there was warmer weather 而且 moral support from my family.
At the time, we did not have insurance or underst而且 how to apply. 当我丈夫开始工作时, someone told him about a community health center in our town that subsidized health care, 治疗没有保险的人, 而且 helped them apply for Medicaid 而且 other programs like WIC. 他帮我们注册了, 而且, 当我怀着7个月的身孕回到美国时, I started pre-natal visits with my OB/GYN from Streamwood Community Clinic.
你是怎么找到OLE Health的?
When we moved to 加州 for me to pursue my degree, we didn’t know anyone. We had left the family we had in 伊利诺斯州 而且 were all alone. I figured that there must be a similar community health center like the one I found in 伊利诺斯州. 但, I wasn’t sure if community health centers were in every state, 而且 I was not finding anything when I searched online. I was in school at the time 而且 told a friend of mine about my search. 她妈妈以前住在瓦卡维尔, 而且 she asked her if she knew of any place you could get care without insurance in the area, 她妈妈让她去找OLE Health.
作为OLE健康病人，什么让你印象深刻?
As soon as I found OLE Health online, I drove right to the Chadbourne Road health center. I walked in without an appointment 而且 explained my story to the receptionist. I told her about finding the community health center in 伊利诺斯州 而且 all the services I had been connected with there. She immediately gave me information about how to enroll in Partnership HealthPlan 而且 WIC 而且 made me an appointment with a provider. I fell in love with OLE that first moment, 而且 that love just grew from there.
Can you talk a little bit about the Fairfield community 而且 OLE Health’s place in it?
With OLE Health in our community, we don’t have to go to ER to seek treatment. OLE is fast becoming a one stop center for treatment of the Fairfield community members, 因为欧乐健康提供整体护理. The community members who seek care from the Fairfield location are directed to various community resources that are available in Solano County. I have interacted with patients who have been directed to the nutrition services of OLE health. Most of them had no idea they need to see a nutritionist, but they have gained so much from those visits after being directed by the staff at OLE.
What made you join the OLE Health board 而且 what are your hopes as a board member?
I was asked to join the board during a very challenging time in my life. 但我决定我要回馈社会. I am going to give OLE my time, because it was there when I had no one.
As a board member I aspire to build community relations between Fairfield community 而且 OLE Health. I am extremely lucky to be a patient as well as a board member of OLE Health because this enables me make suggestions to the board on issues affecting patients 而且 how to improve care for its patients. I am on the Quality Improvement committee actively engaging with Fairfield community members on how best OLE Health can serve their medical interests. Also, I’m honored to be actively involved in the strategic direction of OLE Health. I also hope to build community partnerships that will help OLE attain its core objectives as a Health care provider in our community.
