Nhi Le has a strong passion for medicine. Working in the medical field is a lifelong dream for her, and she has participated in teen volunteer programs at hospitals over the past few summers.
This summer, she participated in the teen volunteer program at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute. As part of her volunteer work, Le held a bake sale to raise funds for the institute’s Patient Support Fund. After her bake sale, Le was able to donate half of the funds she raised — $429 — to the fund.
Le also donated $429 to Arkansas Children’s Hospital, where she had volunteered in the Chemotherapy Section and General Pediatric Clinic during the summer of 2022. The funds were used to help purchase toys and gifts for the hospital’s young patients.
“I got to experience taking care of patients firsthand and creating trusting relationships,” said Le, a senior at the Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts. “I always feel grateful for all the opportunities I have received; therefore I decided that I wanted to pay it forward and share my passion for helping others, especially the young children I worked with.”
She spent about two months researching different cookie recipes and practicing baking before starting the fundraiser. With the help of her family and friends as well as customers at a business association meeting, she was able to turn her treats into a sweet gift for both medical facilities.
Le said volunteering at the hospitals as well as at Camp Aldersgate, a camp for individuals with special needs in Little Rock, has reinforced her desire to work in the medical field.
“The past three summers working at three different hospitals plus Camp Aldersgate have helped me realize I want to make an impact for tpeople in need. I believe that taking small actions compounds into making huge differences. Thus, I always look for ways to share the love of helping those who are in need,” she said.