Oley Profile - Malisa
Diagnosed as a young teen with pseudo-obstruction and now mitochondrial disease, Malisa has been on
HPN, and sometimes HEN, for 11 years. Almost from the start she’s been involved
at Oley. She was one of the first teenagers to volunteer as a Regional
Coordinator, she’s helped with numerous conference youth activities, and she’s
been a tremendous advocate for summer camp experiences for homePEN youth.
Watching her blossom into an capable, caring adult has been a pleasure. Her choice to pursue a career
in pediatric nursing comes as no surprise. She is always giving generously of
her time. In addition to working in the hospital, Malisa volunteers for many
health-related organizations like CHOP, REACH and others. She also continues to
coordinate special experiences for chronically ill youth, like trips to Canyon
Ranch and wellness days for friends in a local support group.
Over the years she has
helped hundreds of Oley members. She is a great listener and always has
something positive to say to the teens, the younger kids, and the parents who
care for them. She goes above and beyond to stay in touch with a large network
of consumers, writes many cheerful messages, sends care packages and visits
them.
She’s built a wonderful support network for herself as well, which has been
especially critical in the past couple of years as her mitochondrial disorder
has robbed her of her energy. True to her spirit, she is researching the
disease, and adjusting to her lower energy level one day at a time. Fortunately
her illness didn’t prevent her from marrying her sweetheart Dave, last year, and
taking a fabulous honeymoon cruise.
