Meghan Mason's Story
CVIM opened its doors to patients in 2003, and shortly thereafter, it opened its arms to a curious high school sophomore looking for a volunteer opportunity. What struck me most about my first interactions with the clinic was the respect with which I was treated. Rather than assigning tasks, the clinic staff welcomed me as part of the broader team, answering phones, managing patient appointments, filing charts and documents. It was the most productive and meaningful volunteer experience I've had to date.
Through CVIM I began to recognize social injustices and learned to question the way our country viewed and delivered healthcare. But to me, it wasn't good enough that we had a great community providing care to those who couldn't otherwise afford it...there had to be a way to prevent those illnesses from ever occurring. Through that realization, I found my way to the field of public health. Not only did CVIM inspire me to pursue graduate studies in public health, but I now have the honor of educating the next generation of public health professionals.
While I was volunteering at CVIM, John Domico, and later a larger group of Nittany Valley Running Club (NVRC) athletes, started running the Boston Marathon to raise money for the clinic. An avid cross country runner, I was eager to help stuff envelopes, manage donations, and thank sponsors. I promised that one day I too would lace up my shoes for the clinic.
I feel incredibly blessed that ten years later I am able to fulfill that promise. Just as CVIM guided my academic and professional interests, NVRC was the backbone of my summer training and the source of encouragement throughout my collegiate running career. These two organizations believed so heavily in me, that my completion of these 26.2 miles on April 21st is just a small token of my heartfelt gratitude for their existence. Please join me in supporting CVIM financially, and NVRC with your cheers and well wishes as we Marathon for Medicine!
