First Stop Hawaii: New Traveler Heads West for Surf and Sun
She’s a nurse, she’s a runner and she may soon be a surfer too, as the first assignment for Alyssa Pollman, RN, will take her to Hawaii.
Pollman will spend her 30th birthday among the palm trees, Pacific Ocean and cardiac ICU within the next few weeks. This former staff nurse from Mississippi is excited about trying something new with her career.
“I’m ready to move, I’m ready to travel,” she said. “I have met so many people who love traveling and are very happy with the their company, Medical Express, that gets them where they want to go.”
Where Pollman wants to go is not only to Hawaii for nursing, but also to the pavement for marathons that benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team In Training is the world's largest endurance sports training program. The program provides training to run or walk a whole or half marathon or participate in a triathlon or century (100-mile) bike ride.
On June 4, 2006, in San Diego, California, Pollman ran her first marathon with Team In Training and finished in the top 18 percent at 4 hours and 20 minutes. Not bad for a person who is relatively new to running in general.
“Everyone was so supportive,” said Pollman, who raised $4,000 herself for the run. “So many people donated. Friends, family, strangers I’d meet on airplanes who had kids with lymphoma gave. Over 6,000 people ran and we raised a lot of money. It felt good and was an amazing experience that touched people’s lives.”
Pollman is poised to run more marathons with a goal to better her time as she goes. “My dad ran marathons, so I have some natural athletic ability from him.”
Soon, she may be adding another sport to her list of favorite activities. While in Hawaii, she plans to take surfing lessons and thinks she will love this new experience. While all of this is impressive on its own, it becomes even more so when you consider that Pollman was in a terrible biking accident years ago. She lost use of her left hand and it was questionable whether or not she would regain that use.
This situation made her look at her life and assess her priorities. She decided a second career in nursing was the next step for her. It ended up that her hand recovered and she waited tables while, at 27, she put herself through nursing school.
Was this a good decision for her? The answer is a resounding yes. “I absolutely love nursing,” she said. “I go to work and can’t believe that this is my job. It’s about what you can do for patients and families. Though our time together is short, it makes a difference and that means so much.”
As traveling as her new adventure, she is excited to see how she likes it and how it fits her life. “Medical Express has really gone the extra mile for me so that I feel comfortable going into this new job. They always get back to me right away and have customer service down to an art form.”
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