Today we’d like to introduce you to Martha Padron.
Hi Martha, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
My name is Martha Padron, I immigrated to the United States from Mexico at the age of 5. In Mexico, my family & I lived in a one-bedroom building that did not even have a running bathroom. I immigrated to the USA not knowing any English and experienced several barriers due to this. However, I worked very hard throughout my entire school year and was sadly told by my parents that they could not pay for my college degree. I felt as if all my hard work was for nothing and started applying for scholarships. I was very blessed to have received a full scholarship at Navarro College (NC) where they eventually helped pay for my entire bachelor’s degree. At NC I became an ambassador, representing NC in several events and organizations. During my time at NC, I suffered a severe car accident where I almost lost my life. I suffered a cervical spine injury and almost had my left arm amputated. This was one of the darkest and most humbling moments in my life. I went from building a huge tower of success to losing everything in one second. Instead of dwelling in my depression, I used this as motivation and started volunteering at the same hospital I was treated at. I soon applied to Texas Tech University Health Science Center and was accepted into their nursing program. I understood how it felt to be a patient with little hope and wanted to help others experience a little light in their hardship. I graduated from TTUHSC and eventually became a telemetry and cardiovascular ICU nurse in Dallas. I worked through the pandemic and was quickly inspired to become a family nurse practitioner. I am currently in nurse practitioner school and working at a cancer center. As a nurse practitioner, I plan to open up my own private practice, in the future, in order to help individuals who cannot afford healthcare receive quality care at a low price. I am so blessed to be where I am and I have God to thank for it all!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I have had several barriers throughout life! I come from a third-world country where my family & I lived in poverty.
I did not have money to pay for my education but worked very hard academically to get my bachelor’s degree completely paid for. I am the first person in my family to ever get a bachelor’s degree and even the first person in my family to get elementary education.
I was in a severe car accident when I was 18 where I almost lost my life and at a point in my life had my mother bathing me. With the support of my friends and family, I was able to fight through my depression and came out of all of this an even stronger person.
I wouldn’t change a single situation or event in my life because through all these hardships I am the very person I dreamt of being.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a certified cardiovascular registered nurse who worked in a telemetry and ICU unit. I recently switched specialists and I am now working as an oncology nurse. I also volunteer in the American Red Cross as a blood donor ambassador and I am in the process of joining the disaster services team. I am also the current Miss Waxahachie Latina 2022 & will be running for the Miss Texas Latina in September representing all women like me who have had to overcome several barriers to be where they are today. My plan is to create a mental health podcast helping others overcome life’s difficulties and develop an academic scholarship. This is still in the works so stay tuned! On top of all these great accomplishments, my greatest accomplishment has been finding God in the midst of all this pain and hurt and realizing that I am an imperfect person who is greatly loved.
I am most proud of how I have used every negative barrier in my life and turned it into something positive
What was your favorite childhood memory?
My favorite childhood memory was when I would wake up on Christmas morning and find my one gift. I remember being so excited and waking up my brothers to join in on this excitement. I never had Christmas gifts under my tree but “Santa” would always show up on Christmas day with a coloring book or something else that would be special to me. I cherish the smallest things as a child and was very grateful that even though I asked Santa for a paint set, he got me a coloring book.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @itsmartyyy_
- Other: TikTok: @itsmartyyy_5
Image Credits
@iselamarianaphotography
