I lost my hearing when I was about two years old. Doctors and other health professionals told my parents that I would only do menial jobs. My parents refused to believe in that future for me. They taught me to advocate at a very young age. I have crashed through barriers to become a nurse and am on my way to becoming a nurse practitioner. I have faced a lot of discrimination along the way. Because I am versed in my rights through the ADA, I am able to find a way to make my dreams come true. I mentor and help others advocate for themselves through the ADA laws so they can follow their passions.
SHORT BIO:
Sarah Hein graduated from the University of Detroit Mercy in 2015 with her BSN/RN. She is currently a registered nurse at Henry Ford Health System in the Metro Detroit area. She is finishing up her program at the University of Michigan to obtain her Master’s in Nursing from their family nurse practitioner program. Previously, she attended the University of Michigan where she was awarded a bachelor’s in Brain, Behavior and Cognitive Sciences. While attending Loyola University of Chicago, she finished with a Masters in Neuroscience. She published a paper with her laboratory at the University of Michigan in the Journal of Neuroscience. Her ultimate career goals include setting up a fully accessible health clinic for those with disabilities, as well as participating in medical volunteer programs abroad to help other cultures understand how to provide fully accessible healthcare to Deaf and hard of hearing individuals.
Sarah lost her hearing at a young age due to illness; learned American Sign Language in college and proudly immersed herself in the Deaf culture. She is a board member for the Michigan Deaf Association and a council member for the state advisory board on Deaf, Deaf Blind and Hard of Hearing. Along with two other Deaf students, she founded the Michigan Deaf Health non profit; an organization to educate the Deaf community in on Health, and provide encouragement to help them pursue careers in the health field. She loves to travel, read, cook, spend time with her nephews, and her dog named Buddy.