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Compassion in Action:
My Journey to Social Work
Compassion in Action:
My Journey to Social Work
Lessons in Compassion
In August of 2011, my grandmother, who we all called Granny, was diagnosed with cancer. She was the matriarch of our family; 10 children, their 9 spouses, and 19 grandchildren. Granny had endless love to give to others and was cherished by us and her community. Her diagnosis rocked everyone.
As the disease and her treatments progressed, she began to lose her hair. Granny always had hair down to her waist. I remember it always neatly brushed back with a pin or delicately pulled back into a bun. She had been so strong and brave through her treatments but losing her hair and having her head shaved shook her identity and confidence.
Granny and my extended family lived in Ontario, Canada. I moved to the States when I was very young. It was difficult to watch Granny be so ill from far away, and I felt helpless to support her because of the distance. I knew how important her hair was to her, and once she decided to shave her remaining hair off, I knew it was time to take action.
Taking Action
Each year, my high school held a fundraiser where people shave off or cut their hair to raise money for cancer research. Being so far from Granny, I thought the least I could do was shave my hair in solidarity with her. I signed up for the fundraiser and set the date to shave my head.
Miraculously, days before the fundraising event, Granny was cleared by her doctor to travel. My aunts and cousins took Granny, jumped in the car, and drove down from Canada to surprise me at the event.
On March 13, 2014, I got to hold Granny’s hand as my hair was shaved off. She was beaming the whole time. Once the hairdresser finished with my hair, I hugged Granny and she whipped off her wig to show off her shaved head, too. Her smile and confidence at that moment are something that will always stay with me.
Compassion in Action at a Time of Grief
Later that summer, we celebrated Granny’s 75th birthday. A couple of days later, she passed away. I am so grateful I chose to take action, show Granny my love, and do something for her while she was still here. Even though I was far away and didn’t feel like there was much I could do, I did what I could.
That was 11 years ago this month, and I believe the moment that led me to shave my head also led me to a career in social work. Social work allows me to show my compassion through action.
Becoming a Social Worker
The month of March is Social Work Month. The chosen theme for 2025 as decided by the National Association of Social Workers is Compassion + Action. This theme shows are social workers turn their compassion into action to help our communities address challenges and create positive change.
The social work profession is about enhancing people’s well-being. At DARTS, I get to do that by creating meaningful connections with clients that enrich aging and strengthen our community. In my role, I put compassion and action into practice by leading caregiver support groups and supporting the Breathing Space. These past five months have been a fulfilling journey, reminding me that small, thoughtful actions can leave a lasting impact.
You don’t have to shave your head or be a social worker to practice compassion in action; everyone can participate. Compassion lives in everyday actions, like volunteering, writing an encouraging note, donating, or spreading the word about the good that is happening in your community. No matter how small it seems, even when you feel limited in what you can do, your actions matter. Don’t wait to make a difference.
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