Girl Strong-Christina

Ever meet someone and instantly think, “there’s no way this person is THAT NICE”? Well, that’s what I thought when I met my friend Christina when she moved into my neighborhood seven years ago. That’s why we choose Christina as the focus of our first blog featuring women who inspire us. Each month Altruesm will shine the spotlight on some everyday incredible women that we respect and admire - just like Christina.

Beginning her career in the Navy, Christina was an Emergency nurse stationed in Germany working on a large Medical Surgical floor that received and stabilized patients from injuries during the war in Iraq and Afghanistan before sending them home to the US. Once she returned stateside, she married her longtime High School friend, Pablo, and took a nursing job at a local Trauma Center in Northern Virginia. While in Virginia, Christina and Pablo started a family having Nicholas, Benjamin, and Alexandra before moving to Pennsylvania.

Currently, Christina works in Nursing Informatics. However, when Covid hit, the true bedside nurse in Christina sprung to action volunteering for shifts in the Emergency Department and also helping in many mass vaccine administration clinics. In a time when we all stayed home, people like Christina were out there in the trenches treating our loved ones.

According to Christina, nursing has opened the doors to some pretty amazing experiences. Through nursing she has been able to see the world not only from serving the in the Navy for 15 years but also as a member of the Flying Angels where she accompanies patients on civilian flights to ensure safe travel. She has also expanded her traditional views of healthcare by learning and practicing the art of an energy therapy called Healing Touch.

Christina has faced one of the worst fears we have as mothers, the loss of a child. Through her pain, she has been strong enough to find some solace in helping others deal with similar overwhelming situations by working with Binkeez for Comfort, an organization that supports children and their families who are struggling with a life threatening illness, a developmental or neurological disorder, or a severe burn. Her encouragement to others is a true testament to what an amazing, strong and inspirational woman Christina is.

As if momming, wifing and working were not enough, Christina serves on a number of committees to help better the patient experience and focus on the mental and emotional needs of the person as a whole. She is an advocate for both physical and mental health and just a great friend and person to be around.

If you are lucky enough to have a friend like Christina in your world, please let us know. Perhaps they can be a feature in a future spotlight. Email us at hello@altruesm.com