The discovery of a tumor in her leg when she was 15 years old ignited Amanda Egan’s dream of serving in pediatric care. “[In treatment], I told my mom I wanted to care for sick kids when I grew up,” she says.
Egan began working at Children’s Hospital Colorado in 2004 as an emergency nurse, commuting from Colorado Springs to Aurora. Ten years later, the chief medical officer, Joan Bothner, handpicked Egan for the founding team of Children’s Briargate Urgent Care. Her drive dropped from 65 miles to 2—but her time investment did the inverse.
“Amanda was essentially on call seven days a week…every holiday, [including] her birthday,” says Leila Roche, communications specialist for Children’s Hospital in Southern Colorado. “Amanda dared into a new and unformed [territory], creating the culture and quality care.”
“We’ve been able to keep the family atmosphere [that] we worked to create,” Egan says. “Everyone is committed to providing the best care.”
Egan is often asked how she maintains working in such dire circumstances, to which she answers, “You realize these kids are going to walk through hard times whether you are there or not, but you have the option of making their adversity easier and less scary.”
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