Brittany Walz was in study hall when she got the call.
Her dad was in a helicopter crash and being taken to Sioux Falls.
For the high school senior, that day and the following 10 months she spent watching her dad fight for his life and then his mobility from a hospital room made her determined to build a career in health care at Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center.
“When I was sitting in ICU waiting room, it was then that I vowed, ‘I’m going to work at Avera McKennan full-time when I’m older because I want to work with all these people who just saved my dad’s life,’” explained Walz, a Parkston native who works as a physical therapy technician at Avera McKennan and is working toward a nursing degree.
But her work at Avera facilities dates back to high school when she worked at the Avera Wellness Center and in college with nursing home residents.
“Families were not able to visit because of COVID, so they asked me to just be a friend to the residents,” said Walz, who spent most of her time visiting with residents. “This was my first experience serving people and I really enjoyed it.”
Shortly after college she accepted a position at Avera McKennan as a physical therapy technician in the acute therapy department. Her compassion and willingness to give back is one reason she has been recognized at Avera, including as Employee of the Year at Avera McKennan.
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“What the body can go through and recover from is amazing. After my dad’s accident, the whole physical therapy world is something I value,” Walz said. “It was the doctors and nurses who saved his life, but it was the physical and occupational therapists who gave him his quality of life back.”
Avera Connection Begins in Parkston
Avera McKennan was a part of Walz’s life long before her dad’s accident. Her mom, Jenell works as the dietary manager for Avera St. Benedict Health Center in Parkston.
“I grew up with Avera,” Walz said. “My mom loves her work and the people she works with and the community members she serves.”
The people of Parkston also hold a special place in Walz’s heart because during the 10 months that her dad, Steve, spent in Sioux Falls rehabilitating, the small farming community showed their support.
“The whole community came together and threw a benefit for us. Community members volunteered to drive us back and forth to Sioux Falls. I had never been surrounded by so many people who wanted to help. It was a gift I felt I would never be able to repay,” Walz explained.
Donating an Organ to Save a Life
And then she learned of a need in her community for a liver donor.
“I was looking for a way to give back and I found that through being a living donor, I could help somebody – literally help save a life,” Walz explained.
She was 23 at the time. When Walz shared her goal to be a liver donor with her acute therapy department supervisor, Theresa Baustian, Baustian connected her with Sujit Sakpal, MD, FACS, an Avera transplant surgeon.
“She wanted to make sure I had all the information I needed to make an informed decision,” Walz said.
Living donors undergo extensive testing to ensure donating a portion of their organ will not have a negative impact. Walz passed the tests. She was not a match for the local patient, who received a liver from another donor. But Walz decided to be a living donor for a stranger in need.
“A transplant shows the beauty of second chances,” Walz explained. “You get to give the gift of hope and healing.”
Going through the donor experience helped Walz realize a passion for transplant medicine. She applied for an internship on the Avera Transplant team. And recently, she applied to the University of Sioux Falls nursing program, with the goal of becoming a registered nurse practitioner. She plans to continue working for Avera while pursuing her degrees.
A Culture of Faith and Caring
Initially, Walz thought she was called to become a transplant surgeon, but has since changed her mind to pursue nursing.
“I talked to God a lot about what he needs from me. It was a long spiritual journey, but it led me to realize that I want to be a light that helps guide patients through their most vulnerable moments,” Walz said. “And as a patient, your nurse is the team member who works most closely with you. So, the emotional impact a nurse can have is quite great.”
Because her faith plays a significant role in her life, Walz appreciates that as an Avera employee she is able to practice in an environment where faith is celebrated.
“We start each day with a prayer. And I think you can tell that at Avera we lead with the Gospel as our mission,” Walz said. “Coworker helping coworker, health care staff helping patients and families – really, everything about the culture of Avera says we truly care.”
