Cathy

CATHY: I am looking forward to graduating and becoming a Medical Assistant. My goal is to have a career that will allow my youngest and me to have a nice place to live.   

I found Brighton Center when I moved to Northern Kentucky to make a better life for myself and my family. After I moved, my neighbor told me about Brighton Center and once I heard what they had to offer, I knew it was perfect for me. I met with Brighton Center staff and found out about Center for Employment Training’s (CET) Medical Assisting program. It was a perfect fit because I was already a Nurse’s Aide and looking for more.

I started the program in June of 2021 and was able to get rental assistance while attending school. It was a blessing to have housing support because I also had a lot of student loan debt. At first, I was kind of embarrassed because I was 48 years old and I felt that I should have done so much more with my life. I have three children, the oldest is 26, then 18, and 8. Raising them meant I often forgot about myself.

Coming to Brighton Center gave me self-esteem again, where I felt I could succeed at something. If I didn’t have Brighton Center, I probably wouldn’t even have a place to live right now. The staff are amazing. They believe in me.

I love the wraparound services I have benefited from, and being able to meet others who are going through the same situations with similar stories made me feel less alone. I am proud that others in the program ask me for advice.

The biggest obstacle I have overcome is a lot of self-pity. I get depressed about things that I can’t change, but since I have been in the program, there are such great people with plenty of love and support. My attitude is I am halfway there, not I am halfway not.

The more connected I got with City Futures, Stable Families, and CET, and the more effort I showed, the greater the support system I developed. I always know that whatever I need, someone at Brighton Center is there to help me.

My advice to others is to give yourself a chance. Take full advantage of the opportunities Brighton Center has. They have blessed me beyond measure. I also wanted to say thank you to everyone who supports Brighton Center. Thank you for believing in me and believing in all of us trying to create a better life.