Tragic Personal Loss Inspires Local Woman to Care for Others

ORANGE, Calif. - Oct. 23, 2014 - PRLog -- When Amy Sorenby lost her two-year-old daughter in 2003, she vowed to go back to school to become a nurse as a tribute to the care her daughter received before her death. Now working as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) at Cross Country Per Diem (https://www.crosscountryperdiem.com/), Sorenby works in hospitals all over Orange County, with plans to further her education to become a registered nurse.

Sorenby is the October recipient of Fairhaven’s Oliver Halsell Care Award (http://www.fairhavenmemorial.com/community/oliver-halsell-care-award). Fairhaven Memorial Park & Mortuary, with locations in Santa Ana (http://www.fairhavenmemorial.com/) and Mission Viejo (http://www.fairhavenmemorialservices.com/), created the recognition program in 2012 to pay monthly tribute to individuals who have demonstrated exceptional care in their profession and community, improving the lives and spirits of those they help.

“Amy’s strength and determination to become a nurse in spite of a traumatic experience is inspiring,” said Marla Noel, president of Fairhaven. “The love and care she pours into her patients is what we hope to recognize with our Care Award.”

On June 16, 2001, Sorenby went in for an emergency Cesarean section due to complications with her twin girls. Alexis was born at one pound, 15 ounces, and Brianne at one pound, one ounce. Due to her size and condition, Brianne spent nearly her first year in the hospital. Prior to Brianne’s release, Sorenby was required to stay in the hospital for a week, learning how to check her daughter’s vitals and monitor her nasogastric tube. This training not only prepared Sorenby to care for her daughter but also inspired her to pursue a career in nursing.

In 2003, Sorenby’s then-husband was deployed to Iraq with the Marine Corps. Soon after, Brianne fell ill and was admitted to Naval Medical Center in San Diego for testing. Sorenby spent the next five months at the San Diego Fisher House to be near Brianne, while Alexis was cared for by her grandparents. Doctors ultimately diagnosed Brianne with pulmonary hypertension and, while doctors would have recommended a heart and lung transplant, Brianne’s fragile condition prevented her from this solution. Brianne passed away later that year.

Although extremely painful, this experience guided Sorenby to fulfill her calling as a caregiver. Sorenby now works daily to provide patients with the best possible care – treating them as though they were her own family. Somehow, Sorenby finds time to fit it all in, not only caring for others, but also her two children as a single mom.

Sorenby will be honored at Fairhaven’s Oliver Halsell Care Awards banquet on November 12 at Fairhaven’s Mission Viejo location. The banquet honors a year’s worth of achievements within the local community. Additionally, Fairhaven will make a donation in her honor to her selected charity, The Zachary and Elizabeth Fisher House in San Diego (http://www.med.navy.mil/sites/nmcsd/Patients/Pages/servic...).

About Fairhaven’s Oliver Halsell Care Award

Fairhaven’s Oliver Halsell Care Award pays tribute to Orange County individuals whose kindness and dedication to serving others is inspirational. These courageous individuals go above and beyond their job descriptions to serve with the utmost care and compassion. Fairhaven’s Oliver Halsell Care Award winners come from many fields including private care, hospice, social work, counseling, assisted living, medical providers, nursing, therapy, volunteer work and more.

For more information and to nominate a deserving candidate, visit Fairhaven’s website: http://www.fairhavenmemorial.com/community/oliver-halsell-care-award or email CareAwards@FairhavenMemorial.com.

About Fairhaven

Founded in 1911 by Oliver Halsell to provide a peaceful and comforting place for families to honor their loved ones, Fairhaven Memorial Park & Mortuary is Orange County’s most beautiful independently owned and operated full-service mortuary, crematory and cemetery. With the memorial park and mortuary in Central Orange County (http://www.fairhavenmemorial.com/) and an elegantly appointed mortuary in South Orange County (http://www.fairhavenmemorialservices.com/), Fairhaven provides funeral, cremation and burial services both at the time of need and through advanced planning, maintaining its steadfast commitment to care and compassion. Fairhaven is dedicated to celebrating the individual, providing services that are as unique and wide-ranging as the people they celebrate. Additional information is available at www.fairhavenmemorial.com. Connect with Fairhaven at www.facebook.com/fairhavenmemorial or www.twitter.com/fairhavenoc.