When it comes to love languages, Raeshawn Rae is multilingual.
Her patients at the GW Cancer Center are often on the receiving end of her words of affirmation and encouragement. In her role as a certified medical assistant (CMA), she provides thoughtful and dedicated care (acts of services). In her multigenerational home, her love speaks volumes with the quality time she spends with her family. Clearly, Raeshawn is very fluent in the language of love.
What’s your story?
I’ve been a CMA for 20 years, and with the Cancer Center pretty much since the doors opened. But before my career path took this turn, I was a young mother with two small children working at a gas station. When the owners sold the business, I lost my job the next week. And I really didn’t know what to do next. One day, I was watching television and I kept seeing this commercial for a technical school. I saw it so many times that I picked up the phone and made an appointment to meet with them. I took a tour and had an interview, and I learned about the different programs. The medical assistant program stood out to me and I signed up. And two weeks later, I started.
Every morning, I was there, learning the fundamentals and I really liked it. I took the classes very seriously because I had kids to take care of and I was committed to graduating. Then I had to take the certification test — that was the hard part, very nerve wracking. I did my externship with a cardiologist and I loved it. I really thought that was the direction I was going to take. But that practice wasn’t hiring when the externship was finished so I went to a big job fair I read about in the Washington Post.
I waited for four-and-a-half hours before they called my name for an interview. I could tell they were looking for someone who had more experience and I remembered what one of my high school teachers said about interviewing: you are the product and you have to sell yourself — you have to convince them to give you a shot. And I sold myself. They asked me what is the hardest thing about being a brand new graduate and I said that no one wants to take a chance on someone with no experience. But you can pass up on someone really good if you don’t give them a chance and let them prove themselves. By the end of the interview, I had a job.
I worked at an OB/GYN office and stayed in that specialty through several jobs until I landed at the MFA, and then started working with Dr. Lopez-Acevedo, a gynecologic oncologist. I moved down with him to the Cancer Center when it opened. I never thought I would love this as much as I loved OB/GYN, but think I love it even more.
What gets you out of bed in the morning?
A lot of things. First, I want my kids to see that if you’re persistent and consistent and work hard, you can make the life you want. That’s very important to me.
It’s also the patients. When I get in in the morning, I look at the schedule and see who’s coming in that day. I get excited about who I’m going to see because, in cancer, we treat the patients for a long time. Sometimes they come in every day of the week for treatment and you get to know them very well — you become like a little family. And then it’s hard when you’ve gotten so close and you lose them. Then I think, “That’s it. I’m not going to get close to a patient again.” But I do, I always do.
What is that one book that has influenced you the most?
The book that really stands out for me is Becoming by Michelle Obama. I got it as a Secret Santa gift for Christmas. When I took it home, my grandma immediately took it out of my hands and said she was going to read it so I had to wait for her to finish before I could read it.
Michelle talks about everything she went through as a child, what she had to overcome, and how hard she worked to accomplish what she did. I love how humble she is. She’s very inspirational to me. Sometimes when things aren’t going my way or I struggle with understanding what my purpose is, knowing how she handled these situations helps me get through it and know that I’m here for a reason. I miss her and Barack.
You and your work have made a difference for many patients. Is there one patient who made a difference for you?
Yes, there is one patient I will never forget. She was newly diagnosed with colon cancer and you could tell she was terrified. She had no family, no support system. When I brought her into the exam room, she just broke down crying. That brought tears to my eyes and I think I cried with her. After she cried herself out, she told me how much it helped her for me to be there and just listen. I asked her if I could give her something (Another love language!), and she said yes. So, I got her a care bag that we gave to the GYN patients. It had a fleece blanket, a water bottle, and a journal and things like that. You would have thought I gave her a million dollars; she was so happy and grateful.
I took her up to the infusion room and got her settled and covered up with her blanket and kept checking on her during her chemo. When I got home that night, I cried and cried and my husband asked me what was wrong and after I told him, he said that giving her that care bag wasn’t a big thing for me, but for her, it was the biggest thing someone has ever done for her. And it hit home for me that we always need to treat people with empathy and compassion. She eventually passed away, but I will always remember her.
What is the most interesting thing we should know about you?
I live with my grandmother, my mother, my kids, and my granddaughter in the house I grew up in after my dad passed away. My grandma and granddaughter call each other sunshine. “Good morning sunshine. Good morning sunshine.”
I’m a cooker. I love to cook. I can make a whole feast by myself. My favorite dish to fix is macaroni and cheese. My grandma passed her recipe down to me and I tweaked it a little to make it my own. I make a roux and just the right amount of cheese, because some people like it really cheesy and some not so much. I found the cheese sweet spot, right in the middle. I also like to bake. I’ve tried to make my aunt’s special strawberry shortcake a couple times, but it never came out as amazing as hers.
I’m in my zone when I’m in the kitchen. My five-year-old granddaughter likes to help me and I say, “Come on baby, let’s go.”
