Page 29 - BusinessWest May 11, 2026

Jolene Alexander
‘Earn-and-Learn’ Initiative Has
Helped Her Realize Her Dream
BY GEORGE O’BRIEN
Jolene Alexander says her father suffered his first heart attack when she
was 10 years old. He had another one a year later.
It was a scary time in many ways, she recalled, adding that it was
made easier — for her father and the rest of her family — by the care and com-
passion provided by the team at Baystate Medical Center’s cardiac intensive
care unit.
“I just remember how pleasant those nurses were to my family; they were
very empathetic toward the situation, and they were very thorough, and he
ended up pulling through, even though they weren’t sure what the outcome
would be,” said Alexander, adding that the experience helped instill a desire to
join the healthcare profession and serve in that environment.
And she did, eventually serving as a certified nursing assistant (CNA), and
more recently as a cardiac monitor tech.
Holyoke Medical Center’s
Nurse Appreciation Concert
Friday, June 19, 2026
We’re showing our gratitude for the
kindness and sacrifices made by the nurses
who work tirelessly to keep our community
healthy.
Nurses – don’t miss your chance to be
appreciated!
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DJ | DANCE PARTY | LIVE MUSIC
Ü 5:30 - 7:00: DJ & DANCE PARTY
Ü 7:00 - 8:30: LIVE MUSIC
Ü 8:30 - 10:00: DJ & DANCE PARTY
Live Music Featuring:
“I just remember how pleasant those nurses were
to my family; they were very empathetic toward the
situation, and they were very thorough, and he ended
up pulling through, even though they weren’t sure
what the outcome would be.”
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The dream, though, was to become a nurse — a dream that was put on hold
for the better part of two decades by that thing we call life.
“I’ve always wanted to be a nurse — I did all the pre-requisites, but life just
kept getting in the way,” said Alexander. “I left it at the pre-reqs, and I didn’t
continue; I decided to just move forward with life as a mom.”
Things were further complicated by ongoing heart issues for her father,
including several incidents in
2022, that compelled her to cut
back on her hours and focus on
family, including care for her
Business W est
EVENT FOR
NURSES
Alexander
Continued on page 32 >>
MONTHLY FEATURE 29
MAY 11, 2026