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Carlee Ray ('12) graduated from The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and majored in Child and Family Studies with an emphasis in Child Life. She is a Certified Child Life Specialist at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital here in Memphis.
She writes: "After high school, I pursued a career in the child life field. This career is one that is not widely known, but I hope to play a small part in sharing about the profession. Certified Child Life Specialists (CCLS) work to combat the anxiety and stress that comes with being in the hospital to meet the non-medical needs of patients and families. I have been a CCLS at Le Bonheur for 5 1/2 years. I worked in the Emergency Department for 4 years and now I work on the Inpatient Surgery and Orthopedic Unit working with patients (ages 0-18) recovering from surgery, various traumas and injuries. Everyday my goal is to empower the patients and families I serve, advocate for their individual needs, meet them where they are and normalize the hospital environment.
"A typical day for me is nonexistent, however, you can usually find me preparing patients for all types of procedures and surgeries, supporting patients during procedures, providing diagnosis education, implementing behavioral support interventions and therapeutic play sessions, providing family and emotional support and aiding in end of life support conversations. No day is the same, but I feel honored to walk alongside the patients and families at Le Bonheur trying to provide a sense of normalcy and control during a very stressful time. When I am not at work, I am attending/watching a Grizzlies game, walking my golden retriever, Gibson, or trying a new local spot with my friends."
Of her fondest memory of WA, Carlee says, "All the fun that senior year brought: Senior Breakfast, Senior Trip to Italy and getting to bring Mr. Kinney and his wife, Senior Wills and Senior Banquet! One thing that I really appreciated about my time at WA is how the school made an intentional effort to connect upper and lower school students through different events. I loved it as a lower school student all the way through my senior year."
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