Despite the frequent uphill battles, Tara has never made excuses for herself or for Stevie. No matter what, she remains determined to create a better life for her and her family.
The first time Stevie boarded an airplane, it was far from easy. It felt overwhelming and uncertain. He had no previous “positive memory” to help him feel safe. However, that all changed once the plane brought them to Disney World. Through his lens, this experience transformed “plane equals scary” into “plane equals good things are coming”.
Over time, Tara has learned that Stevie needs to feel safe in new environments through gentle, positive exposure. When he has a positive association with an experience, moving forward, he no longer feels overwhelmed and afraid when entering that specific environment.
“What was once scary and confusing transforms into something familiar and safe,” says Tara.
Tara's love for science and people motivated her to pursue a nursing career at CMH. Over time, she eventually made the decision to pivot into outpatient, oncology care. Each day Tara is inspired by the willpower of her patients to keep fighting their own personal battles, even on hard days. That daily dose of passion and resilience is what gave Tara the courage to share her story and her ideas with anyone who would listen to her.
When Stevie cut his foot and needed medical attention, Tara was faced with a heartbreaking reality: the thought alone of bringing Stevie into a hospital environment was terrifying. As Tara struggled to care for his injury at home, she knew that something had to change. Not only for Stevie, but for other children and parents facing similar challenges.
In those moments of reflection, it dawned on Tara that children with special needs oftentimes encounter health care environments for their first time during moments of crisis. Without preparation or a sense of familiarity, their first health care experience can be a traumatizing time for everyone involved.
Tara began to wonder, considering her experience with Stevie on the airplane, “What if kids like Stevie could have an introduction to health care environments that would leave them feeling safe and confident, infusing their memory with positive associations rather than fear and confusion?”
From this reflection, Tara’s idea of Discovery Day was born.
Introducing Discovery Day
Discovery Day is an early-stage initiative aimed at helping teenagers with special needs to build positive associations with health care spaces.
The event invites secondary students with special needs from Monsignor Doyle Secondary School to visit Cambridge Memorial Hospital, and to experience the environment in a welcoming, supportive way.
Each participant is paired with a stuffed animal, their “buddy”. Together, they will move through four interactive stations where they will practice common hospital procedures on their “buddy”:
- Aerosol mask
- Medicine administration
- Cast application
- Saline lock
These stations reflect situations that many patients encounter during hospital visits. By rehearsing these procedures on their “buddy”, participants gain a positive, tangible health care experience that helps transform fear and uncertainty into familiarity and confidence. For parents, it offers them a gift of peace of mind.
The first Discovery Day will take place on April 30, 2026, the perfect way to conclude Autism Acceptance Month this April. Ideally, Discovery Day will become an annual event at CMH, where a new group of participants will be welcomed each year from secondary schools across our community.
Tara demonstrates what it means to rise above your circumstances like a phoenix from the ashes - now it’s time for our community to do the same. With the initiation of Discovery Day, we can work towards a future as a community where every child can enter a health care space with confidence rather than fear.
“I already love Cambridge Memorial Hospital. I love this community. For them to allow me to live my dream - I'm speechless and that never happens,” says Tara.