EAST BRIDGEWATER – Thomas Barrett remembers his late spouse, Kim, as persistent, decided and selfless.

A mom of three who spent practically 30 years in nursing, she was as dedicated to her household as she was to her sufferers, Barrett mentioned. When she handed away on the finish of December, after a protracted battle with breast most cancers, he wished to do one thing that may honor his life and his work.

“Kim was one of the crucial devoted and dependable folks I’ve ever met,” Barrett mentioned of his spouse of 31 years. “She discovered that means and function in taking good care of others, and it was actually her ardour.”

Weeks after her passing, the Barrett household introduced the creation of the Kimberly J. Barrett Memorial Nursing Scholarship, which might be awarded yearly to a member of East Bridgewater Jr./Sr. Highschool graduate fascinated about pursuing a profession in nursing.

“In an effort to honor Kim’s selfless methods, we wish to proceed the present of caring and giving to maintain her spirit alive,” Barrett mentioned. “It’s my household’s hope that with this scholarship we are able to preserve Kim’s reminiscence alive.”

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Barrett began fundraising on GoFundMe to gather donations for the scholarship and has already acquired over $ 13,000, exceeding the unique purpose of $ 10,000. The scholarship might be awarded to a brand new pupil every year, within the quantity of $ 1,000.

Reflecting on his spouse’s typically troublesome journey to change into a nurse practitioner and her lengthy battle with most cancers, Barrett mentioned he hopes the scholarship might help college students who might have confronted their very own obstacles.

“Positive, teachers are vital, but when there’s a pupil making use of who has needed to overcome an impediment, however nonetheless strives to attain their targets, that may intrigue me greater than somebody with a 4.0 GPA, ”he mentioned.

Barrett recalled that his spouse struggled with faculty as a youngster. They each attended Brockton Excessive Faculty, though they did not know one another on the time, assembly one another just a few years later, in 1984 via a mutual pal.

Barrett mentioned his spouse was typically absent from faculty and due to this fact was not in a position to graduate on time with the remainder of her class at Brockton Excessive.

She left faculty and not using a diploma, not sure of what to do together with her profession. The one course she had was that she knew she wished to assist folks someway, Barrett mentioned.

A bit over a 12 months after her class graduated, she returned to Brockton Excessive and graduated from highschool. She had determined she wished to change into a nurse and was excited to start out making use of to applications.

She despatched requests to the nursing faculty, however was turned down.

“This rejection rocked her, however she was decided to make it,” remembers Barrett.

She spent a 12 months taking courses at Massasoit Group Faculty, then reapplied to nursing faculty the next spring. This time she entered.

In 1986, she graduated from the Southeastern Technical Institute together with her Licensed Sensible Nurse and began working at Bridgewater Goddard Park Medical Associates (later Signature Healthcare), the place she is going to stay till 2017. She then graduated from affiliate of the Brockton Hospital Faculty of Nursing in 1994 and her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Curry Faculty in 2006.

After that, she enrolled on the College of Massachusetts to earn her Masters of Nursing. Throughout her final semester in this system, she was identified with breast most cancers. Her lecturers urged her to take a break from the semester whereas she was in remedy, Barrett mentioned, however she was decided to proceed. Along with faculty and remedy, she additionally continued to work.

“One factor that impressed folks is that Kim did not cease working when she was sick,” Barrett mentioned. “She mentioned, ‘This illness shouldn’t be going to outline who I’m and what I do,’ and she or he pushed via.

Within the spring of 2008, she graduated from UMASS together with her grasp’s diploma, thus reaching her purpose of changing into a household nurse practitioner.

“She graduated with a 4.0, and she or he did it by working, chemotherapy and elevating a household. She mentioned, ‘Something is feasible if you consider it’ and that is what she did. “

She labored with metastatic breast most cancers for nearly 4 years, Barrett mentioned. In 2017, she needed to cease working because of her sickness.

“It completely crushed her when she could not work anymore,” he mentioned. “Her sufferers meant a lot to her, so not with the ability to work was devastating for her.”

Upon his demise, Barrett mentioned the household acquired stacks of playing cards from his former sufferers.

“It says loads in regards to the degree of care she offered,” he mentioned.

Barrett mentioned he hopes the scholarship in honor of his spouse will assist college students serve others like she has.

“If we’re in a position to assist even one youngster with the scholarship, a baby who says, ‘I wish to dedicate my life to serving to different folks,’ then I am grateful,” he mentioned. Barrett mentioned.

“Her loss – it was clearly crucial to me, however past our household – the world was a greater place for her.

Easy methods to assist

Donations may be made to Kimberly J Barrett Mem. Nursing Scholarship Fund via GoFundMe.

Firm Workers Author Katherine Noel may be reached at knoel@enterprisenews.com. You may comply with her on Twitter at @katherinenoel_. Help native journalism by buying a digital or print subscription to The Enterprise at the moment.