Willesha Memorial
Willesha Wade, RN, BS, BSN, IBCLC (1979 - 2017)
Willesha knew she wanted to be a nurse when she was only 8 years old; her spirit was bright and her heart was generous. A member of the Choctaw Nation, Mowa Band, Willesha was raised in Klamath Falls and Portland, Oregon. Her fifth-grade class was one of the first local “I have a Dream” cohorts in 1990 and she was the first person from her immediate family to attend and graduate from college. She obtained a Bachelor’s in Social Science (on full scholarship) from Portland State University and received a second Bachelor’s degree in nursing from OHSU. Before she became a nurse, she worked at the Native American Rehabilitation Association (NARA). Once she was licensed she assumed the roles of Mother Baby and Labor & Delivery staff nurse, charge nurse, peer educator, preceptor, and lactation consultant (IBCLC) at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU). Willesha chose to leave us at the age of 38, and this loss sent ripples of grief throughout her extensive community. The scholarship is a tribute to her amazing quality and serves as a reminder of the importance of tending to ourselves and each other during vulnerable times.“She was known by hundreds of patients, employees, and community members. They can always count on Willesha to greet them with a bright smile, genuine love, and contagious laughter.”
The Alliance of Black Nurses Association of Oregon is honored to offer the Willesha E. Wade Scholarship in memorial of a beloved nurse and member of our community, Willesha.
This scholarship is awarded in the amount of $2,000 by ABNAO to unlicensed nursing students pursuing an associate or baccalaureate degree in nursing.
“She was good at communicating with troubled people”
You’re Never Alone.
If You Have Thoughts Of Suicide Or Self-Harm, Please Call The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: At 1-800-273-8255
There is help available, you are not alone.
The OHSU Avel Gordley Center for Healing focuses on culturally sensitive mental health care for the Portland-area African and African-American Community.