Cancer battle as teen inspires Metro Detroit woman to become nurse

Metro Detroit woman pursues nursing career after cancer battle

The nurses who helped Molly Pratt during her cancer battle as a teen inspired her to follow in their footsteps. Now, she is close to achieving that goal.

DETROIT (FOX 2) - At 16, when most teens are thinking about driving and prom, Molly Pratt received devastating news – she had Hodgkin's lymphoma.

"I was always at the hospital receiving treatment and then when I came home sometimes too sick to move around," Pratt said.

Despite the battle she endured, getting cancer inspired her.

"I'm so glad I ended up getting cancer. I know most don’t say that, but the nurses really inspired me," she said. "Being a patient there, the nurses showed me that there is so much more to being a nurse than just passing meds."

Molly Pratt

Pratt is in nursing school at Saginaw Valley State University. She is expected to graduate in December.

One nurse Pratt received inspiration from was Karen MacDonald

"We knew when she was thinking of going into nursing, she’s the right fit for the job. She has so much care and compassion for people. She is going to make the perfect nurse," MacDonald said.

Pratt not only received inspiration from the medical staff at Beaumont – she’s also getting financial support from a retired doctor.

"I found out about the Charles Main Scholarship from my nurses and my doctors," she said.

Dr. Charles Main is the former chief of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology at Beaumont Children’s and the force behind the scholarship that bears his name.

"This year we have 36 former patients in college. Many go on to be nurses social workers," Main said. "Have them realize the potential they have and move on with life."

Pratt received the scholarship and is grateful for the financial support.

"I’m very grateful because without this scholarship I don’t even know if I would be able to go to college and be able to afford it," she said.

As she reflects on all the Beaumont community has done for her, Pratt hopes her story will one day inspire others to go into nursing also.

"I would love to be my end goal pediatric oncology nurse because they were all so inspiring, and I want to encourage others and tell them my story," she said.