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Behind the Stripes

Stacey Howard

By Atlanta United FC

September 27^th, 2019

Unity and Joy. Two simple words with a million different meanings. But, for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta nurse manager Stacey Howard, it means more. They remind her of not only her favorite soccer club but her team of nurses at the hospital. Every day, Howard leads a group of nurses that guides and help patients and their families. Some might think that means medicine and treatments, but it goes beyond that.

“These kids are going through a lot,” Howard says. “These families have not chosen to come into this journey. They are forced into it. If I can help them throughout it, bring some joy or bring some positivity to it or safety, that’s an honor to be a part of that.”

Before Howard started her nursing career, she had a journey. She says she always knew she wanted to work with kids, and studied childhood development at the University of Georgia. But a medical mission trip to Swaziland gave her the purpose she had been seeking.

“I visited the hospitals there, and I saw the conditions there and the lack of healthcare there, and it really inspired me to become a nurse and go on medical mission trips.”

Working with children became her guiding light, and she enrolled into the Georgia State nursing program right away.

“There’s just something in this patient population that spoke to me. They are just very resilient and very radiant. That’s why I’m here,” Howard explains.

She never looked back. Howard has been helping patients at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta for 11 years, the only hospital she’s ever worked for. And, every day Howard is a part of changing lives for patients and their families.

Working in children’s health can have its ups –– but can certainly have some tough times as well. So to unwind after a challenging week serving others, she likes to go with her family to see Atlanta United at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Her husband grew up playing the game, and now her two sons play as well. So having a pro team to call their own changed their lives.

“When we found out Atlanta was getting a team, he was like we are getting season tickets,” Howard shared with a chuckle. “We don’t need to look at our budget. We are doing this. I was thinking this is a little overkill. Then, I went to the game and fell in love.”

Now, they have four tickets for each person in the family, sometimes to their sons’ chagrin, giving the kids’ tickets to another couple for a date night. And, if the Howards aren’t at a match, they’re tailgating with their neighbors as a team rowdy and proud just like her team of nurses at the hospital.

Having a strong team to cheer with, to be supporting with, to be sad or happy with means a lot. It helps you through your matchday or days in the hospitals for Howard’s case.

“You have to have a strong team surrounding you,” Howard says. “You cannot get through the tough days alone. You need that. You need to work together to get through it, work together to take care of the patients together.”

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