www.masbakersfield.com

Making a Difference — Health

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Paola Llamas

Age: 28
Job title: Program manager at American Lung Association of California, Bakersfield office
Family: Mother — Josefina; brother — Alfredo; boyfriend — Benjamin

Q: What motivates you in life?
A: Definitely my mom — one of the strongest women I know. I wouldn’t be in this line of work had it not been for her inspiration.

Q: Why is community involvement important?
A: The Central Valley has many factors that make it difficult for people with cardiac and respiratory problems, such as asthma. Kern County has an asthma incident rate of 16 percent above the national average and is rated the third in the nation with the worst air quality! It’s extremely important that everyone is educated on asthma and air quality and the effects it can have on every one, not just those with lung disease.

Q: What does your culture mean to you?
A: My culture, the ability to speak my native language, and to visit my native country and feel right at home are sacred. In the workplace, I can see the discrepancies in health care and health care access for minorities. This is why I love my job. I can help a family who has no health insurance, poor financial resources, does not speak English and they will never see a bill ...

Q: Name a lasting moment that changed the course of your life.
A: As I was finishing my psychology degree, my mother was diagnosed with cancer of the lymph nodes (Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma). We were living alone and I was still a college student. We had no health insurance, limited financial resources and no transportation. So in a crisis, I would have to take her to the ER on the GET bus! That was a very hard period of my life — but it made me realize my true calling and that I had to go back to school and get my nursing degree.