On Sept. 22, Katie Cortelyou hung up her scrubs for the final time. After 25 years of service, she retired from her job as a Unit Assistant at Community Hospital North.
Against a backdrop of October being National Disability Employment Awareness Month, it’s especially appropriate to recognize her accomplishments right now.
With the help of Noble’s Community Employment services, Katie was hired in 2001 to assist the nurses. She was soon delivering towels and ice water to patients in the post-surgical unit, where she became known for her bedside manner. As she would enter each room, she would chat with each patient to help brighten their day. And when they saw her facing challenges of her own, they would inevitably respond.
In fact, her mom Susan likes to share a story from Katie’s early days at the hospital. According to Susan, Katie woke up one morning and told her that she couldn’t wait to go to work. When her mom asked why, Katie simply responded, “This is what I was born to do.”
That can-do attitude has characterized Katie throughout her life. As a baby, she worked on her speech and fine motor skills with Noble Kids therapists, and then attended inclusive schools. As she was finishing high school, she told Susan that she wanted to work with Noble to find a job.
Fast forward all these years later, Katie has decided to slow down the social and volunteer activities that have kept her busy for so long. She’s a former member of the national Board of Directors for Best Buddies and volunteered for years to speak with new parents through Down Syndrome Indiana. Both she and Susan served on the Noble Auxiliary for years, and she has spoken at a number of national conferences.
A strong Self-Advocate, she once noted, “I want to give back to the community because I want the important people to understand that we do have a voice, but most of all, that we do have feelings.”
Congrats on your retirement, Katie. You’ve earned a break!
