SALT LAKE CITY – When she finished her treatments at Intermountain Primary Children's Hospital, Rachel Barclay said she would never return.
The 16-year-old underwent months of chemo, a drug trial and a bone marrow transplant for acute myeloid leukemia at the hospital. While she said she didn't want to go back to the hospital, something changed as she got better.
"I found myself really wanting to give back, because it's such an amazing experience to be able to receive all that goes into helping you get better. And I wanted to be a part of that on the other end as well," Barclay said.
So she decided she did want to return to the hospital, this time as a nurse.
Barclay's patient-care technician, Sara John, never expected to see her again, but now the two are co-workers.
"You see someone who really didn't have a good chance and she's here and she's still alive, and you know that these patients, there's hope for them, too," John said.
While she doesn't always tell the patients she was once in their shoes, Barclay can provide real empathy to the children.
"It definitely gives them hope and if nothing else, I'm happy to give the hope," she said.