Stacy Kirkpatrick, 52; Caregiver To The Neediest
To those who live on the streets, Stacy Kirkpatrick was more than just a nurse practitioner at Boston Health Care for the Homeless — more than a caregiver who brought her healing presence to shelters. “She was my family,” said Larry Adams, who was her patient for many years.
“I was homeless and I was an addict. I was all messed up. I’m the kind of person, I don’t trust nobody,” said Adams, who helped found and chaired the health care agency’s Consumer Advisory Board. He put his faith in Ms. Kirkpatrick, however. “Her word was gospel. Whatever she said, I did. As a matter of fact, the reason I’m here is she saved my life.”
To those who live on the streets, Stacy Kirkpatrick was more than just a nurse practitioner at Boston Health Care for the Homeless — more than a caregiver who brought her healing presence to shelters. “She was my family,” said Larry Adams, who was her patient for many years.
“I was homeless and I was an addict. I was all messed up. I’m the kind of person, I don’t trust nobody,” said Adams, who helped found and chaired the health care agency’s Consumer Advisory Board. He put his faith in Ms. Kirkpatrick, however. “Her word was gospel. Whatever she said, I did. As a matter of fact, the reason I’m here is she saved my life.”
For 17 years Ms. Kirkpatrick ministered to the medical needs of Boston’s neediest — patients who because of wariness, mental illness, or substance abuse sometimes miss appointments and disappear, only to return weeks or months later, their health more fragile.
