When Marie Lois Maxwell was young, she knew she wanted to help people, but she wasn’t sure exactly how. She got a job working in a hospital, and was inspired by the student nurses, who would talk with her about the profession. Ms. Maxwell decided to pursue nursing further, so she obtained a Master of Science in nursing from Boston College in 1975. She found she enjoyed interacting with patients and seeing the impact had. Ms. Maxwell eventually started gravitating to mental health, culminating in becoming a clinical nurse specialist at the Green County Mental Health Clinic. She served there for more than two decades before retiring in 2015. She received a Plaque of Appreciation for her efforts.
One of the highlights of Ms. Maxwell’s journey was helping a gentleman with a life-threatening illness who didn’t have the means to get to town. She advocated for him, and even had New York State Police troopers go get him when he would miss appointments. She gained a lot of self-empowerment from this, and it is still with her today.
Although Ms. Maxwell is no longer working, she still visits clients from her former caseload. She also volunteers at an outreach center in Albany, New York, donating clothes and helping the less fortunate.
