ABOUT stepping stone advocacy
Lori Schellenberg
My Story: A Life Rooted in Advocacy
My nursing career has always been guided by one goal—helping patients and families feel supported, informed, and empowered in their healthcare decisions.
While raising four children, I built a diverse career across multiple areas of healthcare—including home health, occupational health, and workers’ compensation case management—while also serving in specialized roles as a rehabilitation liaison and medical record review nurse. Each experience strengthened my ability to navigate complex systems, coordinate care, and advocate effectively.
Advocacy was always part of my work—but it became deeply personal when my parents needed me.
I supported my mother through cardiac surgery and stood alongside my father through multiple complex health challenges, including dialysis and ultimately a successful kidney transplant. We asked questions, pushed for answers, and worked to ensure he received the care he needed—despite the barriers.
That experience changed everything.
It reinforced what I had seen throughout my career: navigating healthcare requires more than medical care—it requires advocacy.
Why This Work Matters
Although I have stepped away from traditional nursing roles, I have not stepped away from caring.
I understand what it feels like to be the one responsible for making decisions, asking the right questions, and trying to hold everything together for a loved one. I also understand how complex and fragmented the healthcare system can be.
Today, through my work in patient advocacy, I support individuals and families as they navigate care, communicate with providers, and make informed decisions—so they are not doing it alone.
The Nurse Advocate Initiative
Over time, my work has revealed something else just as important:
There are not enough advocates to meet the growing needs of patients and families.
At the same time, many nurses are searching for a different path—one that allows them to use their experience in a more flexible, meaningful way.
The Nurse Advocate Initiative grew from that intersection.
It is a natural extension of my work—supporting nurses who feel called to explore patient advocacy and helping them understand how their skills can translate beyond traditional roles.
This is not about leaving nursing behind.
It is about expanding what nursing can become.
Looking Ahead
Advocacy is no longer optional in today’s healthcare environment—it is essential.
For patients and families, it can mean the difference between confusion and clarity, delays and progress, frustration and support.
And for nurses, it can open the door to a new way of practicing—one that is still rooted in care, but shaped by autonomy, purpose, and possibility.
WHERE ADVOCACY BECAME PERSONAL
Advocacy took on a deeply personal meaning when my parents moved near our family so they could be part of our daily lives. My mother underwent cardiac bypass surgery, and I naturally stepped in to help manage her care and support her recovery.
My father’s journey was more complex. He lived with multiple chronic health challenges, including severe sleep apnea that led to a tracheostomy (before CPAP therapy was an option), recurrent infections, multiple surgeries, and eventually kidney failure. When dialysis became necessary, we refused to let go of hope. Together, we pursued the possibility of a kidney transplant—despite his age and medical obstacles.
We advocated tirelessly.
We asked questions others were hesitant to ask.
We pushed for care coordination and new treatment options.
And ultimately—he received a new kidney.
That gift gave my father renewed time, energy, and dignity. It was a blessing that strengthened our determination and deepened my resolve to never stop advocating.
Throughout this process, my mother learned how to speak up for him and for herself. We became a strong and united team—focused, informed, and unwavering.
A Peaceful End and a New Beginning
When my father’s health declined years later, we made the compassionate decision to transition him to hospice care—a decision guided by love, dignity, and respect. He passed peacefully, surrounded by his family.
Today, my mother happily lives in a continuing care retirement community—a transition I also supported and guided.
why i continue this work
Although I have retired from traditional nursing practice, I have not retired from caring.
These personal and professional experiences have led me to my purpose:
Helping patients and families navigate a healthcare system that is often overwhelming and difficult to manage alone.
I know what it feels like to be the one who must speak up.
I know the questions to ask, the barriers to expect, and the conversations that need to happen at every level of care.
I know what it takes to keep going—even when it’s hard.
This is not just my work—this is my calling.