UHealth Tower nurse Martha Wydra has many reasons to beam with pride these days. She recently graduated from NSU, Nova Southeastern University. She earned her Masters and Doctorate degrees simultaneously. As a working mother of four children, this was no easy feat.

“It was a very demanding schedule working full-time at the hospital overnight, raising four children and taking classes at NSU. It was exhausting for me and difficult for my kids because I had little free time. But I hope they see now that my hard work and sacrifices paid off,” said Wydra.

Wydra is a member of 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, the largest union of healthcare workers in Florida. She was able to get the resources she needed to pay for her education through 1199SEIU’s Training and Upgrading Fund – a tuition reimbursement program that UHealth Tower employees fought for and secured as a benefit in their contract. 

“I was struggling financially so I knew I needed to further my education in order to advance my career. But higher education is so expensive. I did not think I could afford to pay for it by myself. I am so grateful that our union has this great benefit because the Training and Upgrading fund gave me the financial assistance I needed to achieve my goals,” explained Wydra.

Wydra has other notable achievements. In 2019, she received the Daisy Award – a prestigious honor given to nurses who do outstanding work. Wydra is also known as the wound care champion at UHealth Tower because of her expertise and focus on preventive measures.

Wydra loves working in healthcare because she enjoys helping people. She has another passion that motivates her – helping victims of domestic abuse. She is the founder of the Wings to Freedom Foundation. The goal is to build a compassionate community that offers support and a path to healing for those affected by domestic violence. 

“The name of the foundation says it all,” says Wydra. “As a survivor, I want victims to know they don’t have to put up with the abuse. There is help out there for them and their families.”

Whether she is working in the hospital or the community, Wydra believes that giving back is her calling and her way of paying it forward since she has also received support from family and coworkers.

“I have faced many challenges. But thanks to my daughters, union family and coworkers, I have been able to achieve my goals. I want to share my skills and knowledge so I can continue to provide the quality care my patients need and deserve.”