The Making of Your Epidemiologist Mama

For Mother’s Day this year, my sweet daughter made me a card (below). It is a picture of me with her social media influencer alter-ego, Vicki V. Seriously, my kid has created a series of stories and comics revolving around Vicki V, who is a megastar on social media (the fictional Instabook is her favorite social media platform); it is hysterical. This is the first time I entered into this world my daughter has created; I’m honored.

You can see what happens when an epidemiologist mama is the mom of a wickedly funny and artistic daughter.

Just to be clear, my daughter is totally making fun of the fact that people do recognize me from the news. And the hashtag #scienceanadstuff is her way of respecting my field of study in the most teenage way imaginable.

This card means everything to me (yes, I am planning to frame it).

My journey to becoming an epidemiologist took place at the same time as I became a mother. I gave birth to my daughter, the artist, at (what should have been) the start of the 3rd semester of my Ph.D. program. I was studying for my Ph.D. comprehensive exams during her first three months of life. When I should have been reading books like The Very Hungry Caterpillar and One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish to her, I was reading Rothman’s Modern Epidemiology and Moore & McCabe’s Introduction to the Practice of Statistics to her. And then I defended my dissertation (three years later) on the day my son was due. Yes — I got dressed up while 9 months pregnant and defended my dissertation (45-minute presentation followed by 1.5 hours of questioning).

I literally became an epidemiologist and mama at the same time.

Being an epidemiologist is tied to my work as a mom. And I am a better mama because I am an epidemiologist and a better epidemiologist because I am a mama.

My purpose in life — to make healthy communities — is tied to my deep belief that being healthy is a radical selfless act of loving others.

And this is a wonderful foundation for raising your kids. While my children (especially my artistic daughter) is not interested in talking about diseases, disease symptoms, or risk factors of disease, we can talk about being healthy and adopt a definition of being healthy as a radical selfless act of loving other. And she can use her skills and gifts to promote health and be a radical in the way that she loves others and fights for justice.

As we celebrated Mother’s Day today, I realized how proud and honored I am to be an epidemiologist mama. And the mama to two great kids. I realize that my work in the world to create healthy communities starts in my home. I need to empower my kiddos to care for themselves first —

I want them to be their healthiest selves so that they are able to love others and create healthy communities.

And that is my wish for all of you… that through public health education and empowerment (provided right here), you can first be your healthiest self and be able to contribute to the creation of healthy communities for all.

And in case you need to get to know me a little bit better, here’s your chance…

Happy Mother’s Day — to everyone who calls themselves a mom, wants to be a mom, or has stepped in to love another who has needed a mom.

xoxo.