In 2023, when it was Aroha Lynch’s turn to pursue tertiary education, her parents had already sent two daughters through college, making her dream of becoming a medical doctor financially out of reach.

Instead of allowing that setback to cripple her future, the 20-year-old embraced nursing, a profession that runs in her family. With sacrifices from her parents, support from a nurse sister, and a scholarship from her church, Lynch is now on track to become the third nurse in her family, a path she now believes she was always called to follow.

“There’s one thing that I love about who I am and what I stand for, and it’s compassion. I do believe that compassion is a fundamental aspect of nursing, and so I believe that nursing is a calling of mine. Whether it is at the bedside or another avenue, nursing within itself is my purpose,” she told THE STAR. Lynch was recently named first runner-up in the NAJ/Lasco Chin Foundation Nurse of the Year 2026 Competition. She said nursing was familiar territory long before she enrolled at Knox Community College School of Nursing.