My Story Isn’t Finished Yet: The Power of Refusing to Give Up
A personal journey of resilience, purpose, and lifting others as we climb.
We Rise, and Then We Reach Back
There are moments in life when you question yourself:
How do I keep going? Why do I keep going?
I know that feeling.
I am not a CEO, celebrity, or social media influencer. I’m an ordinary woman—a mother, wife, healthcare professional, and lifelong learner—just trying to become the best version of myself.
Some days, I’m also trying to remember why I walked into the room in the first place!
I am a survivor.
My journey includes raising my son, William, after his autism diagnosis and searching for answers while trying to understand a world I knew little about.
Then a social worker at the Howard Phillips Center for Children & Families told me, “I will be here whenever you need me, no matter what it is.”
Those words reminded me that I wasn't alone.
That moment changed me.
The Howard Phillips Center eventually led me to Orlando Health, where I have built a career spanning more than a decade.
I’ve heard “You’re amazing” followed by “No” enough times to question myself. But those moments became fuel.
As Maya Angelou said, “You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them.”
So I keep going.
Because my story isn’t finished yet.
And neither is yours.
We don’t rise alone.
We rise, and then we reach back.
— Kathelyn Diaz Santana
Healthcare Professional | Mother | Lifelong Learner | Woman Still Becoming
