How SelfCare for HealthCare Started
In 1975, as a young nurse and mom, LeAnn Thieman volunteered to go to Vietnam to escort six babies to their adoptive homes in the United States. Upon arrival, as bombs were exploding outside of Saigon, she heard this message from President Ford authorizing Operation Baby Lift. Listen to President Ford's audio clip here.
Being accidentally caught up in the Vietnam Orphan Airlift changed LeAnn’s life. Years later, after working 30 years as a nurse at the bedside, she wrote a speech and book titled “Balancing Life in Your War Zones,” with stories and tools to care for ourselves in mind body and spirit to cope in the "war zones" of our daily lives. Then she was invited to author "Chicken Soup for the Nurses Soul", which hit the New York Times Best Seller list. LeAnn went on to write two more Chicken Soup books for nurses, one for Caregivers, then 11 more titles for that series. This opened the door to spread her message of self-care and life balance to her fellow nurses and caregivers at conferences, leadership retreats, and nurse recruitment events. Then healthcare leaders wanted more… something deeper… more sustainable, and with their help and insights she created SelfCare for HealthCare.
