Teenagers often resist getting medical treatment for various reasons, including fear and concerns about body image.

Instead of lecturing the teen Foy-Watson, MSW, PhD, had a high school football player who had a successful heart transplant  talk to Courtney.

Courtney immediately agreed to the surgery after meeting Josh Winstead. In fact, Josh took her to his prom a week before her surgery.

“I guess me doing what I do, being a kid, helped out the most,” Josh said. “It was more just showing her how normal my life is.”

Social workers play a key role in helping clients secure good healthcare. To learn more, visit the National Association of Social Workers “Help Starts Here” Health & Wellness Web page by clicking here. Social workers have also met with Hollywood screenwriters to educate them about women’s health issues. Click here to read a SocialWorkersSpeak.org article on the latest meeting in March.