It’s one of those life lessons. You sometimes don’t realize how important something is until it’s not available. For one CSL Behring employee, a shortage of a vital resource led to a new perspective and a rewarding new career.
“As a physician working in a hospital, I took for granted that supplies, like plasma-based therapies, will always be there,” Dr. Heather Strickland said. “Now, working for CSL Behring, I see the other side of plasma collection, and I fully understand how critically important it is.”
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A pediatrician in the Medford, Oregon, area, Heather worked for 30 years treating children. During this time, she also became a plasma donor at CSL Behring’s Medford collection center. She recalls an experience when she realized just how important plasma collection truly is.
“The hospital where I worked was short of a plasma-based treatment,” Heather said. “The risk of not having enough of this therapy can negatively impact health outcomes and made me realize just how important these types of products are.”
This appreciation inspired Heather’s next career move in late-2017 when she became a Medical Staff Associate at the Medford plasma collection center. In her role, she screens and educates donors so that they have a full understanding of the significance of their donation in helping people with life-threatening conditions. Heather feels that her career move has enriched her professional life.
“I’ve come full circle,” Heather said. “Working at CSL Behring gives me so many things beyond a paycheck. One of these things is a deeper respect for plasma collection.”
