DOROTHY JOY COLODRO

Introducing Dorothy Joy Colodro, CHAMPS National team member and this week’s CHAMPion! Dorothy Joy joins CHAMPS National as a Research Assistant in Guam, bringing her passion for maternity care, health equity, food security, and humanitarian aid.

Dorothy Joy is dedicated to all things health and wellness. She previously studied herbal medicine to better understand the cultural connections people have with plants and medicine. Additionally, Dorothy Joy studied postpartum doula care to support families between maternity and the fourth trimester. She hopes to obtain her Certified Lactation Counselor® (CLC) certification in the near future.

Currently, Dorothy Joy is a senior nursing student at the University of Guam. She is especially passionate about mutual aid outreach on the island that addresses financial barriers to healthcare and food security. Dorothy Joy dreams of pursuing midwifery and volunteering with Doctors Without Borders.

Dorothy Joy shares: “We have a CHamoru concept called ‘inafa’ maolek.’ Quite literally, it means ‘to make good,’ and the island community practices it by taking care of one another. In truth, we are only as healthy as our sickest people. Working with CHEER has gifted me the opportunity to give back to this island, and our Micronesian neighbors, who have given me so much. I like to say that on a human level, my ultimate dream is to be a safe space for people, and this work allows me to do that for families.”

Welcome to the CHAMPS National team, Dorothy Joy! We are thrilled to celebrate you as our CHAMPion of the Week.