Health challenges touched 2 women’s lives, and shaped their futures

Health challenges -- whether medical or self-induced -- can be life-changing, shaping one’s goals and providing clarity in choosing a career. Here are two women who, for very different reasons, made career choices with the common goal of helping others.

Jacqueline Mann had had three open-heart surgeries before she was 4. In this Chicago Tribune story, she explains: “I was born with tetralogy of fallot. It’s like four separate heart defects,” said Mann. The 17-year-old honors student now wants to be a cardiologist.

Sally Head developed an awareness about the importance of healthy living after running a marathon, completing a triathlon and becoming a vegan. In this Chicago Tribune story she explains why she left her job at McDonald’s Corp. to run her own boot camp:

“I needed to do something with my life that was giving back to others or helping people ... And here I was, this healthy person working for this company that was very good to me, but we just didn’t share the same values.”

Helping others is what motivates most people to seek jobs in the medical and fitness fields. It’s no wonder that MonsterJob.com’s “Five in-demand careers that make a difference” are all in the medical field as are many of the government jobs listed at MakingtheDifference.org.

For those who feel the need to switch professions, JobsforChange.org can show you how to get started.