On November 9, the College of Health and Human Services will host the 2018 Health and Human Services Hero Awards to recognize the unsung heroes in our community whose actions, thoughts and words have had a transformative impact in our region. We will highlight the nine honorees in our Heroes Blog Series.
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Name: Cynthia Fuller
Occupation: Physical Therapist
Nominated by: Department of Physical Therapy
In 2007, Cynthia Fuller’s life changed dramatically when she suffered from, and subsequently survived, a brain injury. The brief setback threatened her beloved career as a physical therapist and hindered her ability to work closely with physical therapy students and the Central Valley community she loves. However, Fuller remained optimistic and positive throughout her recovery. She now uses her experience as a catalyst, and makes it her mission to educate others about brain injuries.
Now a decade later, Fuller continues to serve as a physical therapist, working in a variety of settings from acute care, home health and neurological rehabilitation, among others. She says her passion in the field lies with helping those who survived trauma as a result of illness or neurological factors.
“It is important to serve the community, particularly those who may not have access to healthcare. Ultimately, I want to empower individuals to be able to live and function independently.”
For over 30 years, Fuller has been able to do just that. She credits her clients, patients and students for inspiring her long career and motivating her to continue, regardless of any obstacles that come her way.
In addition, Fuller has remained a steadfast supporter of the Physical Therapy program at Fresno State, where she has served as clinical faculty to doctoral students working at the on-campus Gait, Balance and Mobility Clinic. Through this collaborative work, she is able to combine her passion of working with students and her love of lifelong learning. Fuller remains grateful for these opportunities, saying it gives her a second chance at life.
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The 2018 Health and Human Services Hero Awards, which celebrates heroes from each of the seven departments, as well as centers and institutes within our college, will be held on November 9, 2018 at Fresno State. For more information on the event, contact Beth Wilkinson at 559.278.3603 or bwilkinson@csufresno.edu.
Fresno State College of Health and Human Services 