Message from AHVAP President-Elect

How do you define courage? Can you strengthen your ability to be courageous? How do you picture someone who think of as courageous? Do you think of your actions and interactions as acts of courage?

I was recently reading a book to my four-year-old granddaughter, “I am Courage, A Book of Resilience” by Susan Verde. In this beautiful children’s book, Verde talks about what it could mean to a child or young girl to be courageous. She talks about times when we feel challenged or unsure, and the importance of the message we tell ourselves. Verde talks about the importance of our “self-talk” much like Zig Ziglar states many times in his leadership presentations, “that the most important conservation you have is the one you have with yourself.” Verde encourages children in her book to “look deep inside yourself and find the strength that lives deep down.” In times of uncertainty, she challenges us to believe our bravery and to “trust what my gut is telling me, to believe in myself.”

I do not know about you, but as I read this story to Emily, I could not help but think about my fellow Value Analysis Professionals and the last two years. The great measures each of you have taken to provide products for patient care and the creativity and bravery you have displayed in your work over these past days.

I also reflect on our AHVAP path and the courage and bravery our organization has displayed for our members, other organizations, and our industry! I am humbly and tremendously proud of our organization, past, present, and, most importantly, future. AHVAP is truly leading the way. not only for our members and other organizations, but, I believe, for our industry.

As Verde closes her book, she shares, “We are strong. We are capable. We are important. We are courage.”

I cannot describe AHVAP and our members better than these impactful statements. I am proud to be on this courageous journey with you!

Karen Niven, MS, BSN, RN, CVAHP™
President-Elect, Board of Directors
AHVAP