Jordi Hernandez (BSW ’24) donated bone marrow to his little sister, helped his father through life-threatening coronary issues, logs 40 hours a week in social work and still spends 24 hours each weekend toiling in a factory.
Somehow, some way, he keeps on smiling.
“Positivity is huge,” Hernandez said. “I’ve become very appreciative of that—be positive even if life isn’t always positive. Showing positivity helps you to get to know others and to help people through their hard times.”
Hernandez’s journey to his career today—working as a social service specialist at Parkview Regional Medical Center—would have derailed a less-positive person. Obstacles abounded, starting with the fact he’s a first-generation college student who speaks English as a second language. Hernandez spent countless hours learning effective ways to study and manage his time at Saint Francis since he worked full time while earning his degree.
After enrolling at Saint Francis out of Bishop Luers High School, Hernandez started his academic career in biology/pre-med, and then switched to nursing. Around the time of his switch, his younger sister Camila—then 4 years old—was diagnosed with leukemia. “It was so scary. Many times, we had to go to the hospital in the middle of the night,” he said.
Hernandez decided to explore an alternative major. “I knew I wanted to do something in the medical field,” Hernandez said. “I decided to give social work a try and took it upon myself to figure out if social work was a good fit. I have a love for psychology and the medical field and, slowly but surely, I came to love it. Then, my sophomore to junior year, my dad nearly passed away and that was really a turning point for me.”
With his sister receiving cancer treatments, his father Arcadio suffered coronary artery spasms—which mimics a heart attack—and then experienced the trauma of a collapsed lung during a biopsy. Arcadio had already been dealing with lifelong pulmonary disease.
“I turned my studies into high gear as a junior, and I think that’s because my focus was how people were helping my dad and sister. I wanted to get to where I wished to be before it was too late,” Hernandez said. “I wanted my father to see me making it, and that gave me reason to be even more motivated and put more effort into education.”
Hernandez credits Social Work Program Director Lori Westropp and former faculty member Danielle Peterson with encouraging him to keep pushing forward. “It was very rocky, and I know I was a lot to deal with, but I’m very appreciative of what they did for me,” Hernandez said.
As Hernandez prepared to begin his career, he learned he would be a perfect bone marrow donor for his sister. He volunteered without hesitation, and Parkview officials agreed to let him delay the start of his work with them while sacrificing for this sister. “My sister had been battling cancer for four years. She didn’t deserve to continue fighting it and I wanted to help if I could,” he said.
Camila has been declared cancer-free, Jordi said, but remains in Riley Children’s Health in Indianapolis as she continues to gain strength and health. “She’s energetic and her hair is growing back and it’s good to see her happy again,” Hernandez said.
Hernandez has also done his best to come alongside his mother Maria to take care of his father’s health issues. “I was in fear for him, but I knew I needed to be calm and not panic externally—that’s a gift and I’m appreciative to have that ability to be calm as things happen.”
Hernandez takes that sense of calm and tries to spread it to patients who are anxious and wary of medical procedures. Since his family speaks only Spanish at home, Hernandez has often been the interpreter for his parents in medical situations. He occasionally does so for other Spanish-speaking families at Parkview.
“I assist patients in non-clinical settings, guiding them toward agencies and connections and making sure they are heard, if they’re afraid to speak up,” Hernandez said. “I talk with patients’ families and get to know them. A lot of patients are on edge, so I try to ease their minds.”
Hernandez plans to continue his academic career in graduate school, adding another chapter to his story of commitment and perseverance.
“Jordi’s strength lies not just in overcoming challenges, but in his unwavering kindness, compassion, determination and belief that you can make the world a better place,” Westropp said. “He is a voice for others and is destined to inspire change and advocate for those in need.”