Honoring Vireo’s Mothers

This Mother’s Day may look a little different for most.  The brunch outing will be substituted with a swift and safe curbside takeout meal (because moms shouldn’t cook on Sunday!).  Hugs with those we love will be shared either virtually or “air hugs” from a safe distance. 

What will remain unchanged is how we recognize the superhero status of all moms.  At Vireo Health, we feel honored to have so many amazing moms on our team, who each do an incredible job balancing their responsibilities as a parent and a working professional.

We recently interviewed a few of Vireo’s many moms and in honor of Mother’s Day 2020, we are happy to share a few of these amazing women’s stories and their tips for being successful working mothers!

Dundy Vang, Treasury Accounting Manager – Minnesota 

Dundy is a mom to her two-year-old son, Zen. He is “super sweet” even when he is “a bit naughty”. Her favorite part of being a mom is feeling like the “most important person in the world to a little human.”

Dundy says that one of the biggest challenges of being a mother is “trying to keep up with his energy level” and trying to sneak in vegetables into his meals to make sure he eats a balanced, healthy diet.

Finding a positive work/life balance is a challenge for all moms, but Dundy said she is “grateful to be an employee of Vireo, which understands the importance of family/work life balance.” Making sure to reserve some time for herself is important as well, that way she can be the best version of herself in all her roles – professional, mother and many others.

When asked about what advice she would give other mothers, Dundy shared a favorite quote, “Making a Happy Home starts with a Happy You.”

Aashna Satija Lappin, Pharm.D, Director of Retail Pharmacy – New York

Aashna is a mom to two children, her son Shay and stepdaughter Cadin. Shay just turned 6-months old and Cadin is 12.

On being a mother to a newborn, Aashna said, “it is amazing to be able to introduce him to everything in the world, everything is new to him. I also really enjoy all the cuddles, smiles, laughs and milestones!”

Aashna also loves being a stepmom to Cadin, who has been in her life since she was 6 years old. While Cadin’s background is Irish American, Aashna enjoys being able to share her Indian culture with her stepdaughter.  Cadin is turning into a lovely young woman and Aashna said, “watching her curiosity about different cultures grow as she has gotten older has been amazing!

Aashna and her family live in New York, which has been one of the initial hotspots of the COVID-19 outbreak, and she said one of the biggest challenges is focusing on the health of her family and simply getting enough sleep. She added, “with the current COVID pandemic and safety measures in place, it can be challenging working, taking care of such a young child, and having to take extra precautions whenever we go out – even for a quick walk”.

Aashna also talked about the challenges of striking the right work-life balance. She is a very driven and focused person who takes pride in always making herself available to her team of pharmacists and patient care coordinators. But having a baby has shifted her priorities, she said, “I now have to tell myself that it is okay to turn work off at a certain time and focus on my family.” 

As a mother of a newborn, Aashna has simple advice for other mothers, “try to slow down and smell the roses. Enjoy every moment!”

Julie Wills, Senior Executive Assistant – Minnesota

Julie is the stepmother to Madelon, a young woman who has been a part of Julie’s family since she was 7. Julie said that “family comes in many forms” and while she was not able to have children herself, Julie feels blessed to have Madelon in her life.

Julie recently gained a son-in-law as well, when Madelon got married! Julie views Madelon as her own daughter saying that it “is a gift to be here for her and see her grow into a loving adult.”

Julie wants to make sure all the mothers out there “enjoy their day!”

Of course, the holidays can be harder on some folks, those who have lost loved ones or face unseen challenges. Whether you have experienced loss or ache to become a mother, please know we see you and support you.

From all of us at Vireo Health, Happy Mother’s Day!