Barbara Foster was diagnosed with scleroderma in the early 1990s. The autoimmune disease affected her circulation and has resulted in the amputation of two fingers. In 2003 the Massachusetts native and ICU nurse made the difficult decision to relocate to a warmer environment in hopes of minimizing the disease’s effects. Foster restarted her career in the ICU at WellStar Cobb Hospital in Georgia—and almost simultaneously restarted the diaper-and-bottle phase of working motherhood: the Fosters had recently adopted their baby daughter, Jillian, from South Korea. Life was good, but the constant hand washing and infection exposure in the ICU led Foster to transition into a different career track at WellStar, in order to continue in her beloved profession of nursing. “Thanks to Barb’s positive outlook, her chronic pain and health issues haven’t affected her caring bedside manner or spirit,” says Martha Yarber, RN, Foster’s coworker and friend. “She showcases her passion for nursing by adapting to these challenges in order to continue her career.”

“I was worried I would not be able to function as a nurse after my first finger was amputated and I was not able to do everything I could before,” says Foster. “After my second amputation, it was not as overwhelming. The more active I am physically and emotionally, the better I feel.” And Foster is certainly active: she has volunteered for a local youth soccer program, as well as being a school and outreach volunteer. And she’s always ready to lend a helping hand to friends and neighbors in need by caring for their kids, offering medical assistance and preparing meals. Foster and her husband also help care for her in-laws, who live with them. “We have a wonderful relationship with my in-laws,” Foster says. “Both have had medical issues over the past nine years and my husband and I have been able to assist them as the need arose.”

Foster’s top three tips for working moms are: organization (“I keep an agenda/calendar and try not to procrastinate”); choose your battles (“We try to let our boys make their choices, and pray we have given them the foundation to make the right ones”); and enjoy every aspect of work and home and give your very best to both. Foster cherishes time with her family. “Weekends and evenings are especially precious to us,” she says. “We try to have meals together and just enjoy quality time.” She credits WellStar with helping her balance her work and personal life. “WellStar has allowed me time off when my family life requires it. There’s a mutual flexibility which has been a huge advantage to my professional and family life. The challenges working mothers face can be difficult. It’s nice that WellStar not only identifies those challenges but honors working moms.”