Putting the Care Into Healthcare: How Mosaic Helped Restore Natali’s Faith in the System

At Mosaic, putting the “care” into healthcare means connecting with patients on a personal level—just like Community Health Worker Kyle Fitzgerald did in Natali’s story. Our mission is to provide trusted quality care, with compassion and support for all. Here’s what that human connection looks like at Mosaic.

Mosaic Community Health Worker Kyle Fitzgerald with patient Natali Ruiz.

Natali Ruiz had experienced a lifetime of pain and disappointment in the healthcare system when she decided to give up.

“I didn’t want help anymore,” she admitted. “I was over it. I didn’t care anymore.”

As a transplant recipient at just two years old, Natali had received a second chance at life—a new liver that saved her from a complete organ failure caused by severe jaundice. But while the transplant was meant to give her a fresh and more healthy start to life, what followed was years of unexplained pain, seemingly endless hospital visits and no answers as to why. The effect on her quality of life was dramatic and constant.

“I was a hospital kid — always sick, always absent from school,” said Natali, who lives and grew up in Bend. “It became really hard to keep up and make friends.”

It wasn’t until her teenage years that physicians discovered the transplant had not been performed correctly. Natali had endured years of avoidable suffering.

Now at 22 years old, Natali is reclaiming control over her health, thanks in part to the compassionate support she found at Mosaic Community Health. Her connection with Community Health Worker Kyle Fitzgerald—himself a transplant recipient—helped Natali see her journey in a new light and provided her with the resources to rebuild her relationship with the specialists who could best ensure her long-term well-being.

A Childhood Spent in Hospitals

Natali’s health struggles began at birth. Though she was born a healthy baby, she developed jaundice shortly after delivery. A missed opportunity to place her in an incubator led to the destruction of her liver.

“The jaundice killed my liver completely,” Natali said. “They did a bunch of surgeries trying to fix it, but nothing worked. So when I was two, I got a liver transplant.”

What should have been a turning point in her health journey instead marked the beginning of a childhood spent in and out of hospitals. Despite the transplant, Natali continued to experience chronic pain.

It wasn’t until high school that doctors discovered a critical mistake: the surgeons had failed to open the left-side bile ducts during her transplant. So in 2019, Natali underwent surgery to remove the non-functioning portion of her liver.

“For 15 years, they didn’t know [what was wrong],” she said. “From there on after the surgery, though, I became a different person. I don’t go to the hospital as much anymore. I can stay somewhat healthy now.”

But even after the surgery, Natali remained disillusioned by the healthcare system and was hesitant to engage with healthcare providers.

Losing—and Finding—Faith in Healthcare

After years of frustration, one experience in particular pushed Natali to step away from medical care entirely: a hospital visit for severe pain, where she felt ignored and dismissed. It broke her faith. After all she’d been through, the experience felt like a betrayal of trust, causing her to stop seeking medical help altogether.

For someone with a transplant, neglecting medical care is a dangerous choice, but Natali was emotionally exhausted.

“I thought, ‘I had the surgery, I’m fine now. I don’t need to go back.’”

But then she met with her provider at Mosaic Community Health, Family Nurse Practitioner Sian Heyworth. Concerned about some irregularities in her bloodwork, Heyworth encouraged her to reconnect with the OHSU liver transplant team.

“I broke down crying,” said Nitalia. “I told her, ‘You don’t understand what I’ve been through. I don’t want help anymore.’”

Rather than push, Heyworth listened. And then she introduced Natali to someone who could truly relate to her experience: Kyle Fitzgerald.

A Life-Changing Connection

Kyle Fitzgerald, a Community Health Worker at Mosaic, had undergone a kidney transplant in 2022. Understanding the complexities of life as a transplant recipient, he knew how crucial it was for Natali to reconnect with her specialists.

“Transplant patients need to check in at least once a year,” Kyle said. “If anything starts going wrong, they need to get on it immediately.”

But beyond the logistics of her care, Kyle helped Natali shift her perspective.

“He told me, ‘Don’t give up. We are very important to the world because we got lucky with an organ donation,’” Natali said. “He made me realize that I’m not the only person going through this.”

Kyle helped her navigate the complicated process of reestablishing care with Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU), from setting up appointments to ensuring she had all the necessary medical records. Thanks to his support, she’s already attended an important telehealth visit with the OHSU transplant team and is scheduled for an in-person visit in the fall.

“He helped me realize how special I am,” Natali said. “That I shouldn’t take what I’ve been given for granted.”

How Mosaic Community Health Bridges the Gaps

Natali’s story is a testament to the patient-centered approach at Mosaic. As a nonprofit Community Health Center, Mosaic goes beyond traditional primary care, ensuring that patients have access to the resources they need. This includes medical treatment, behavioral health support and assistance with social determinants of health like transportation and housing.

“Mosaic doesn’t just send patients away with referrals,” Kyle said. “We help them through the process. A lot of places don’t do that.”

This comprehensive approach ensures that patients like Natali don’t fall through the cracks, especially during times when they’ve lost faith in the healthcare system. Now, with renewed determination, Natali is focused on her future.

“I want to live as long as I can,” she said. “If I make it to 185, that would be amazing.”

Her journey hasn’t been easy, but with the right support, she is embracing the life she has fought so hard for. And thanks to Mosaic and the compassion and caring of its staff, she’s no longer navigating it alone.

Read more about how Mosaic makes an impact in the community through its values of Inclusion, Respect, Openness, Collaboration, Integrity, Advocacy and Transformation.

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