Eleven-year-old Brennen Meiworm lay in his hospital bed, surrounded by beeping monitors and the sterile scent of antiseptic, when his future crystallized before him. While most children his age dreamed of becoming astronauts or professional athletes, Meiworm's inspiration came from the compassionate figures who took care of him.
“It put me through the wringer, I went through so many surgeries and had so many medications,” he says, recalling the day doctors diagnosed him with Crohn's disease—on his 11th birthday.
During those long, painful days of treatment, Meiworm found unexpected guides. While doctors managed his medical care, it was the nurses who made a difference and had a big impact on him. They were the ones who turned clinical interactions into human connections that would alter the trajectory of his life.
“Many of them came from CU Nursing, and I saw they had this excellence about them, and I hope to embody that,” he says. “From my hospital bed – I told my family this was what I was going to do. I was going to be a nurse.”
Becoming a Nurse
For Meiworm, the University of Colorado College of Nursing at Anschutz Medical Campus represented more than an educational institution—it was the embodiment of his childhood promise. He strategically charted his path through the Integrated Nursing Pathway (INP), beginning with prerequisites at the Community College of Denver.
“I’ve loved every part of nursing school,” he says. “I know that’s crazy to say, but I’ve loved it. I even loved taking my exams. I enjoy the connection I have with patients, and I see patients as people instead of a room number.”
The driving force behind Meiworm’s passion for becoming a nurse is knowing he will take care of patients who are just like him.
“It’s easy for me to empathize with patients,” he says. “I know what it's like to be on the other side, and I hope that’s shown in the care I give them. I want to be able to ask more questions to see what they’re feeling and maybe help lead the conversation, I can help them.”
A Career in the ER
Now, as Meiworm stands at the threshold of his professional life, he has chosen to return to what he once considered "the scariest place"—the emergency room. His decision isn't despite his childhood fears but because of them.
“I hope if I’m in the ER, I can help more patients and give as much care as possible,” he says. “I want to hold hands just for a little bit longer, sit in the room, talk to patients, and spread some good in the world.”
In a healthcare system often criticized for impersonal care, Meiworm represents a powerful counternarrative—the patient who became the caregiver, transforming personal suffering into a wellspring of compassion.
