My name is Diane DeBerry. I am the oldest of five children raised by a single mother in the rural West Tennessee, in the suburbs of Jackson, Tennessee.

My father was killed in Viet Nam when I was two years old. My mother gave birth to a still born son after hearing of his passing. I was too young to know then but I do remember the abusive relationships she had in the years that followed. She never remarried. We grew up very humble but the love and care were abundant. I mean we didn't have indoor plumbing until I was seven years old! Later on, I was raised for the most part by my grandmother who recently left us. I can say that my best childhood's friend was my grandfather who recently succumbed to cancer at 84. When my mother fell ill with colon cancer and could no longer care for him in Tennessee, he came and stayed with us.

At sixteen, I became a single mother myself. My baby's dad left us soon after. I started to focus harder on my education. I finished in the top ten percent of my graduating class. I obtained numerous scholarships from colleges all across the United States. I choose Tennessee State University in Nashville, TN, to be close to my daughter. Believing in family and marriage, I got married. I have two children from my first marriage. It was a very abusive relationship that ended after five years. My second marriage ended after six years and the third after only one year. I guess "if at first you don't succeed try and try again and again".

I have experienced having to leave everything and to run for my life many times. I have stayed in women's shelters both in Tennessee and right here in Anderson. I never gave up on life and the pursuit of my education and happiness. I learned from my failures and I was never afraid to start all over from scratch.

Taking care of my grandfather was the ultimate test of my inner strength, my unconditional love and my nursing knowledge. I experienced a tremendous inner peace during our time together prior to his passing. The dealing with the lack of sufficient resources to control his illness motivated me to continue my education. Beth Tharp has been my personal one woman cheering squad here at CHA. Without God and her encouragement and belief in me, I would not have achieved all that I have thus far.

I began working at Community Hospital Anderson in 2000 on Extended Care as a MLPN while going to school at Ball State University pursuing three simultaneous degrees, ASN, MA in applied gerontology and physiology. Recently with the encouragement of my family and friends and of course Beth, I completed my clinical nurse specialist degree in Palliative Care and Family Nurse Practitioner. I love CHA. It is like an extended family and my home away from home. Two life changing events have happened here during my employment. I lost my grandfather on Extended Care in 2000 to cancer. Three years later, my grand-daughter Ariah arrived at our New Generations Birthing Center.

I'm now a grandmother. In the loving shadow of my mom and my grandmother before her, I'm now on a mission to provide the same love and care not only to my family but to everyone I encounter.

Great Smokey Moutains
Graceland in Mephis TN

Cotton Field in Denmark TN where I grew up