MILWAUKEE – She first made headlines in 2020 as Wisconsin’s first double-lung transplant recipient recovering from Covid-19. Three years later Carmen Lerma is using that experience to help others navigate their own healthcare and getting recognized for it.
“What it means to be the Hispanic woman of the year, it means a lot to me,” Lerma said. “It means my passion. It means never giving up. It means taking care of others in my family—everything. My strength it just paid off.”
After nearly a quarter century of event planning around culture and heritage in the Hispanic community, Lerma made the shift to healthcare, doing community relations work for Anthem Blue Cross.
Lerma said as more people learned about her transplant and Covid-19 experience, she was motivated to help others be as healthy as possible.
“I’m not the type of person to sit back and dwell about what you have going and all the stuff,” she said. “I’m the type of person that gets up in the morning and says thank God. Give me another day and give me the strength to make it through.”
For the past year, Lerma has been using her second chance at life to help others at food pantries, community events, and clinics like the Muslim Community and Health Center of Wisconsin. There Lerma has become a regular fixture, educating visitors on vaccines, insurance, and all things health.
“She meets our team members as if she knows them right from childhood,” MCHC Clinic CEO Arman Tahir said. “She treats them with the utmost respect.”
It’s that attitude and community focus Umos spokesperson Rod Ritcherson said earned Lerma the 2023 title of Umos Hispanic Woman of the Year.
“Carmen is the type of person where she thinks of others first, even when she was lying in her hospital bed,” Ritcherson said. “She was always thinking about others.”
Lerma admits despite her optimism her health journey has at times been difficult with complications around diabetes, anxiety, and 52 pills a day to manage but said it’s her commitment to community that keeps her going.
“I always tell everyone, if you need me you know how to find me. I’m everywhere,” Lerma said. “Never give up and believe in yourself. Get up in the morning say thank you for another day and just move on and you’ll see how your day will get better.”
Carmen will officially be awarded the title at a Banquet on Oct. 20 at the Pfister Hotel. In a full circle moment, the event is one of the many she used to help plan.
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