Limited mobility prevented Lindsey Edmonds from achieving her childhood dream of becoming a nurse, but it won't stop her from helping people.

Born with spina bifida, a birth defect affecting the central nervous system, Edmonds was inspired by her mother, Kristen Ericson, a nurse, and Joyce Olson, a nurse who worked at the KU Medical Center.

"Joyce Olson really affected my life," Edmonds said.

She enrolled at Emporia State University, but realized her limited mobility would pose difficulty for her in the field of nursing. So she transferred to Kansas State University and finished her bachelor's degree in dietetics. She then passed her boards and became a licensed dietitian. She enrolled in the master's program at the KU Med Center and will graduate this month with a master's in dietetics and nutrition.

She'll take a job at Children's Mercy Hospital as the education coordinator with Phit Club, a program that helps children and families deal with health issues such as obesity and help them make sound choices regarding nutrition.

"I'm really looking forward to getting started," she said. "I'll be doing the same kind of thing I hoped to, helping people."

While earning her master's, Edmonds worked as a trainee in the Leadership and Education in Neurodevelopment and Other Related Disabilities program, or LENS at the KU Hospital. She helped individuals with spina bifida, cystic fibrosis, cerebral palsy and developmental disabilities such as autism and Asperger's syndrome.

Edmonds' father, Joe Edmonds, a custodial manager with the Department of Student Housing – who took his own unique path to a KU degree by waiting almost 20 years between starting and finishing his degree – said he admires the way Lindsey overcame her obstacles to accomplish her goal of helping others.

"That's just one of the reasons I'm proud of her," he said.