Clara generally works six to seven days a week. Between her roles as sole caregiver for her husband, Medical Assistant at Complete Primary Care Associates at UPMC Mercy, and Front Office Specialist at Family House, much of Clara’s life is spent serving others.
Originally from Spain, Clara began caring for her husband, Chris, amidst multiple medical concerns in 2021. Since then, he has undergone seven surgeries at a variety of Pittsburgh’s UPMC facilities, including UPMC Shadyside, UPMC Presbyterian, and multiple outpatient centers. For a while, after Clara left her job, her husband’s health was her singular focus.
Clara explains that until Chris said to her, “You’re actually good at taking care of me. Maybe you should do that for other people,” she never considered a career in healthcare. After a few months of brushing the idea aside, she started her current role at UPMC in January 2025. This is Clara’s first non-laboratory job in the medical field.
She first encountered Family House visiting the building’s Starbucks while her husband received care at UPMC Shadyside, and her frequent visits led to a job in September 2025. She noted that what she has developed at Family House is not a technical skill but a different perspective of the patient care experience. She has new insight into a patients’ barriers to care as well, including transportation, which is covered by the shuttle and Uber trips, and financial challenges, eased by the Family Assistance Program.
When Clara isn’t busy at the front desk, she ventures into the dining room to talk with guests, especially those who are sitting alone. “They remind me of myself in the surgical lounges waiting,” she said. Her experiences allow her to relate at an emotional level; she shared the story of a guest whose worry over her husband’s neurosurgery was alleviated when Clara shared that her own husband received excellent care in the hands of the same surgeon, Dr. Okonkwo. Practically, guests benefit from Clara’s familiarity with local UPMC hospitals when she gives them navigation tips before they leave Family House.
To Clara, some of the most rewarding parts of her job at Family House are hearing the guests’ stories and seeing the friendships they form. “The healing process is way more than just medications or instructions,” Clara explained. “It’s also, ‘be around your loved ones…’ Some people here, if it wasn’t for Family House, wouldn’t be able to have their families [nearby].”
If she didn’t live in Pittsburgh, Clara recognizes that she would have needed Family House’s services while her husband spent time in the hospital. Between the library, the therapy dogs (another favorite part of Clara’s job), and the exercise room “for relieving stress for caregivers,” Clara finds it hard to pick the best of Family House’s amenities. Homemade meals from volunteer groups rank among the top, however. To Clara, “sharing good food is healing.” Her concluding remark about Family House: “It’s just a good place.”
In the future, Clara hopes to attend Physician Assistant (PA) school while continuing to work at Family House. After finding a home in Pittsburgh, and a “home away from home” with Family House, Clara doesn’t plan to leave Pittsburgh anytime soon.
