Our May Staff Spotlight features Ebony Jordan. Ebony Jordan is the lead Mammography Technician here at The Loretto Hospital. She has been a member of the team since 2012. Ebony started as an X-ray technician, but when the opportunity to go back to school for mammography presented itself, she took full advantage. She was fortunate to train under a mammography technician that became her mentor. Through it all, Ebony found her calling and a career she loves. Her motivation comes from effecting change in a patient’s life. “I love it when they come in afraid and have heard all of the mammogram horror stories, but by the time I’m done, they’re like, oh that wasn’t bad at all!” That means they won’t be so hesitant when they get that reminder letter from me in the mail. They will call and schedule their next mammogram. That’s what drives me, knowing that I turned a hard no, into an okay fine and sometimes even a YES!”
Growing up in Roger’s Park on the North Side, Ebony graduated from Lane Tech High School. She initially went to college at SIU Carbondale, but found it was not a good fit and decided to move back home. She began working as a Unit Receptionist at St. Francis Hospital in Evanston and discovered she enjoyed working in health care. St. Francis has an x-ray technician program that allowed Ebony to take class during the day and work at night. In 2005, Ebony graduated from the St. Francis School of Radiology.
When asked which accomplishments make her most proud, Ebony cites her two sons. “Being a mom has been such a challenge and comes with a lot of pressure. Being able to raise them and provide for them makes me so proud of myself. To talk to them and hear my oldest son use big words that I don’t even use on a regular basis, seeing them so happy with not a care in the world just makes me feel like I did something right, but also motivates me to keep doing whatever it is that I’m doing.”
Ebony likes The Loretto Hospital because it’s a small community hospital that allows for regular interaction with patients. “A patient may have a mammogram today and then you will see them in the parking lot tomorrow on their way to the lab, and we just walk and talk into the building together. If they can’t remember my name, they will definitely say, “Hi Mammogram Lady! That kind of love only happens at community hospitals like The Loretto Hospital.”