What happens when a physician notices something seemingly small but deeply meaningful missing from patient care? Dr. Nekaiya Jacobs Pratt, a pediatric critical care physician, transformed hospital culture by addressing a gap that affected her patients with textured hair.

During the isolating days of the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Kay found herself questioning her place in medicine. The emotional weight of caring for critically ill children had always been balanced by the joy of seeing them recover, but something was missing. When she noticed hospitalized children with textured hair weren't receiving appropriate hair care products, she took matters into her own hands, literally. She began bringing products from home and braiding patients' hair on her days off.

This personal mission evolved into something remarkable: a hospital-wide initiative providing culturally appropriate hair care products across six states and a children's book called "The Magic Bonnet" that serves as her "love letter" to this work. The impact runs deeper than appearance; it fundamentally changes how patients experience care and how providers see their patients.

"When patients feel seen and they feel like you are not just the lab result or the CT scan...they participate in their own healing," Dr. Kay explains. Through education involving mannequin heads with various hair textures, she's transformed a hushed subject into an opportunity for connection. Healthcare providers who once avoided conversations about different hair types now confidently advocate for their patients' hair care needs.

Dr. Kay's message resonates beyond pediatrics: "Bring your whole self to work." By embracing our unique perspectives and lived experiences, we address healthcare disparities and provide care that honors patients as whole people. Her story reminds us that meaningful change often begins with noticing what others have overlooked and being brave enough to do something about it.

Join us for this inspiring conversation about finding purpose in medicine, the power of cultural competence, and how small acts of dignity can transform healthcare from the inside out.

For more about Dr. Kay

> please visit her at www.heyitskaymd.com

> and check out her book The Magic Bonnet

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