Tanya Momand: A Heart for Healing

Lathrop High School senior Tanya Momand founded a youth-led nonprofit called Healing Through Books with her older sister to stack the book carts for young patients at St. Joseph’s Medical Center. The nonprofit’s Instagram account can be found @healingthroughbooks.i; posts draw attention to the effort and drum up support for other health fundraisers.

“I started Healing Through Books because I wanted to bring comfort to patients in hospitals through the power of stories. After seeing how difficult hospital stays can be, I felt inspired to do something meaningful for people facing health challenges,” Tanya said.

This past spring, their efforts paid off and they were able to donate more than 300 books. “The money is used to purchase new books and materials like bookmarks and handwritten letters to include with each donation,” she said.

The initiative gained some much-needed support from Lathrop High School. Teacher Pamela Crowhurst, librarian Jennifer Spellman and library media technician Jeana Penko have all aided the book drive.

Tanya and her sister, Metra, started the project last September on Instagram and already they have 833 followers. “This experience has helped me grow as a leader and reminded me how important it is to support others during tough times,” she said. “It has made me more grateful and more motivated to continue helping people through service.”

Tanya was inspired to start the book project when a young family member had to spend time in the hospital. She hopes the initiative grows. “I also plan to expand Healing Through Books to reach more hospitals and patients throughout California,” Tanya explained.

Tanya’s empathy and drive to make a difference extends to her future, as well. “I hope to become a pediatrician so I can continue caring for others and improving lives through medicine,” she said.