Elizabeth “Lizzy” Mirekuaa Lartey has a deep passion for her African heritage and nursing.
And when Lartey ‘22 – a Fitchburg State University alumna who currently works as a staff nurse on a medical surgical unit (6 West) at UMass Memorial Medical Center University Campus – decided to turn the two into a “labor of love,” Heritage Scrubs was born into a business venture in 2023.
Heritage Scrubs are custom-made and true-to-size fitting scrubs designed for the healthcare worker in mind. The scrubs are made with quality, soft and slightly stretchy fabrics to adapt to the body’s constant movement. Lartey designs these fashion-forward scrubs with African textile – some with vibrant colors – to “bring out the culturally competent healthcare provider in you and to make you outstanding.”
“I launched Heritage Scrubs to create a sense of cultural awareness and the hope of healing for patients when they see the African wax print fabric and the Gye Nyame, which is an Adinkra symbol that means ‘except for God’ and symbolizes the supremacy, omnipotence, and omnipresence of God, logo,” said Lartey.
Lartey said that the styles are uniquely made.
“The prints used often have meaning as symbols and play a significant role in communication in the African continent,” she said.
There is a message that Lartey wants to convey with her scrubs.
“It’s giving the assurance of ‘I’m here for you,’ ‘I understand you even in your challenging health situation,’ and ‘I am your advocate.’ I want my customers to feel enthusiastic about the competent care they provide to the varying cultures of patients they care for,” said Lartey. “The styles also help promote self love in giving a stylish look, while feeling comfortable in your own body regardless of the body type the customer has.”
Lartey says that most customers love the quality, affordability, stylishness, the soft texture and the uniqueness of her product line.
She says that the scrubs are a huge hit on the UMass Medical campus and other nursing facilities across Worcester.
“My co-workers practically switched my name from Lizzy to Heritage,” said Lartey. “Moving forward, I intend on stocking local shops like Walmart with my uniforms and being contracted by nursing schools to supply students’ scrubs. I also intend on revamping my website and keeping it updated to attract customers while facilitating easy-only purchases.”
This labor of love has a much greater meaning to Lartey, as most of the proceeds supplement funding for the free health screening and education offered in communities across Ghana.
“I find this so satisfying,” said Lartey.
The LPN-BSN Bridge Program has been one of the best leaps of faith I have taken. Despite being a wife and mother of two at the start of the program, I was able to juggle the workload and graduated with honors with the support of the amazing faculty, my dedicated family and my comrades. The faculty at Fitchburg State University holds a special place in my heart.
Lartey, 32, who was born in Ghana and immigrated to Worcester in 2012, graduated from the accelerated Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) to Bachelor of Science in the Nursing Bridge Program at Fitchburg State.
“The LPN-BSN Bridge Program has been one of the best leaps of faith I have taken,” said Lartey. “Despite being a wife and mother of two at the start of the program, I was able to juggle the workload and graduated with honors with the support of the amazing faculty, my dedicated family and my comrades. The faculty at Fitchburg State University holds a special place in my heart.”
Fitchburg State nursing instructor Jennifer Dupuis said she worked with Lartey during her first semester nursing course, Transitions from LPN to Professional Nursing, and during her first med-surg course in the summer.
“(Lartey’s) passion and work ethic really showed through in clinical, simulation and lab settings,” said Dupuis. “She always participated in class discussions, assisted other peers in the course, and maintained good study habits.
“I am thrilled to see Lizzy’s success after graduation,” said Dupuis. “She was always a very driven student and I knew she would do great things.”
Lartey recalls how the university was so accommodating during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“They brainstormed and helped us transition into 100 percent remote learning, while understanding that we are juggling family and work alongside schooling,” said Lartey.
Fitchburg State also was accommodating when Lartey went into labor with her third child the day she was supposed to take her final in Associate Professor Melissa Dunn’s class.
“She was understanding and gave me an extension to take my final exam when I had
been discharged and settled in at home,” Lartey said.
Dupuis, who has taught in the LPN-BSN Bridge Program for more than six years, said she appreciates the drive of her students.
“Most of these students are working and raising families while going to school,” said Dupuis. “I am always in awe of their motivation and work ethic. Lizzy is no exception. She was working and raising a family all throughout school. This stands as a testament to her unwavering dedication to the nursing profession.”
Lartey’s passion for nursing stems all the way back to when she was born.
“I was born at the crack of dawn under a street light, due to a lack of access to healthcare,” she said. “The nearest health center was about 30 miles away, and my mother and grandmother attempted walking to the health center because there was no other means of transportation. This inspired my journey to pursue nursing and to give quality care wholeheartedly to my patients.”
Lartey began her healthcare career as a phlebotomist. She worked as a specimen processor and got accepted into the Licensed Practical Nursing (LPN) program at Bay Path Practical Nursing Academy from 2017-2018. She then pursued the accelerated LPN to BSN Program at Fitchburg State University from 2019- 2022.
“Obtaining my BSN from Fitchburg State University has helped equip me with nursing knowledge, clinical experiences, leadership skills, and teamwork,” said Lartey.
After graduating from Fitchburg State, she juggled work and family before eventually applying and being accepted into the accelerated BSN to DNP program at UMass Chan Medical School Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing. Lartey said she was guided by Dr. Akwasi Duah, who was previously nursing faculty at Fitchburg State and currently is the director of the Graduate Entry Pathway Program at UMass Chan.
Lartey is in her second year in the Family Nurse Practitioner track.
The nursing program at Fitchburg State will always hold a special place in Lartey’s heart.
“It is the best out there,” said Lartey. “The faculty are so knowledgeable and experienced. They are dedicated to the total success of their students, even after graduation. I always recommend Fitchburg State University’s nursing programs whenever I encounter people who are aiming to pursue LPN-BSN or nursing in general.”
Lartey has many loves, including her family and children, but she is also passionate about providing free health education and screenings for the Ghanaian community of Worcester, and mentoring young people who aspire to become nurses.
“It brings me great joy when I am able to convey medical information and knowledge into the simplest understanding for the Ghanaian community,” Lartey said. “This includes helping them understand blood pressure and glucose readings, routine medical screenings, and its significance.”
Lartey’s end goal, she said, is to work in the community of Worcester in promoting health, especially among the Ghanaian community in relation to hypertension and diabetes management. She also intends to continue educating and screening rural communities across Ghana on global health missions.
“Later in life, I hope to mobilize funds and build a clinic with an OB-GYN facility in my hometown Kwahu Pepease, in memory of my birth while providing access to healthcare,” said Lartey.
Now that’s passion.
(Photos by Hallie Leo)