LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. –
When the term "military spouse" is mentioned, the image of a family-oriented parent and partner may come to mind. However, Holly Snyder goes above and beyond the stereotype, providing counseling, care and comfort to families that suffer from genetic conditions and disorders.
Holly is married to Maj. Brian Snyder, Air Combat Command A8 directorate of requirements executive officer.
"We've been married for more than six years now, and can't tell you how special she is to me," he said. "But, she makes such a difference in the lives of many families in the local community."
Holly is a certified genetic counselor at Eastern Virginia Medical School, where she cares for hundreds of patients and serves as a patient advocate and a genetic resource to physicians. Genetic counselors provide information and support to families who have members with birth defects, genetic disorders or who may be at risk for a variety of inherited conditions.
Brian remarked that while her workdays are stressful, they are very heartfelt.
"She may start the day accompanying a physician on a visit to an inpatient with an unclear diagnosis. She observes the patient and the doctor's exam and then collaboratively develops the diagnosis and care plan," he said. She will conduct an interview of the patient and family, including reviewing their genetic history, which can be a very emotional discussion to help the family to understand the risks."
Next, she may meet the first of two pairs of prospective parents. The first two hopefuls both suffer from major depression and wonder if they should start a family, while both members of the second couple have serious learning disabilities. She presents the pros and cons of low-tech options, such as adoption, and higher-tech options, such as egg or sperm donation, Brian said.
"The most rewarding part of my job is knowing the time I spent with a patient, whether it is 15 minutes or seven months, made their experience just a little bit easier," Holly said.
As important as Holly's expertise is to patients, her commitment to comfort is equally as meaningful. She provides reassurance and compassion to patients facing possible positive results from genetic testing, encouraging them to pursue the best path to treatment and recovery.
It takes a very special person to be able to provide for and comfort patients and families, Brian said. On several occasions, Holly reached out to patients after hours and on weekends to ensure they were well-informed and answer any questions they had, regardless of how personal they were.
"She does her job with the utmost care, as if the patient was part of her own family," said Brian.
In addition to her dedication to her patients, Holly has been invited to speak at symposiums at several universities, most recently at the College of William and Mary. Holly served as a mentor prospective genetics students at Penn State University, her alma mater. Her work has been published for her research efforts with recognized physicians.
Holly's dedication does not go unnoticed, said Brian.
"Throughout the year, she receives countless "thank you" cards, e-mails and phone calls from her patients for her thoughtfulness," he explained.
While Holly helps other families every day, Brian said she provides a solid column of support and inspiration for him.
"When she comes home to tell me about her day, it definitely puts life into perspective in many ways," he said. "She balances all of her work with the challenges of being a military spouse. It is amazing. She is an exceptional person to everyone she comes in contact with and a loving wife."
"Oh, and last but not least, she bakes the most awesome cakes and cupcakes," he added.