At 18 months, Veronica Mercado was diagnosed with high-risk leukemia and treated at CHOC. Now healthy and grown, Veronica is giving back … as a licensed vocational nurse in one of CHOC’s primary care pediatric clinics.
Mini Medical School: Bringing health education to housing-insecure youth in the community
Supported by philanthropy, Mini Medical School is a science and health education series for homeless youth in Orange County. The program was created in 2019 by CHOC providers to spark children’s interest in a STEM discipline—science, technology, engineering and math—and to offer consistent contact with caring healthcare workers to make the hospital experience less intimidating.
Former cancer patient becomes CHOC nurse to help others and give back
Coming full circle at CHOC, from being a former CHOC patient to a CHOC nurse, Veronica Mercado is fully committed to CHOC’s mission and lives it out wholeheartedly.




