Celebrating Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Fresh off a weekend 5K, Savita Sood, was excitedly talking about becoming a grandmother for a second time and looking forward to spending quality time with her 2½ old granddaughter who’s already committed to running with Savita in 2025. For those who know Savita, you know she is committed to her family and living a healthy lifestyle. Savita’s love for exercise may only be rivaled by her love for cooking. But you’ll see that same passion come alive when she talks about her work as a Tuberculosis public health nurse for the Fairfax County Health Department where she’s worked for the last 28 years.

Savita, who hails from England, was born to parents who grew up in northern India. It was important to her parents that Savita and her siblings foster a deep appreciation for their culture and heritage, so they traveled to India frequently to visit relatives and attended boarding school there for five years. According to Savita, she wanted to become a nurse, but that occupation was discouraged by her family who wanted her to pursue the science track. Conflicted over choosing an occupation, Savita emigrated to the United States and worked as a lab tech. Shortly after coming to the US, her husband suffered a health crisis which pushed Savita to earn her nursing degree to ensure she could support her young family, if necessary.

Her first job out of nursing school was as a clinic nurse for the Mount Vernon District Office. Savita loved working with her clients, providing them with the education needed to improve their health. She noticed that clients who came from India paid particular attention to what she had to say.

“I found it really makes an impact when I share with my clients that I can speak their language, whether its Hindi, Punjabi, or Urdu,” says Savita. “You can tell they feel safer and more secure when they hear their own language in a foreign land.”

While Savita enjoyed working as a clinic nurse, she found herself drawn to helping the residents of Fairfax who suffer from Tuberculosis (or TB), a disease caused by germs that are spread from person to person through the air and generally affects the lungs. Not everyone infected with TB germs becomes sick. But they can carry the germs that can make them sick months to many years later - this is known as latent TB infection (or inactive TB). Once TB becomes active, it can make someone very sick and can even cause death. Symptoms include a cough that lasts 3 weeks or longer, pain in the chest, coughing up blood, weakness, fever and night sweats. TB is found in all countries. Anyone can get TB, but some people are at greater risk of TB than others. This is because of a range of social, economic, and demographic factors.

Treatment for TB can take many months, depending on the regimen. Fairfax County Health Department TB nurses help treat clients with TB for extended periods of time, allowing for connections to form. These connections are especially important for people who may have reservations about treatment due to language and cultural barriers.

“TB is a big problem in India and there is stigma associated with the disease,” says Savita. “In India it is generally thought of as a disease of the poor, but when I explain that anyone can get TB, not just the poor, there is some reassurance. Through education and being able to connect with my clients, I am able to put their fears to rest and they are more open to treatment.”

According to Savita, she makes a point to go to Temple and talk with families. “I volunteer in the free clinic. People get to know me,” says Savita.

“It makes a difference.”

Over the years, her family has come to regard Savita’s calling and are proud to share how she is changing lives one TB case at a time. Savita says that working at the health department has been a gift.

“With the birth of my next grandchild, we are striving to maintain the connections with my family in India,” says Savita. This is what we do, we ensure our culture remains alive for generations to come.”