For three decades, Carol Roberts was a steadfast presence at the bedside of the neuroscience intensive care unit at VCU Health. Today, her impact extends far beyond the hospital walls. Through a generous philanthropic commitment to the VCU School of Nursing and the Parkinson's and Movement Disorders Center, Roberts is helping shape the future of holistic healthcare and advanced neurological research.

Roberts’s journey into nursing was born out of a desire for meaningful work. She began by taking classes at Rappahannock Community College, entering a co-enrollment program that eventually brought her clinical rotations to Richmond. To her delight, she discovered a profound passion for nursing. "I just loved it. It just spoke to me," she recalled.

During her tenure as a registered nurse at VCU Health, Roberts experienced the dramatic evolution of modern medicine firsthand. She transitioned from the main hospital to the newly built critical care tower, a period she describes as a "wild time" that effectively doubled the capacity of the adult intensive care units. She also adapted to massive technological shifts over her thirty years of service, watching hospital systems evolve from early MS-DOS computers to mobile bedside phones.

Driven by an eagerness to understand her patients deeply, she pursued a master’s degree in psychiatric mental health nursing. However, instead of leaving the hospital for private practice, she utilized her advanced education right at the bedside. Roberts dedicated herself to helping families navigate complex emotional landscapes, focusing on grief, bereavement, and end-of-life planning. For ten years, she also facilitated a community support group for brain tumor patients. Through it all, she witnessed how drastically neurological conditions change relationships, emphasizing that physical health and mental health are inextricably linked.

This professional understanding eventually became deeply personal. Roberts’ late husband, Rod, was an engineer known for his love of building and mechanical projects. Later in life, he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and eventually Parkinson’s disease dementia. As he lost his ability to tinker and build, Roberts stepped into the demanding role of his full-time care partner. Caring for him reinforced her belief in treating the whole person, an ethos that now drives her philanthropy.

Her motivation to give back financially was further catalyzed by another family tragedy. Roberts’ sister passed away at the age of 53 from multiple system atrophy (MSA), a rare movement disorder. Before her death, her sister struggled immensely to secure an accurate diagnosis, eventually finding one at teaching/research hospital out of state. When Roberts later learned that the VCU Parkinson's and Movement Disorders Center had hired a specialist dedicated to MSA research and clinical care, she knew exactly how she wanted to help. "I knew how much she had struggled to get help," Roberts said. "I'm going to just do something, because I really want to support that work".

In addition, Roberts has directed a significant portion of her gift to the VCU School of Nursing. Having spent her career in an academic medical center, she wanted to empower nursing students who possess a genuine passion for the profession but may face financial barriers. Most importantly, her scholarship is designed to honor and support future nurses who actively prioritize holistic care — treating the mind, body, and spirit of their patients.

Even in retirement, Roberts’s dedication to caregiving has not wavered, though she has intentionally reassessed her life’s purpose following the loss of her husband. Roberts continues to use her clinical skills by volunteering as a registered nurse at the Northern Neck Middlesex Free Health Clinic. Working out of an outreach center in an older church building, she relies on her trademark ingenuity to provide care. Without standard hospital resources, she adapts to the environment—even if it means standing on a chair to measure a 6-foot-4-inch teenager against a door jamb for a sports physical. Through these interactions, she relishes the opportunity to truly listen to patients and engage with them on a holistic level.

Whether she is improvising a clinical solution in a rural free clinic or funding cutting-edge research and meaningful scholarship in Richmond, Carol Roberts remains a tireless advocate for compassionate care. Her generous gifts to VCU ensure that her legacy—and the memories of her loved ones—will continue to support the mind, body, and spirit of patients and caregivers for generations to come.

If you are interested in supporting the VCU School of Nursing, please contact Jess Sorensen, the school’s senior director of development, at (804) 615-5877 or jlsorensen@vcu.edu.