Liberty High’s Ketshia and Karen Lubanda pursuing future in caring for others

NORTH LIBERTY — Twin sisters Ketshia and Karen Lubanda both mention wanting to help people as among the reasons why they want to pursue nursing — and eventually become doctors — after graduating from Liberty High School.

They will be attending Kirkwood Community College this fall, sharing how they want to get medical experience and help patients first as nurses and then attend medical school to become doctors.

“As a person of color in the medical field, I can help people (and) people of color seeing me being a doctor can give them hope, like ‘Wow, you're in medical field,’” Karen said. “Me being a Black doctor, I will be willing to listen to them, willing to help them as soon as possible. That's really what inspired me.”

“I always wanted to help people and make them feel better,” Ketshia added.

Karen brought up the need to address disparities in health care as another reason why she wants to pursue a career in medicine.

“When you go to the hospital for appointments and when you look at people of color versus non people of color, sometimes the treatment and sometimes when they have to take care of you, you have to wait longer,” Karen said.

Ketshia and Karen Lubanda, both 17, are two of 277 students who mark their graduation at 7 p.m. June 4 from Liberty High School at the Xtream Arena in Coralville’s Iowa River Landing.

The sisters were born in the Congo but raised in South Africa. They moved to Iowa in 2016, first living in Coralville and now North Liberty.

Earlier this year, the family was involved in a car crash in rural Muscatine County. Karen and Ketshia’s mother was killed, along with two family friends. The girls, their dad and younger brother were all taken to the hospital with extensive injuries.

Mayra Hoskyn, a school counselor at Liberty High, said Karen and Ketshia have impacted “my life and the lives of so many here at Liberty in the best way.”

“They have been through such an unimaginable tragedy, and they still have the motivation and determination to persevere,” Hoskyn said. “I am in awe and inspired by their dedication to learning. They still have a smile on their faces. When I talk about their smile, it is hard not to start smiling.”

High school was challenging at times because she was getting bullied, Ketshia said. Karen brought up similar experiences, but neither let that impact their school work.

  Buy Photo

Both shared how helpful teachers and classmates were and how they focused on their schoolwork to have good grades. Both were involved in choir their freshman year.

“When I look back at high school, I'm so grateful for all my days,” Karen said. “ … I'm so glad that I worked hard, and I'm so glad that I advocated for myself when I had a hard time understanding something from the teacher.”

When asked about what comes to mind when they think about their high school experience, Ketshia and Karen mentioned getting to know the students and teachers.

“Meeting different people from different countries, just knowing their culture, how kind they are and how helpful they are,” Ketshia said.

Karen said that freedom and responsibility come to mind when she thinks of high school, like driving yourself to school and working hard in class.

“When I just think of Liberty High School, I think about the prom the school does, the homecoming, the pep rallies,” Karen said.

Comments: (319) 339-3155; izabela.zaluska@thegazette.com