How two Wilburn Medical Supply team members turned adversity into impact.
Behind every smooth-running supply chain are people whose dedication and skill keep essential products moving where they’re needed most. At Wilburn Medical Supply, employees like Maria Mabe and Todd Aitken exemplify that commitment, serving customers with unwavering focus even while facing their own personal health battles. Their determination ensured that hospitals, clinics, and physician offices had the critical supplies to care for patients, proving that for them, this work is not just a job, but a mission to support the medical community and save lives.
Maria Mabe has been with Wilburn Medical as Purchasing Manager/Accounts Payable and Customer Service for nearly five and a half years.
“I stay busy all day every day,” said Mabe. “I’m on the phone with customers and vendors, entering purchase orders, entering bills to be paid and processing sales orders.”
Todd Aitken, Customer Specialist & Key Product Manager, has been with Wilburn Medical for more than five years.
“I have a base of customers to support and also work as product manager for a couple of products,” said Aitken. “Each day, I may be helping my current customers get the supplies they need or working to help bring a product to the attention of a market we can serve.”
Both Mabe and Aitken describe their roles at Wilburn Medical as being more than jobs, but a way to support patients, physicians and the medical community by providing them with critical medical products.
“I feel like what we do really makes a difference in the world by supplying medical professionals the tests and equipment they need to improve patient health and, in some cases, saves lives,” said Mabe.
“Being a part of our team allows us to positively impact lives both through the products we distribute, and through our ‘Wilburn Cares’ program, which gives back to great programs both locally and across the world that help people who need help the most,” said Aitken.
Life changes
Life can change in an instant, yet personal resilience, reinforced by daily routines, can provide the strength to face both personal and professional challenges.
In February 2022, Mabe scheduled a routine mammogram. A 0.5cm lump was discovered, biopsied, and found to be cancer.
“I scheduled a mammogram partly because of a survivor who spoke at work a few months before my diagnosis, and to satisfy my doctor at an upcoming physical,” said Mabe. “I then met my medical team, and we decided to move forward with a lumpectomy and 20 treatments of radiation.”
Just months later, in March 2023, Mabe went for her first post-cancer mammogram, and two larger lumps were found in the same breast.
“I had felt them and was not surprised; however, I thought they were probably some sort of scar tissue,” said Mabe. “Once again, the spots were biopsied and came back as cancer. My surgeon and I immediately decided that I would have a mastectomy, so surgery was scheduled.”
Thankfully, the margins came back clear after Mabe’s mastectomy, so she did not have to go through any additional treatments.
Throughout her entire diagnosis and treatment, Mabe continued to work at her job at Wilburn Medical.
“I could not just shut down; I am not made that way,” said Mabe. “I needed as much normalcy as possible and that meant returning to work as soon as possible. I was out for three days with my lumpectomy and only two weeks with my mastectomy.”
Mabe courageously managed the balance between treatment, recovery and responsibilities at work, often scheduling her radiation treatments after work hours.
“I brought food every day and worked through lunch, so I did not miss as much time at work,” said Mabe. “Everyone at work was very understanding and offered assistance any way they could.”
Despite being more tired than normal due to the radiation treatments, Mabe says she overcame physical, emotional, and professional challenges by taking the journey of treatment and healing one step at a time.
“In the very beginning I struggled emotionally, but I realized very quickly that I could not give up,” said Mabe. “I focused myself on trusting that God had given me the exact medical team that I needed.”
Overcoming fear
In late 2020, Aitken had been feeling exhausted and sick. His wife and coworkers encouraged him to go to his family doctor’s office to get checked out.
From there, he was referred to a specialist, who ordered a CT scan. The CT scan found that Aitken had a large renal (kidney) mass, consistent with renal cell carcinoma.
“I went to a restaurant immediately after the CT scan and had just started eating lunch when my phone alerted me to read my diagnosis,” said Aitken. “A doctor called within minutes to recommend I have surgery.”
Aitken’s wife, who also works in the medical field, was integral in his process of diagnosis and treatment, immediately calling on her connections and contacts in the industry for guidance.
Shortly after his diagnosis, Aitken received a call from a highly recommended surgeon’s office to schedule surgery to remove the tumor.
“There was a very brief period where fear was a problem, mostly pre-diagnosis when I knew something was seriously wrong and the symptoms and test results looked like cancer, and immediately after diagnosis when google searches showed a 17% survival rate (never trust internet searches),” said Aitken. “The fear then turned inside out, and I felt like I was prepared to deal with whatever pain was involved. I was excited and thankful for the surgery to have the tumor removed and had the realization that cancer feeds on fear and I was not going to participate in fueling it.”
Even while navigating treatment, Aitken also continued to work at Wilburn Medical, drawing strength from routine and the support of colleagues.
“Other than taking a few weeks off to recover from surgery after removing my kidney, I never felt that I was physically unable to do most of the things that I normally do,” said Aitken. “The management team at Wilburn Medical was very supportive. They made it very clear that treatment and recovery should be my number one concern and continue to help me work around my appointments.”
The power of support
To get through the difficult process of cancer treatment, Mabe and Aitken relied on their faith, family, friends, and coworkers.
“First and foremost, I relied on God through prayer,” said Mabe. “My Wilburn family, friends and my family were so supportive and positive through both of my battles. They immediately came together as a group and had prayer with me, gave me hugs and well wishes. They loved me through the entire process of treatment and diagnosis.”
“My family was incredibly supportive and encouraging,” said Aitken. “To see God move these people to do what they did was amazing and any fear and uncertainty about the future disappeared quickly.”
Mabe’s coworkers ensured they would help her in every way possible by pooling money and sharing it with her when she was going back and forth to radiation treatments to help her with the cost of gas.
While Aitken was preparing for and recovering from surgery, his friends, coworkers, neighbors, and church members surrounded him in prayer, arranged prayer services for his well-being, cooked homemade meals, did household repairs, and provided his family with gift cards to purchase any food they needed.
“On the day I was diagnosed, I called work to let them know the results. I immediately received a call back from Rick Wilburn who was already in his car driving to find me wherever I was, just to give me a hug and encouragement,” said Aitken.
“When I went to work the day after my initial appointment at the surgeon, Rick Wilburn popped out of a meeting and grabbed me in the hallway and said, ‘Don’t worry about this, we’ve got you,’” said Aitken. “A few minutes later, he called me into his office to explain that my job was secure regardless of the length of my absence.”
Before his diagnosis, Aitken’s coworker Maria had also noticed that he looked and seemed unwell and was persistent in encouraging him to seek medical attention.
“Between Maria and my wife, I was being told day and night to see a doctor, and I’m so grateful that I did and before it was too late,” said Aitken.
Moving forward
Facing cancer is never easy, but the unwavering support of loved ones and colleagues can make all the difference.
Mabe says she is most proud of maintaining a positive attitude throughout her cancer treatment and recovery. She stayed determined to face each challenge with resilience and optimism.
“I made sure to keep a positive attitude through both treatment journeys and I am proud that I did not give up,” said Mabe. “I found strength within myself I did not know that I had. I am continually facing big fears by getting all my health screenings on time.”
Looking back, Aitken also reflects on his own diagnosis, saying he has no pride in the way he handled the diagnosis and surgery.
“I never really looked at my diagnosis as ‘life-changing,’ at least not in a negative way,” said Aitken. “I felt so blessed to have so many people reaching out to support me and wanted them to know that I was going to be okay.”
“I’m just thankful that I got a little peek behind the curtain to see how God operates. It is amazing to see His work through family, friends, co-workers, doctors and others,” said Aitken. “I feel like I am just along for the ride on this journey of life.”