Letter to the Editor:

I am writing to express my support for Melissa Braga to be elected to the Board of Health. I met Melissa a few years back at a town event and her approach to understanding and addressing issues when it comes to health resonated with me.

For any Tewksbury residents who are not familiar with Melissa, there are several reasons to support her candidacy. As a registered nurse she approaches health more in a holistic way by helping to identify underlying causes of poor health, rather than just treating a specific symptom. She has worked directly in patient care in a variety of settings and owns a small business. Melissa has great knowledge of both traditional and holistic medicine, but most importantly I see her passion to want to educate and help people work towards their goals and stay healthy. She truly cares about people and their well being.

Melissa wants to address ongoing concerns in our community that have an impact on our health, such as our children’s health. She recognizes the recent struggles our children have endured over the last few years. As a mother to a school-aged child in the Tewksbury school system, it is encouraging to hear a healthcare professional acknowledge that our children are struggling and will continue to struggle due to the impacts of remote learning and social isolation. Further, the seniors in our community also faced significant health challenges and social isolation during the pandemic. These are real issues in our community, and I am confident that Melissa will be the advocate for all of the citizens of Tewksbury.

I strongly believe that Melissa’s healthcare experience paired with her experience as a business owner makes her uniquely qualified for this position. I hope you will join me on April 2nd in electing Melissa Braga to the Tewksbury Board of Health.

Erin Hudd