UNIONDALE, NY / ACCESS Newswire / January 20, 2026 / Marquis Who's Who honors Diane Helm for excellence in health care. Mrs. Helm operates two medical practices in Woodlawn, Virginia: Care First Medical, offering primary care and urgent care, and Care First Functional Wellness, offering functional medicine. For over 30 years, she has enhanced patient outcomes through the use of traditional and holistic methods.

An Early Start in Patient Care

Mrs. Helm began her journey in health care while still in high school, starting as a nursing assistant at a convalescent home. By the age of 18, she was already serving her community in New York, where she grew up, as an EMT, gaining hands-on experience in the fast-paced world of emergency medicine. After earning her associate degree from Guilford Technical Community College, in Jamestown, North Carolina, she steadily advanced in her nursing career.

Over the years, Mrs. Helm built an impressive resume with clinical roles at respected institutions including Moses Cone Health System, Alamance Regional Medical Center, and Wake Forest Baptist Health. She worked in telemetry, the cardiac ICU, an interventional cardiac catheterization lab, and the emergency department. Her time as a nurse deepened her passion for patient care but also sparked a desire to make a greater impact. Feeling limited by the scope of traditional nursing roles, she decided to further her education.

Mrs. Helm enrolled at South University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2015. Driven by her commitment to providing comprehensive care, she continued her studies and in 2020 earned a Master of Science in Nursing as a Family Nurse Practitioner. Today, Mrs. Helm is a dedicated and highly skilled FNP, combining years of hands-on experience with a deep-rooted passion for improving patient outcomes.

A Clinic Built Around Patients

Driven by a desire to spend more meaningful time with each patient, Mrs. Helm set out to create a clinic rooted in personalized care. Her vision became reality with a practice that blends urgent care, primary care, and functional medicine-a holistic approach emphasizing nutrition, physical activity, and targeted supplementation.

Because functional medicine involves a deeper level of patient engagement, Mrs. Helm's day is often filled with reviewing detailed lab work, conducting both virtual and in-person consultations, and collaborating closely with patients to refine their treatment plans. While the work is intensive and at times demanding, she finds it deeply rewarding, especially for patients seeking to reduce reliance on prescription medications and uncover the root causes of their health challenges, rather than merely treating symptoms.

In addition to her clinical responsibilities, Mrs. Helm oversees the operational side of the practice. She manages staffing, supervises day-to-day logistics, and handles insurance communications. The clinic is supported by two full-time staff members, Jordyn Chaffman and Ana Sandoval, who allow Mrs. Helm to maintain a high standard of care while ensuring the business runs smoothly.

Advanced Certifications in Multiple Disciplines

Mrs. Helm's diverse professional certifications reflect the depth and range of her clinical expertise. She is a licensed Family Nurse Practitioner in both Virginia and North Carolina and holds additional credentials that complement her holistic approach to care. These include certifications in Functional Medicine, dry needling, and Reiki therapy, as well as the prestigious Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN) certification awarded by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses.

Long-Term Vision for Holistic Wellness

Widely respected for her contributions to health care, Mrs. Helm has been honored with a Functional Medicine Award for her dedication in serving her community through functional medicine and nutrition awarded by the Functional Medicine Academy and recognized as one of the Top 100 Nurses-a testament to her dedication, innovation, and excellence in patient care. As she reflects on her journey and the legacy she hopes to leave, her mission remains clear: to continue championing whole-body, root-cause-centered care for every individual she serves.

Committed to lifelong learning and clinical excellence, Mrs. Helm plans to pursue a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree in the near future. In the meantime, she remains focused on expanding the services offered at her clinic to meet rising demand, especially as the waitlist for her functional medicine programs continues to grow. Her dedication to innovation and patient-centered care continues to drive both her professional development and the success of her practice.

Family Time and Personal Passions

Mrs. Helm's dedication to medicine includes a passion for global health, which has led her to volunteer her time on medical mission trips with International Medical Relief, providing care in underserved communities across Guatemala, Peru, and the Caribbean. At home, she remains actively engaged in advancing the nursing profession through her involvement in organizations such as the American Association of Nurse Practitioners and the North Carolina Nurses Association (NCNA). She currently serves as vice president of the NCNA's Greensboro chapter, where she helps support and advocate for fellow nurse practitioners.

Outside the clinic, Mrs. Helm finds joy in spending quality time with her husband and two children. A woman of many talents, she once competed in barrel racing and practiced both Tai Chi and Taekwondo. For several years, she served as a second-degree black belt lead martial arts and self-defense instructor, sharing the role with her daughter, a now fourth-degree black belt.

A lifelong animal lover, Mrs. Helm shares her home with four beloved dogs and has volunteered her time at the Guilford County Animal Shelter, reflecting her compassion both in and out of the health care setting.

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