Kathleen Spadaro, RN, BSN Oncology, Mercy Medical Center Baltimore, Maryland

Kathleen’s nomination comes from her co-workers, and it is a heart breaker.

In December a young woman and her husband arrived from Michigan for HIPEC surgery. The woman was dying from appendix cancer. She turned out to be inoperable and was given days to live and her distraught husband was desperate to drive her back home as soon as she was stable. The timing was too critical, however. The woman’s dying wish was to get back home to say goodbye to her two children.

Despite a full team of patients, Kathleen was determined to make this woman’s last wish come true. She involved the whole floor and spent hours working with the husband, physicians, social work and case management and in the end secured a medical flight trip home to Michigan to an inpatient hospice where her children and family were waiting.

Kathleen displayed every single Caritas in her efforts to fulfill a dying woman’s wish. She ‘CHERISHED’ this patient, her husband, her children, her family and the sacredness of their relationship and their last days together.

Kathleen practiced every single core value of the Sisters of Mercy. Dignity of life, Hospitality from our heart, Justice with total integrity, Excellence in our work, Empowerment to our gifts, Stewardship of our mission.

Kathleen, on behalf of the Sisters of Mercy and this hospital, I thank you for using your gifts here at Mercy.