Chris Piper
April 2014
Chris
Piper
,
RN
Cancer Care Institute
Rapid City Regional Hospital
Rapid City
,
SD
United States

 

 

 

To be diagnosed with Breast Cancer creates fear and uncertainty beyond measure. To have a nurse who is as compassionate and caring as Chris to help you through is a God send.

For two years I have been receiving cancer treatments every three weeks. Even if Chris is not my "nurse for the day" she never fails to stop and say hello. She has gone out of her way to get to know my family and me personally. Quick with a joke and a smile she has a talent for making stressful situations feel bearable. I have watched Chris over the last two years and what makes her stand out, in my mind, is that she shows genuine compassion for ALL the patients that walk into the chemo department. Yet she makes you feel that you are the special one.

I have found myself feeling disappointed if she is off the day I have treatment. It is obvious by their interactions that her co-workers also respect and admire her. She appears to have a second sense when someone is scared or feeling down. More than once she has reached out and held my hand on days that I felt nothing but despair.

Chris deserves the DAISY Award, probably deserves many awards for that matter! All the nurses that have taken care of me have been excellent and their level of professionalism beyond reproach however sometimes one star shines brighter than others, like Chris.