Melissa Sands
May 2016
Melissa
Sands
,
RN
Med 4 BMT, Pediatric Oncology
Cohen Children's Medical Center
New Hyde Park
,
NY
United States

 

 

 

Sometimes in life, there are very special people that you meet that change your life forever and make an everlasting impact. You meet them and know that they touched you in so many invaluable ways. Just by knowing them, they have made your life that much richer. That person for my daughter and family is Melissa Sands.
Melissa has been my daughter's primary care nurse during her entire hospitalization. From the day we had the pleasure to meet her, Melissa's upbeat and sunny disposition made us feel immediately at home. She is a person that you are instantly drawn to one who always makes you smile. She possesses all of the qualities that one would wish and hope for in a pediatric oncology nurse. She is so very deserving of this award for so many reasons. But, most importantly, one can only know her to see her unparalleled level of compassion. She should be recognized and applauded for her high level of clinical skills, as well as her continual acts of kindness.
She has gone out of her way to do so many things for our daughter that we feel like she is part of our family. Melissa has given my daughter courage every day, taking the time to explain and clarify difficult procedures and ideas and build a once in a lifetime rapport with my daughter and our family that will never be forgotten. She possesses an unending supply of love and patience. She has treated our daughter with respect, kindness and overwhelming compassion. She is sensitive and exudes positive energy.
Without Melissa, this treatment and hospitalization would not be the same. She is our hero! A hero is someone who continually puts others before themselves for the greater good in difficult situations and that describes Melissa! She has provided our daughter with coping mechanisms, discreet conversations that allow for my daughter to discuss feelings in a nonthreatening and safe environment, while giving sound advice.
I could not list the many acts of kindness and compassion that Melissa Sands has shown my daughter, but each one is special and personal. My daughter and my family adore Melissa and feel that her hard work and dedication should be professionally and publicly recognized. Melissa Sands is an asset to her profession and the Northwell Health/Cohen Children's Medical Center's medical team.