Dr. Barbara Summers, CNO with Sara Lundwall, Honoree
August 2014
Sara
Lundwall
,
BSN, RN
Telemetry/Thoracic Surgery
UT MD Anderson Cancer Center
Houston
,
TX
United States

 

 

 

Sara was nominated by a group of colleagues for her exemplary service, continued commitment to excellence and patient advocacy.

Any given day on the unit, Sara can be seen playing her acoustic guitar and singing songs of inspiration for her patients and their families struggling to cope with poor prognoses. Her exemplary service and compassion was beautifully described by a patient who was in Houston alone and frightened about her quality of life and body image after having a new colostomy.

She said, "I had been in the room alone crying until my angel Sara entered. She knelt by my bed and sang an Irish prayer that was exactly what I needed. She comforted me, helped me calm down, and made me feel like someone cared about me."

Sara possesses the gift of caring holistically for her patients as a skilled clinician who anticipates changes in patient acuity while providing emotional and spiritual support that is personalized to each individual's needs.