The patient had been experiencing excruciating sciatic pain in her leg. She explained that for weeks, she had been turned away from doctors’ offices and emergency rooms where no one had taken the pain seriously. The pain was so bad that the patient could not walk, sit, or stand. She had almost run out of hope when she decided to turn to AdventHealth Hendersonville. The moment the patient walked in the door, she was greeted with a wheelchair and a smile. Her nurse, Alexis, took her back to be triaged and treated her with genuine concern and care.

The patient says she was struck by how Alexis treated her with uncommon compassion she had not found anywhere else. Alexis listened to the patient's story and reassured her that they would do everything they could to figure out why she was in so much pain. The patient, who nominated Alexis for this award, says, “I am so very thankful to have met Alexis tonight. She made a very painful and anxious experience calm and manageable. She made me feel like I was not crazy and that I was finally validated. We need a lot more like her. I hope she gets this nomination and knows what a huge impact she had on me and my journey in this painful process. I will never forget her.”