Bobby Lawrence, RN

Almost a year and a half ago, my 26-year-old daughter’s one remaining, partially functioning kidney failed—and when it did, it failed dramatically. It was a traumatic experience for both her and for us as her parents. While we knew this was a possibility, especially after another hospital had damaged what little function she had left two years earlier, the complete failure happened almost overnight. We were suddenly thrust into an emergent situation, requiring placement of a permcath and the start of hemodialysis with about 48 hours’ notice.

Bobby Lawrence was the first dialysis nurse to care for my daughter. He was handpicked by our nephrologist to begin this journey with us, and it quickly became clear why. Over the past year and a half, across multiple hospitalizations, Bobby’s care has remained consistently compassionate and individualized.

My daughter is not a typical dialysis patient. She was born with spina bifida and lives with approximately 30 additional medical conditions. She is developmentally delayed and has significant sensory challenges that require thoughtful accommodation during treatment. She weighs only 80–85 pounds and has the physical stature of a child. She needs each step of care explained clearly, needs extra time to process instructions, and requires support from either myself or my husband to navigate medical procedures. She has not had the typical dialysis experience because her whole life she has lived medically “outside the box.”

Bobby approaches my daughter's care with respect and intentionality. He always speaks directly to her, ensuring she is included in conversations about her care, and then turns to us for confirmation or additional input. He welcomes our involvement without hesitation and never makes us feel like a nuisance for asking questions or offering information about Emily.

Because we were originally preparing for a different form of dialysis, we were suddenly thrust into hemodialysis without the opportunity to research or prepare. Bobby’s willingness to educate and guide us through this process has given us a deeper understanding of dialysis.

From the very beginning, Bobby has taken the time to thoroughly explain dialysis—what it is, how it works, and how it affects her body—in a way that both she and we as her parents can understand. He has patiently answered hundreds of questions through the months as we have worked to better understand her care.

His influence has been invaluable—far beyond what we could have expected, and far beyond what we have received from other dialysis nurses.