I would like to formally recognize Carol Suida.

My 84-year-old father is a snowbird spending the winter in Tucson. Without an established primary care physician in the area, he was admitted to the emergency room for several days for a condition that we now suspect is cancer. He was referred back to Banner for a biopsy, and it was in the Imaging Department that my father, and our family, had the privilege of being cared for by Carol.

My parents and I were understandably flustered and overwhelmed by the gravity of this situation. Because my father does not have a primary care doctor in Tucson, we were unsure how he would receive follow-up information or test results. Carol immediately stepped in and calmly guided us through every concern. She helped my mother set up my father’s patient portal, provided clear instructions and the appropriate forms to release medical information to his primary care physician in Wisconsin, and shared contact information for Physician Resources so we knew where to turn for support.

Compounding an already stressful situation, my father is in intense pain due to two vertebral fractures, making these tests excruciating for him. After the biopsy, Carol personally ensured that pain medication was provided to help relieve his suffering. Throughout the entire process, she spoke with my parents as if they were old friends. Her warmth, kindness, and genuine compassion never wavered.

Carol was knowledgeable, calm, attentive, and deeply reassuring at a moment when our family desperately needed all of those qualities. We trusted her completely, and her presence made an overwhelming and frightening experience far more manageable. Her kindness and compassion simply cannot be adequately conveyed in words. Our experience with Carol Suida stands out as the best healthcare experience I have ever had. She embodies everything one hopes for in a healthcare professional, and I am profoundly grateful for the care she provided for my father and for our entire family.