Castle is fortunate to have Jessica Waracka who goes above and beyond every day to support Castle’s oncology patients navigate their cancer journey. Jessica’s holistic approach includes helping patients with issues beyond their treatment regimen. In one instance, Castle had a patient who was not only struggling with advanced-stage cancer in need of treatment but had also suffered a recent loss of a close family member and loss of health insurance as well. Though this unfortunate combination of factors was heartbreaking, Jessica provided ongoing emotional support, and in addition to providing the necessary care, Jessica worked tirelessly, advocating for this patient, reaching out to other Castle departments to help the patient obtain financial support. Given the multi-disciplinary demands that advanced-stage cancer patients require, Jessica also coordinated care between the surgeon and the oncologist and constantly communicated with the patient to make sure treatment and procedures were coordinated, as well as follow-up care, demonstrating patient-centered care at its best. Castle is happy to report that the patient received the care needed and has moved forward to the next step in the cancer journey. Had it not been for Jessica’s resilience, advocacy, and compassion, this patient would have been lost to follow-up.

Jessica’s support for her patients is inspiring. She notices patients’ needs and always goes the extra mile to make the extra phone calls or connections required to close the loop on patient care. After establishing a special connection with each patient and their caregivers, she makes herself available to provide direct support to guide patients through their cancer journey, no matter how significant or minimal their treatment may be. She helps provide an ear to listen, provides excellent education to patients regarding logistics of treatment, safe management of treatment medications, how to best navigate the hospital, helps set up appointments, provides end of life discussions, helps navigate multi-disciplinary provider care coordination between multi-specialties, efficiently sends out orders to obtain diagnostics, assists the pharmacist/MAs/PARs with daily clinic tasks. She does this consistently for each patient who comes through Castle’s oncology clinic. Ask any outpatient surgeon, the otolaryngologist, the imaging department, lab, pathology, or infusion center staff, and they can tell you that Jessica is everyone's "go to" person to deliver the best care to patients. Jessica reflects nursing at its best. I personally have learned so much about how to be compassionate to patients and how to provide them excellent care just in hearing her conversations and observing her hard work ethic.