My 91-year-old father with end-stage dementia was admitted to the hospital for dysphagia. He spent the majority of his week-long stay in a bed by the window, in room 106. There's a grass-covered courtyard outside that room and many others on the first floor.

When I arrived at my father's bedside, and subsequently, spent days watching the inevitable deterioration of the man I adored, I was comforted by the beauty of sunflowers, pumpkins growing on vines, birdhouses, windchimes, and the gymnastics of a squirrel who would hang upside down from the sunflowers to eat the seeds. Our family recorded videos of the squirrels, and I was greeted one day by a squirrel on my father's windowsill.

Another day, Katie had been outside, and a pumpkin appeared on my father's windowsill. Katie didn't directly care for my father, but by creating 'Katie's Garden,' she single-handedly helped me through one of the most difficult experiences of my life, without even a word.

I did briefly thank Katie for her extraordinary idea while I was there, but it's difficult for me to even convey the importance of this garden. When everything is dark, beauty can guide us back to the light. It helps us hang on and gives us something else to focus on. We know from research that nature has multiple benefits for human health, and Katie's idea is extraordinary. Not only does she deserve recognition, but her idea should be implemented in hospitals everywhere.