It was such a difficult time for us, it has been hard to express everything I wanted to say. Maria made a lasting impression on me and I want to relay what her care meant to us. She was kind, caring, knowledgeable, and professional and it was evident in her conversations with us, that she understood what we were going through. Maria showed us that she empathized with my husband's situation - a new diagnosis, a new colostomy, and a terminal prognosis. Maria understood that he was feeling vulnerable, scared, and grieving.

She gave my husband the reassurance that he needed to stay strong and recover from his surgery. Maria listened to my husband's concerns and explained things in a way that he understood.

The time she was in his room, she never once seemed hurried or rushed. Maria gave us the impression that he was her only patient and we were her only family. My 10 year old son, who didn't know at the time he would lose his dad, was acknowledged and made to feel special each time Maria came in the room. While he was playing computer games, Maria would ask him about them and was genuinely interested. Maria asked how he liked school and what sports he played. He just loved talking to her!

Maria is a wonderful nurse and should be recognized for going the extra mile and making my husband and my family the center of her care.