To Whom It May Concern: Sherri Wallner is the angel I never knew I would need. Upon meeting her, I told my partner (Sean) I was happy she was the nurse attending to us in the delivery room - she was professional & polite yet was able to join in on the banter between Sean & I, which brought an extra layer of comfort. I thanked my guardian angel then for putting Sherri in our lives. Little did I know how much I needed a nurse like Sherri. In the hazy hour after my daughter Evelynn was born, we saw a flurry of different pediatric nurses & doctors taking observations of our precious girl. She was moved from our room into your ICN, and several hours later to Lurie Children’s. Sherri stayed by my side when I sent Sean down the hall with our daughter, while he stepped out to make phone calls, and probably most of the six or so hours between my birth & the end of her shift. I cried on her shoulder. She held my hand while I tried to wrap my emotions around the unknown. She sought answers for me regarding my options moving forward. She was unwavering in her support & encouragement for me. I felt as though my own mother was sitting at my bedside. I imagine Sherri is not the only nurse who could have remained calm during what seemed like chaos; collected, when my world seemed to be falling apart. Sherri did those things, absolutely. What made her incredible is the effort she took to get to know me & how sincerely she connected with me in THE MOST vulnerable moments of my life, an act that she & she alone can be credited for. My daughter spent 7 weeks in the NICU at Lurie, has had two major operations for mandible distraction associated with PRS, and continues to work with a series of specialists for her bilateral cleft palate. In the dozens & dozens of medical professionals we have met, not one person has even come close to making a connection with our family the way Sherri did. I’m not convinced I will ever find another person in my life who brings as much light into the world as Sherri brought to mine in just a few short hours. Evelynn is now 5 months old and thriving. We think of Sherri often & I sincerely hope she is getting the recognition she deserves for going so above & beyond for her patients. It’s only taken me so long to submit a letter on her behalf because I don’t think words can do justice for how amazing this woman is, what a blessing she is for your organization. Sincerely, Sarah H., Patient