Finding out I had breast cancer at 45 and having to go through chemotherapy is the scariest thing I’ve ever done, but it would have been so much scarier if I hadn’t had such a knowledgeable, caring, smart, hard-working, and diligent nurse to get me through it. From the first time I met my chemotherapy nurse, I knew I could count on her 100%. I was an anxious patient, worried about everything—from being given the wrong medication to having the drugs leak out of my veins and into my body. As busy as she was, this nurse took each of my concerns seriously, taking her time to repeatedly reassure me and never acting like I was interrupting her. She explained each step of my treatment in detail, including the guidelines and protocols that nurses follow to ensure patient safety. She would stop and double-check things anytime I felt uneasy. The time and attention she gave to addressing my anxiety put me at ease and removed a layer of fear that allowed me to focus on fighting cancer.

This was especially important at the end of my first chemo session, when I suddenly started to feel really terrible. She realized right away that I was having an allergic reaction to a post-chemo iron infusion, and as she administered the medicine to reverse it, she knelt beside me and said confidently, “I’m taking care of you, and you’re going to be fine.” I’ll never forget her taking that moment in the middle of chaos to reassure me and help me feel safe—something I so deeply needed. As much as I dreaded chemo, I found myself actually looking forward to seeing my nurse. She was always cheerful and upbeat, and she made me feel special and cared for. Over the hours I spent in that infusion chair, I got to watch her interact with other patients, and I realized she did the same for each of them. Her nursing expertise was always evident, but what stood out even more was her ability to connect with each patient in a meaningful way. She found common ground with people of all ages and backgrounds—from first-time visitors to long-term patients, from quick visits to six-hour sessions—always in a completely genuine way. Whether it was food, sports, TV shows, or family, she found something to connect with. That ability to make a patient feel like a person instead of just a case is so important in healthcare, especially in oncology. The fact that she does it so well and so naturally is just part of what makes her such an exceptional nurse.