I want to show appreciation for the staff on the 3rd Floor South/Oncology Unit during my son's last days in Hospice Comfort Care. When we arrived on the Oncology floor, things were very different from where we had just been. No more machines that our son was hooked up to, no more tubes and wires coming out of him. Not knowing how long he had, we did not want to leave his side.

Our son's room was set up so we could be there 24/7, and Geri and the other nurses could not have been more understanding of our request. The "heart and soul" of 3 South is Clinical Operations Manager Geri McGuire. Her office just happened to be right across from my son's room. When you are there, as we were, 24 hours a day for 10 days, you begin to see and learn that Geri is the reason this unit was so wonderful, even when people were having to go through crummy things.

She would stop by our room daily with handfuls of snacks, cookies, and even gave him a handmade blanket one day. Her staff want to work on this floor with her. We not only heard this sentiment firsthand from several of our nurses but also saw how she takes care of her staff and is the perfect person to make this floor "homey," while running it efficiently and safely for both her staff and patients.

Geri is truly a treasure at Advocate Christ and made our last days with our son as good as they could be.