Janina Hawlitzky
January 2026
Janina
Hawlitzky
,
RN
CIO-Intensiv
University Hospital Bonn
Bonn
Germany
This dedication cannot be taken for granted. To me, Janina is a hero. An angel in nursing clothes. She did something that cannot be learned: she cared with her heart.
My 35-year-old husband was admitted to intensive care in a life-threatening condition, in a coma, on a ventilator, between life and death. We didn't know what the next few hours would bring, whether he would wake up, whether he would fight, whether we would lose him. This uncertainty, this fear, accompanied us every day.
Chemo, dialysis, setbacks, brief moments of consciousness, and then back into a coma. My husband has now been in this ward for almost nine weeks. And in the middle of all this chaos, this fear and helplessness, there was one person at our side from the very beginning who gave us support: nurse Janina Hawlitzky.
Just by entering the room, she brings warmth. A calmness that has sustained us. A professionalism that gives us security. And a humanity that has made us feel that we are not alone in one of the darkest times of our lives.
Janina didn't just take care of my husband; she saw us as a family. She caught us, explained things to us, calmed us down, and strengthened us. She took care of things that you wouldn't even think of as a relative in this situation: social services, procedures, decisions, all the many small steps that suddenly seem so overwhelming. And every time, she asked how we were doing. How I was doing.
Those words meant more to me than she probably realizes. Our children are still small, and children aren't actually allowed in the intensive care unit. But thanks to Janina's commitment and understanding, we are allowed to be an exception. She knew how important it was for all of us that the children could see their dad.
And then there was this moment: Janina brought my children something to draw with so they could keep themselves busy while sitting at their dad's bedside. A small gesture, but for us it was huge. It was a piece of normality in a completely abnormal situation. And even on days when she's not caring for my husband, she comes by. Just like that, to ask if everything is okay, to check on him, to offer understanding, compassion, and appreciation.
This dedication cannot be taken for granted. To me, Janina is a hero. An angel in nursing clothes. She did something that cannot be learned: she cared with her heart. She gave us hope, strength, and the feeling of being seen.
Chemo, dialysis, setbacks, brief moments of consciousness, and then back into a coma. My husband has now been in this ward for almost nine weeks. And in the middle of all this chaos, this fear and helplessness, there was one person at our side from the very beginning who gave us support: nurse Janina Hawlitzky.
Just by entering the room, she brings warmth. A calmness that has sustained us. A professionalism that gives us security. And a humanity that has made us feel that we are not alone in one of the darkest times of our lives.
Janina didn't just take care of my husband; she saw us as a family. She caught us, explained things to us, calmed us down, and strengthened us. She took care of things that you wouldn't even think of as a relative in this situation: social services, procedures, decisions, all the many small steps that suddenly seem so overwhelming. And every time, she asked how we were doing. How I was doing.
Those words meant more to me than she probably realizes. Our children are still small, and children aren't actually allowed in the intensive care unit. But thanks to Janina's commitment and understanding, we are allowed to be an exception. She knew how important it was for all of us that the children could see their dad.
And then there was this moment: Janina brought my children something to draw with so they could keep themselves busy while sitting at their dad's bedside. A small gesture, but for us it was huge. It was a piece of normality in a completely abnormal situation. And even on days when she's not caring for my husband, she comes by. Just like that, to ask if everything is okay, to check on him, to offer understanding, compassion, and appreciation.
This dedication cannot be taken for granted. To me, Janina is a hero. An angel in nursing clothes. She did something that cannot be learned: she cared with her heart. She gave us hope, strength, and the feeling of being seen.