Catherine is God's Angel sent here to heal and is a blessing to everyone who gets to meet her. Thank you, Catherine, and all care specialists.
First of all, we'd like to extend a huge thank you to all of the doctors, nurses, and associates at Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center at Milford Regional Medical Center. My sister was so richly blessed to have had such amazing and loving care by the many cancer care specialists.
It is such an honor to write this to put forth my sister's wishes and recommendation for the DAISY Award for her angel at Milford, Dana-Farber. My sister on many occasions grabbed the DAISY Award pamphlet so that she could submit a few names. Due to her terminal illness with a horrific sarcoma, she didn't have a chance to complete it. Prior to her passing, she asked me to complete The DAISY Award nomination for Catherine. My sister loved, adored, and cherished everyone and their care at Dana-Farber, but she had a special place in her heart for the remarkable care she received from Catherine Hulme-Freudenberger.
My sister often said The DAISY Award should be called the "God's Angel Award" because of all the doctors and the nurses who cared for her felt like angels surrounding her in time of care and tremendous need. She felt as though the energy the nurses exuded at the Milford Dana-Farber facility always felt warm, welcoming, and authentically compassionate. She even said the atmosphere they create in Milford has more of a calming feel similar to a spa because of the kindness and compassion that everyone shares with the patients.
She asked me to submit a nomination for Catherine because she wanted to honor her above and beyond just a thank you note. Catherine was much more than a nurse to my sister, she became a dear confidante and friend. Not only did Catherine provide my sister with extraordinary care, but my sister also felt as though she provided a genuine warmth and she was always comforted and put at ease by Catherine in times of need. In many cases, Catherine had to make serious decisions to call 911 for emergency assistance and she did this with such calmness and reassurance to my sister that everything would work out in her favor. Her words of compassion brought tremendous hope to my sister in such times of need and despair. Our family felt as though God used Catherine to prolong my sister's life in many instances.
Whether it was providing a transfusion, an IV filled with magnesium, potassium, and/or fluids, Catherine brought my sister a sense of genuine peace knowing she was being placed in great hands and professional care. Catherine's pep talks, singing, and sharing songs that they loved, meditation tips, goal setting, etc. while providing treatments, truly put my sister's mind at ease during her last days while fighting her sarcoma battle. Catherine walked beside her through the difficult moments of transitioning from cancer care to Palliative care. Catherine even sat in on the palliative care sessions to help ease my sister's fears of facing pain and death. She always went above and beyond the call of duty. Catherine even paid a visit to my sister in the ICU prior to her passing. She went above and beyond to walk beside my sister right up until the end of her journey here on earth. Our family is eternally grateful to Catherine for her love, devotion, and steadfast support and care.
God definitely put Catherine in my sister's life and our entire family's lives for a reason, and my sister felt it was to help her achieve her goal of getting to her son's dissertation for his Master's and ultimately the college graduation that she was fortunate to witness while in the ICU of the Milford Hospital. Catherine's devotion to doing whatever it took to help my sister get strong enough to make it to her son's dissertation was amazing. She helped my sister stay focused on her goal while providing her with various treatments such as magnesium one day, transfusion the next, and fluids the morning of the dissertation just prior to the hour and a half ride to the college. This provided her with the extra dose of treatment her body needed to make it to her son's dissertation. She got the love, care, and treatment from Catherine and other care specialists that she needed to fulfill her dream. Catherine's love "created a miracle".
Catherine always goes above and beyond the call of duty in her day to day activities as evidenced by my sister's courageous will to drive to the college and make it to her son's dissertation. She passed away a week later, however, the amazing care along with the compassion, love, kindness, hope, devotion, and cheer-leading that Catherine provided to her allowed her to fulfill a dream come true. Our family is forever grateful for Catherine's endless and selfless love and care.
Catherine is a true DAISY Nurse (aka- God's Angel as my sister called her) for her devotion to her patients' care and to help them keep their eye on the prize of their dreams while facing the most difficult health challenges.
We thank the Lord for the gift of Catherine in our lives.
You are blessed to have her as one of your angels on your staff, but we were truly blessed to have her be my sister's nurse during her courageous battle with sarcoma.