I would like to commend Cathy Thompson for her care. Cathy from the outset was the single most important point of contact and guide for C during her illness. With a deep understanding of her specialty area and a mastery of the hospital systems, Cathy also exhibited a constancy of purpose and dedication that was well beyond her duty.
Cathy was exemplary in being able to manage the complex mechanisms of the hospital and to effortlessly co-ordinate these to her patient's advantage. One among many possible examples was the re-insertion of a PEG lost overnight, an anxious early morning call was made to Cathy, arrangements were made and a PEG was reinserted while C was attending for other treatment in the LRI that very morning.
It is more than this though, it is a deep and profound sympathy for her patients and the all too evident desire to help them. I also stand in testament. Cathy responded to me when calling about C, never once demurring, never once not calling me back and often late in the evening, clearly well beyond her normal working hours.
She did all this with a warmth and genuine interest, evident not just for C, but having seen Cathy with her other patients, they too knew they were unique to her and special in her hands. Cathy Thompson, very, very simply, gave C and her other patients, her professionalism, and the full measure of her fidelity and compassion.